Guest Column by Gary Schindler

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

My name is Gary Schindler. I am a candidate for the 27A House seat and I want to be your next state representative. I am the dean of students at Riverland Community College. I help people of all age ranges access college, help them find ways to pay for it with the goal to keep their student loan debt as low as possible, provide them services to stay in college and graduate and finally help them find employment or transfer to a state university. I am a supervisor who manages budgets, grants and programs involving millions of dollars, and I also manage four bargaining unit contracts. My work is subject to audits and thorough review. I have to be accountable. I would expect you to hold me to high standards of accountability if I should have the good fortune to be your state representative.

In addition to my work at the college, I serve as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission engaged in work related to college accreditation. Finally, I have unique experience that few legislators bring to St. Paul and that is I am a trained bonding proposal reviewer and have been engaged in writing bonding proposals.

Beyond my work, I am active in my church, Grace Lutheran, and the community. I am a Lions Club member and officer, serve on the board of the Freeborn County Historical Society, the advisory board for the apprenticeship program coordinated by the Workforce Center and the Albert Lea High School and also serve on the advisory committee for the new job shadowing initiative supported by the Albert Lea Education Foundation and Albert Lea High School.

More importantly, I am a husband and father. My wife is a nurse at Thorncrest Senior Living Community. My children, who were very well prepared for college after graduating from Albert Lea High School, have productive careers. Our daughter is a master’s-degree registered nurse at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and our son is an archeologist and will earn his doctorate this coming May. I am proud that they call Albert Lea their hometown.

With my skills and experience, and a deeply held belief in the goodness, richness and potential of our people in south central Minnesota; I am ready to go to St. Paul to take action to work for:

workforce development

affordable college tuition

a comprehensive transportation plan

a comprehensive plan to provide broadband Internet to rural Minnesota

adequate and stable funding for pre-K to grade 12 education

to work for the development of workforce housing in our communities in Greater Minnesota

to work for an increase in local government aid and county program aid

to work for having Greater Minnesota be at the center of public policy and planning in this state.

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, to get our workforce to their places of employment, our residents to health care providers and they provide us access to our local small businesses and services.

The last legislative session was to be the “Greater Minnesota session” but the lack of a transportation plan has forced our local government entities to consider tax increases to address our crumbling roads and bridges. A transportation plan is not just an investment in concrete, gravel and asphalt; it is an investment in us.

• To make Greater Minnesota greater, 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 will increase the productivity and profitability of our area businesses and farms.

• To make Greater Minnesota greater, our workforce needs 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.

• To make Greater Minnesota greater, we need to continue to invest in our pre-K to 12th grade 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 our employers’ access to a quality workforce.

• To make Greater Minnesota greater, 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 local government aid and county program aid. Our communities in south central Minnesota need that resource to reinvest in their infrastructure and services.

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