Autumn Lehrke to challenge Myra Peterson for board seat

• Autumn Lehrke

Autumn Lehrke

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Cottage Grove resident Autumn Lehrke has filed to challenge Myra Peterson for her seat on the Washington County Board this fall.

Lerhke, a 28-year-old store manager of a SuperAmerica gas station in Maplewood, said “irresponsible spending” pushed her to join the race for the District 4 seat.

“They’re talking about increasing property taxes because the values of homes have decreased,” she said. “I don’t think that increasing taxes is the solution, we have to cut spending.”

Lehrke said she could not identify any areas of the budget she would cut at this time because she’s still learning the issues.

“One thing I’m good at is doing research and investigating and talking to people,” she said. “I would have to look at everything and do a little more research to say what areas we can cut.”

Lehrke, who is in the process of earning her second master’s degree, described herself as a “go-getter.” She graduated from the College of Saint Scholastica with a bachelor’s degree in management in 2004, and from the University of Phoenix with a master of business administration degree in 2007. She is now working toward a master’s degree in management with a concentration in organizational leadership at the College of Saint Scholastica, and planning to graduate in December.

She previously worked as a branch manager for Hertz Car Rental and as a facility manager for Standard Parking.

“I just thought with all my management and leadership experience, I would do great (as county commissioner),” Lehrke said.

Her husband got her interested in politics, she said.

Derrick Lehrke — who proposed at an anti-tax rally at the Minnesota Capitol — is a former candidate for Cottage Grove City Council.

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