I read Sen. Dan Sparks’ column in the Albert Lea Tribune (“Thank you, Save our Hospital, for Visiting,” March 30, 2018.) I also read a recent letter to the editor, “It’s a new low for a politician” (April 8, 2018.) I was happy to see Sen. Sparks taking the issue of rural health care seriously, but very disappointed in his blatant partisanship and attempted deception.

Sparks writes how he introduced legislation “that establishes tax incentives to attract alternative providers to rural communities.” You can check on the MN Revisor’s website and see that this bill was introduced on March 26. What he fails to mention is his bill has the same identical language as a bill that was already introduced in the Senate by Sen. Carla Nelson on March 15, and in the House by Rep. Peggy Bennett on March 1.

Now, I don’t care who receives the credit for this good idea. But implying a bill idea is yours when it’s easy to see that’s false is the type of divisive partisanship we see plaguing St. Paul and Washington, D.C. Frankly, it’s insulting that Sparks thinks his own constituents aren’t smart enough to see through the half truths. Why not do what’s best for Greater Minnesota and sign your name to an already-written bill and create bipartisan support for the legislation moving forward?

Politics for politics’ sake isn’t helping our area preserve healthcare in rural Minnesota. While I’m grateful to see Sparks trying to improve rural health care, I hope he will take this as a lesson from his district: We expect all of our legislators to do what’s best for our area, not race to improve their re-election chances.

Julie Hendrickson

Albert Lea