Expand MinnesotaCare to all Minnesotans
Health insurance doesn't necessarily result in healthcare. Rising premiums, the threat of high deductibles and copays have resulted in decisions by some to put off a trip to the emergency room or doctor's office in all but extreme circumstances. I support the expansion of MinnesotaCare to provide affordable, quality care for every Minnesotan. Reimbursements for our rural hospitals and healthcare providers must also be adequate for them to survive and provide care to our community members.
I remain hopeful we will one day have a single-payer healthcare system (Medicare for All) that will provide healthcare without bankrupting our working families. Rather than wait for the federal government to act, the expansion of MinnesotaCare will lead the way to a better tomorrow, today.
Unions, Trades and Workers Rights
Right to work movement is wrong for Minnesota. As a member of UAW Local 1981 I believe our unions and their members are essential in building and maintaining our middle class. As a proud union member and the mother of a shop steward I support unions, the right to bargain for a living wage and benefits and the expectation of on-the-job safety. I am honored to have received endorsements by MN AFL-CIO, MAPE, AFSCME Council 5, AFSCME Council 65, Teamsters Joint Council 31, Education Minnesota, Carlton County Central Labor Body, SMART-TD Minnesota, Women Winning, Minnesota NOW, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund, Land Stewardship Action Fund, MN350 Action and the Stonewall DFL, along with the DFL Veterans and Senior Caucuses.
Infrastructure and Tools for a 21st Century Economy
Our rural communities are worth fighting for. We must set aside dollars to assist our communities in rebuilding infrastructure to maintain the quality of life for all our citizens. Aging sewer and water systems, crumbling streets and other public investments must be upgraded, repaired and maintained.
To expand local tax bases we must extend broadband and high-speed internet to our rural areas and hometowns. State and federal governments must partner to develop and fund a Rural Broadband Act, reminiscent of the Rural Electrification Act that brought lights to every farm and home here in the 11th District.
From education to healthcare to the viability of our local businesses, access to 21st-century technology is critical. Expanding our online access will also help spur a boom that will bring our young people home to build new businesses and create meaningful job opportunities.
Education
Regardless of her zip code, every Minnesota child deserves a quality K-12 education. Our teachers must also be rewarded for their efforts on behalf of our children. Fair funding for our public schools and the retention of our teachers will help level the playing field. Higher education opportunities must also be affordable to meet the demands of a 21st century economy. I support tuition free trade schools and two year community colleges. I will work across the aisle to ensure the state's continued investment in our education system.
Natural Resources and the Environment
Minnesota is a leader in the development of new environmental technologies, standards and practices. Protection of our natural environment is an act of social, economic, and environmental self-preservation. I embrace a line in the Democratic Farmer Labor Party’s Ongoing-Platform that reads, “we believe in leaving the world in better condition than we found it.” As a mother and grandmother how could I not?
As the next state senator of District 11 I will support scientific, logical transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energies technologies—like the wind turbine installation that helps power Minntac on the Iron Range. I will work with individuals, businesses and representatives at all levels of government to advance solutions to the climate crisis. We must do this and now more than ever the shift to renewable energy will be an economic boost.
Mining and Pipelines
I will oppose legislation that attempts to expedite, weaken or circumvent environmental review, permitting or standards for any new project. I support proof-of-health and safety field trials for all new industrial projects and particularly those that will have a large footprint and will have impact on air and water quality.
Decisions on permits for the PolyMet copper/Nickel Mine and the Line 3 Pipeline Replacement will be decided by the courts. As these important questions are argued in the courts, and in the court of public opinion, I will also support the constitutional right of free speech by law abiding citizens offering dissenting opinions on these projects.
If these projects survive their court challenges I will be diligent in my responsibilities as a State Senator including:
-Monitoring the financial viability and strength of the corporate interests to ensure that what is promised is delivered, including surety bonds sufficient to ensure environmental clean-up and restoration costs of their projects
-Continuous oversight of state regulatory agencies to ensure the highest level of monitoring to ensure worker safety and adherence to environmental standards, and are held accountable to all state, federal and tribal requirements/regulations protecting public safety and our environment.
Recognition of Tribal sovereignty
Minnesota’s indigenous tribes have a sovereign right to their lands and to hunt and gather in their ceded territories. These rights are guaranteed by treaty with the federal government. Tribal governments have a critical and necessary role to play in land, water and air use policy, as well as monitoring and enforcement in these areas.
Sustainable Agriculture
As the next senator of District 11, I will support and promote programs designed to mentor and assist the next generation seeking to own and operate small and mid-sized farms. I will support and champion viable proposals that lead to debt restructuring, as well as tax breaks and grants designed to keep families on small and mid-size farms. It is also critical we create a pathway for people of color, women, and small farmers to gain access to land and expand sustainable food production.
We must invest in research and work to develop legislation supporting the expansion of sustainable agriculture, the protection of our air and water quality and the responsible management of our wild and natural resources for generations to come.
Encouraging and supporting the development of small and mid-sized farms and the infrastructure necessary to provide all Minnesotans with affordable access to healthy, sustainably farmed, locally grown food, is good for our economy, good for our health and creates good jobs.
All farms — large, medium and small — must engage in healthy soil-building, carbon sequestration and runoff-prevention practices.
Public Safety and Policing
One of our greatest strengths in Senate District 11 is that our small, close-knit communities allow us to get to know each other on a personal level. That personal touch of community involvement has allowed us to build public institutions, like our police, that work for us. I support our local police departments, as I have known many of our officers for years. Policing works best when it is built from a strong community foundation, with ultimate control in the hands of those who live in our communities. To ensure our public safety, it is imperative that we maintain control over our own public safety system.
While we collaborate on maintaining and improving our local approach to public safety, it is also vital that we fully protect everyone’s constitutional rights, and secure and emphasize safety for everyone who lives in the district. This means that as we continuously improve our public safety systems, it is important that we get input from everyone in the community. This includes our local law enforcement as well as veterans, medical practitioners, mental health providers, labor unions, local employers, seniors, teachers and youth advocates, and representatives from all our municipal and tribal communities. By bringing everyone to the table, even when there is disagreement, we can build a public safety system that works for everyone.My role as your representative in the state senate will be to elevate your voices and the needs of this district, and to provide the resources necessary to allow our communities to thrive.Instead of simply funneling tax dollars into police budgets to respond to crime, I want to use our resources in a smarter way by expanding and supporting community policing. It also means addressing the needs of those struggling with mental health issues and addictions who now make up a majority of prisoners in our jails and prisons. his holistic approach must also include providing working families with the support they need to raise their children in a safe and positive environment. By following these proven, cost-effective techniques at crime reduction, we can maintain good-paying police jobs and increase safety for all in our community, including officers. Now is not the time for a politics of fear that leads to distrust and violence. It is the time for people to come together and make a public safety system that protects all of our lives and constitutional rights, regardless of our race, income level, or station in life.
Health insurance doesn't necessarily result in healthcare. Rising premiums, the threat of high deductibles and copays have resulted in decisions by some to put off a trip to the emergency room or doctor's office in all but extreme circumstances. I support the expansion of MinnesotaCare to provide affordable, quality care for every Minnesotan. Reimbursements for our rural hospitals and healthcare providers must also be adequate for them to survive and provide care to our community members.
I remain hopeful we will one day have a single-payer healthcare system (Medicare for All) that will provide healthcare without bankrupting our working families. Rather than wait for the federal government to act, the expansion of MinnesotaCare will lead the way to a better tomorrow, today.
Unions, Trades and Workers Rights
Right to work movement is wrong for Minnesota. As a member of UAW Local 1981 I believe our unions and their members are essential in building and maintaining our middle class. As a proud union member and the mother of a shop steward I support unions, the right to bargain for a living wage and benefits and the expectation of on-the-job safety. I am honored to have received endorsements by MN AFL-CIO, MAPE, AFSCME Council 5, AFSCME Council 65, Teamsters Joint Council 31, Education Minnesota, Carlton County Central Labor Body, SMART-TD Minnesota, Women Winning, Minnesota NOW, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund, Land Stewardship Action Fund, MN350 Action and the Stonewall DFL, along with the DFL Veterans and Senior Caucuses.
Infrastructure and Tools for a 21st Century Economy
Our rural communities are worth fighting for. We must set aside dollars to assist our communities in rebuilding infrastructure to maintain the quality of life for all our citizens. Aging sewer and water systems, crumbling streets and other public investments must be upgraded, repaired and maintained.
To expand local tax bases we must extend broadband and high-speed internet to our rural areas and hometowns. State and federal governments must partner to develop and fund a Rural Broadband Act, reminiscent of the Rural Electrification Act that brought lights to every farm and home here in the 11th District.
From education to healthcare to the viability of our local businesses, access to 21st-century technology is critical. Expanding our online access will also help spur a boom that will bring our young people home to build new businesses and create meaningful job opportunities.
Education
Regardless of her zip code, every Minnesota child deserves a quality K-12 education. Our teachers must also be rewarded for their efforts on behalf of our children. Fair funding for our public schools and the retention of our teachers will help level the playing field. Higher education opportunities must also be affordable to meet the demands of a 21st century economy. I support tuition free trade schools and two year community colleges. I will work across the aisle to ensure the state's continued investment in our education system.
Natural Resources and the Environment
Minnesota is a leader in the development of new environmental technologies, standards and practices. Protection of our natural environment is an act of social, economic, and environmental self-preservation. I embrace a line in the Democratic Farmer Labor Party’s Ongoing-Platform that reads, “we believe in leaving the world in better condition than we found it.” As a mother and grandmother how could I not?
As the next state senator of District 11 I will support scientific, logical transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energies technologies—like the wind turbine installation that helps power Minntac on the Iron Range. I will work with individuals, businesses and representatives at all levels of government to advance solutions to the climate crisis. We must do this and now more than ever the shift to renewable energy will be an economic boost.
Mining and Pipelines
I will oppose legislation that attempts to expedite, weaken or circumvent environmental review, permitting or standards for any new project. I support proof-of-health and safety field trials for all new industrial projects and particularly those that will have a large footprint and will have impact on air and water quality.
Decisions on permits for the PolyMet copper/Nickel Mine and the Line 3 Pipeline Replacement will be decided by the courts. As these important questions are argued in the courts, and in the court of public opinion, I will also support the constitutional right of free speech by law abiding citizens offering dissenting opinions on these projects.
If these projects survive their court challenges I will be diligent in my responsibilities as a State Senator including:
-Monitoring the financial viability and strength of the corporate interests to ensure that what is promised is delivered, including surety bonds sufficient to ensure environmental clean-up and restoration costs of their projects
-Continuous oversight of state regulatory agencies to ensure the highest level of monitoring to ensure worker safety and adherence to environmental standards, and are held accountable to all state, federal and tribal requirements/regulations protecting public safety and our environment.
Recognition of Tribal sovereignty
Minnesota’s indigenous tribes have a sovereign right to their lands and to hunt and gather in their ceded territories. These rights are guaranteed by treaty with the federal government. Tribal governments have a critical and necessary role to play in land, water and air use policy, as well as monitoring and enforcement in these areas.
Sustainable Agriculture
As the next senator of District 11, I will support and promote programs designed to mentor and assist the next generation seeking to own and operate small and mid-sized farms. I will support and champion viable proposals that lead to debt restructuring, as well as tax breaks and grants designed to keep families on small and mid-size farms. It is also critical we create a pathway for people of color, women, and small farmers to gain access to land and expand sustainable food production.
We must invest in research and work to develop legislation supporting the expansion of sustainable agriculture, the protection of our air and water quality and the responsible management of our wild and natural resources for generations to come.
Encouraging and supporting the development of small and mid-sized farms and the infrastructure necessary to provide all Minnesotans with affordable access to healthy, sustainably farmed, locally grown food, is good for our economy, good for our health and creates good jobs.
All farms — large, medium and small — must engage in healthy soil-building, carbon sequestration and runoff-prevention practices.
Public Safety and Policing
One of our greatest strengths in Senate District 11 is that our small, close-knit communities allow us to get to know each other on a personal level. That personal touch of community involvement has allowed us to build public institutions, like our police, that work for us. I support our local police departments, as I have known many of our officers for years. Policing works best when it is built from a strong community foundation, with ultimate control in the hands of those who live in our communities. To ensure our public safety, it is imperative that we maintain control over our own public safety system.
While we collaborate on maintaining and improving our local approach to public safety, it is also vital that we fully protect everyone’s constitutional rights, and secure and emphasize safety for everyone who lives in the district. This means that as we continuously improve our public safety systems, it is important that we get input from everyone in the community. This includes our local law enforcement as well as veterans, medical practitioners, mental health providers, labor unions, local employers, seniors, teachers and youth advocates, and representatives from all our municipal and tribal communities. By bringing everyone to the table, even when there is disagreement, we can build a public safety system that works for everyone.My role as your representative in the state senate will be to elevate your voices and the needs of this district, and to provide the resources necessary to allow our communities to thrive.Instead of simply funneling tax dollars into police budgets to respond to crime, I want to use our resources in a smarter way by expanding and supporting community policing. It also means addressing the needs of those struggling with mental health issues and addictions who now make up a majority of prisoners in our jails and prisons. his holistic approach must also include providing working families with the support they need to raise their children in a safe and positive environment. By following these proven, cost-effective techniques at crime reduction, we can maintain good-paying police jobs and increase safety for all in our community, including officers. Now is not the time for a politics of fear that leads to distrust and violence. It is the time for people to come together and make a public safety system that protects all of our lives and constitutional rights, regardless of our race, income level, or station in life.