As a lifelong rural Minnesota resident and state lawmaker, I am deeply troubled by Gov. Mark Dayton’s recent shutdown proposals and am worried about the impacts it will cause our communities — specifically our nursing homes.

Dayton recently outlined the services he believes should continue to receive state funding in the event of a state shutdown. Making his list: His personal staff at the governor’s residence. Not making the cut: Providing payments to health care providers like small rural nursing homes.

This is deeply disturbing on several levels. Not only is he prioritizing his personal staff over our elderly, but he is basically throwing all of our rural nursing homes under the bus by declaring them “nonessential.”

I don’t know about you, but I believe nursing homes are the backbone of our rural communities and provide critical services to our parents and grandparents. To label then as nonessential is a slap in the face to every Minnesotan who has made it their life’s mission to care for our elderly.

Gov. Dayton’s priorities are flat-out wrong. I’m sure it would be tough for him to lose a gardener at his residence, but to argue that his personal attendants are more valued than our nursing homes is downright embarrassing.

Bob Gunther

state representative District 24A

Fairmont