My Point of View by John Forman

 

In the upcoming election for District 27A representative, we have only one candidate who has a record of working for our district. Peggy Bennett is that candidate and has worked hard for our district.

Her opponent is an unknown and has yet to define what he will vote for, and the last time we elected Democrats to the house we ended up with overreaching agriculture rules, more red tape and higher taxes. Peggy supported legislation with $5 billion for roads and bridges over the next 10 years, including the Highway 14 expansion through southern Minnesota. Democrats pushed for an expensive light rail system for the metro area. Peggy supported property tax relief for farmers and legislation to prevent overreach by our Democratic governor when it comes to buffer strips, ditch mowing and nitrates. The governor and his party treat farmers as if they do not care for the land and have to be forced to be conservationists. Peggy recognizes farmers as a large part of our Minnesota economy and a group that realizes the importance of conservation to their future. Peggy worked with other Republicans and Democrats on a tax bill that would help the lower-income bracket of taxpayers save money; unfortunately the Democratic governor vetoed this bipartisan bill. Peggy worked to help rural health care and authored three bills this session to address local health care needs. One bill that passed offered tax incentive for clinics that opened in underserved communities; unfortunately, it fell victim to the Democratic governor’s veto.

Peggy also supported education and helped craft legislation that added $500 million in new funding for public schools. Peggy authored legislation to encourage teaching trades such as welding or mechanics in our high schools as an after-school educational opportunity.

Peggy also works on social issues in our state. She authored a bill Foster Care Sibling Bill of Rights that helps keep siblings placed in different homes connected. She supported legislation that Republicans passed that makes life easier for child care providers by easing paperwork and other red tape that was adding costs and driving some providers out of the market at a time when need for care is increasing.

Remember, Peggy has a proven track record and has created connections with other legislators — both Republican and Democrat. These connections take time to build and are important in getting legislation that helps our district passed.

Part of getting legislation passed into law is avoiding governor vetoes; we need to elect Jeff Johnson as our next governor to help Peggy get her legislative priorities passed and avoid vetoes so they can be turned into law. We need to remember statewide offices have been controlled too long by Democrats, and they have turned these offices into political strongholds working more for their party than for the people of Minnesota. We need to elect Republicans: Doug Wardlow as attorney general,  John Howe as secretary of state and Pam Myhra as state auditor.

We need to vote for Jim Hagedorn for our Congressional 1st District representative. We know what he will do if elected. He has run on a strong conservative platform in the last two elections: less government and lower taxes. His opponent is hand-picked by the national Democratic Party leadership and, if elected, will owe his seat to them. Democratic leadership will have him vote with Nancy Pelosi for higher taxes and more government control over your life. We need to elect Karin Housley and Jim Newberger as our senators from Minnesota. They will help contain taxes and regulation on the national level.

Remember Peggy Bennett’s motto is people before politics. Vote for Peggy.

John Forman is a member of the Freeborn County Republican Party.