Civil Rights and the Rule of Law
The most important and basic function of government is to keep citizens safe. As someone who has been actively working on collaborative safety solutions I will continue this work at the House, insisting on both keeping communities safe and fairness in our justice systems. Last session we made historic progress in protecting our communities from gun violence but we must find more solutions to keeping military grade weapons off our streets, even as the Supreme Court undermines our state's rights.
Affordability
Recently President Trump declared that widespread concerns about affordability were a “hoax.” For someone who spends much of his time in the luxury of Mar-a-Lago, affordability must sound like a mystical concept. But for many people, it’s all too real. Bloomington and Edina have fared better than most communities, but too many families face daunting challenges from the cost of housing, groceries, childcare, healthcare, college tuition, and much more. Minnesotans are right to want an economy that works for everyone.
Minnesota's Economy
In many ways the Minnesota economy is outstanding. The state unemployment rate is generally well below the US rate. Minnesota is home to world-famous companies in the health and medical technology sectors. The state has been innovative in developing alternative energy technologies. And the list goes on. However the recent increases in US tariffs have created great difficulties for Minnesotans in both urban and rural areas.
Minnesota’s state budget is in great shape near-term, but major challenges loom in the years ahead. The most recent projections point to a large deficit in the 2028-2029 biennium. For sure we will need to make some difficult decisions before then.
Health Care
Republicans’ decision to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will make healthcare much more expensive for many people. The predictable results will be worse health outcomes, more crowded emergency rooms, and much more. We must fight hard for a system that can keep everyone healthy.
Fraud
My position on the fraud issue is simple. Fraud is stealing! I strongly support prosecution of all fraudsters as well as improved systems for preventing fraud in the future.
Schools
My two sons thrived in their Edina schools. I want the same opportunity for all Minnesota kids. High-quality schools are the foundation of our economy and of our communities. Accordingly we must make adequate funding of our schools one of our highest priorities.
Transportation
People must be able to get to where they need to go quickly and safely, and we can’t have a world-class economy in Minnesota without a word-class transportation infrastructure. Achieving it will require prudent investments in road, rail, and air facilities.
Public Safety & Guns
The US stands out internationally for its high ratio of gun ownership and its high rate of gun-related deaths. We must do more to make Minnesota a safer place to live.
Energy & the Environment
Wild gyrations in energy costs in recent years have made it clear that excessive reliance on fossil fuels entails great geopolitical and economic risk. Minnesota can do better if we encourage alternative energy sources. I believe strongly in common-sense environmental practices. Clean air and water are not luxuries; they are essential for life. In addition the “great outdoors” is a critical part of the rightly acclaimed Minnesota quality of life. I want to keep it that way.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving extraordinarily fast. Minnesota should take the lead in working to encourage beneficial applications of AI while doing our best to prevent harm to individuals, especially kids.