You can always tell when it's getting close to Election Day when bombarded with nasty cards in the mail and TV ads try to make the candidates out to be really bad people. Candidates at all levels running for public office, local, state and federal, are decent people who are willing to put their name on the ballot to represent us to the best of their ability.
When Gov. Mark Dayton took office four years ago we had a budget deficit that could have caused hardship to our schools, cities and counties. And a double digit unemployment rate one of the highest in the nation. But Gov. Dayton, in his four years, balanced the budget and brought our unemployment to one of the lowest in the nation. And who was there to help him?
Representatives John Ward and Joe Radinovich, both working hard for this district and the state. They helped the governor put our state back on the right path.
In addition, they improved our education system. Together they supported job creation initiatives, a college tuition freeze, as well as projects at Central Lakes College and the Aitkin County Fairgrounds, the largest business tax cut in Minnesota history, a $346 million reduction in unemployment fees.
These are not the bad people you read about on the last minute cards you receive in the mail. You may not agree with them on every complex issue, but they deserve our respect for putting their name on the line, as do all the candidates.
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Don Samuelson
Brainerd
Don Samuelson is a former member of the Minnesota Legislature.
