My Point of View by Gary Schindler

My name is Gary Schindler, and I have accepted the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party endorsement for the 27A House seat. Let me introduce myself. I am:

• The son of a union carpenter who received help from the GI Bill to go to trade school after his service during the Korean War

• A member of the Glenville Sons of the American Legion

• A college dean focused on helping students of all ages to access college, find ways to finance it, complete their degree and gain employment or transfer to a university

• Active in my church and community

• A father of two adult children

•A husband of a nurse who works at a retirement community and care center

I am ready to go to St. Paul to work for:

1. Workforce development

2. Affordable college tuition

3. A comprehensive transportation plan

4. A comprehensive plan to provide high speed broadband Internet to rural Minnesota

5. Adequate and stable funding for pre-K-12 education

6. The development of workforce housing in our communities in Greater Minnesota

7. An increase in local government aid and county program aid

8. Having Greater Minnesota be at the center of public policy and planning in this state

Minneapolis is a great place, but Wells, Kiester, Alden, Freeborn and Hayward are greater. They are part of Greater Minnesota.

St. Paul is a great place, but Emmons, Conger, Manchester, Glenville and Twin Lakes are greater. They are part of Greater Minnesota.

The metro suburbs are great places, but Albert Lea, Blooming Prairie, Clarks Grove, Hartland and Geneva are greater. They are part of Greater Minnesota.

I am running for the 27A House seat to ensure that the residents of south central Minnesota have access and opportunity to the resources they need to prosper.

We are part of Greater Minnesota and to make us greater:

• We need access to quality roads and bridges. They are resources that provide us the opportunity to safely get our children to school, our workforce to their places of employment and our residents to health care providers. They provide us access to our local small businesses and services.

A transportation plan is not just an investment in concrete, gravel and asphalt. It is an investment in us.

• We need access to high speed broadband Internet. It is a resource that will provide our children with the opportunity to learn more in school and at home, and it will increase the productivity and profitability of our area businesses and farms.

Access to broadband is not just an investment in routers, servers and wires. It is an investment in us.

• We need our workforce to have access to affordable housing. It will provide our young people with the opportunity to stay here in south central Minnesota, and it will attract new workers to our communities, companies, manufacturers and small businesses.

Access to housing is not just an investment in lumber, nails and shingles. It is an investment in us.

• We need to continue to invest in our pre-K-12 education system and in quality, affordable higher education. Access to education will provide our children and residents the opportunity to develop skills for the workplace and create a larger pool of skilled workers for employers.

Access to a quality education is not just an investment in books and teachers and bricks and mortar. It is an investment in us.

• We need a fairer tax system. Right now farmers and owners of commercial buildings take too big of a hit. To make Greater Minnesota greater we need the legislature to increase LGA and CPA. Our communities in south central Minnesota need that resource to reinvest in their communities.

A fairer tax system and local and county aid is not just about dollars and cents. It is an investment in us.

I love this place — its people and its resources. That is why I am a candidate for the 27A House seat.

I plan to meet our community and county leaders across 27A and meet the residents of south central Minnesota to hear their concerns and what issues they would like the state legislature to address to make us greater here in Greater Minnesota.

 

Gary Schindler, DFL-Albert Lea, is a candidate for District 27A representative.