House District 54A candidate viewpoint: Dan Schoen

Talk about it

Something that frustrates me every time election season comes around is the inevitable negative political attacks, mud-slinging or similar tactics we all have to deal with on our televisions, radios or in our mail boxes. What should be respectful dialogue about honest differences in opinion or approach regarding a given set of issues or problems too often turns into an exercise in “beating up” the other person for this or that instead. That sort of behavior just doesn’t sit right with me. It’s not consistent with my personal values, not the behavior I teach to my children and not the way I have chosen to run my campaign for the Minnesota House of Representatives District 54A. Instead, I’ve made a commitment to myself, my family, and you — the voters of this district — to focus on why I’m seeking election and what I plan to do as your partner in St. Paul.

This area is a great place to live, work and raise a family. However, the issues important to our communities aren’t being addressed at the State Capitol. I want to help end the divisive politics of the last few years and work together with you to solve real problems important to our area. Those include things like lower property taxes, better education, safe communities and a stronger economy. In my view, we haven’t been served well by the partisan gridlock or priorities that favor big corporate interests over the average resident of Grey Cloud Island Township, Newport, St. Paul Park, South St. Paul and Cottage Grove.

In my job as a police officer/paramedic in Cottage Grove for the last 11 years and hostage crisis negotiator for the Washington County SWAT team, I proudly serve the residents of Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport and Grey Cloud Island Township every day. I’ve also worked as a narcotics and violent crimes detective in Washington County for more than four years. My job takes me into your homes, schools and work places. It allows me to see firsthand the impact state laws have on the lives of hard-working people. In my role as a member of the board for the St. Paul Park/Newport Lions Club, I get to work with area residents united in a common objective of helping their friends and neighbors get through a difficult time. Reflecting on those experiences each day fuels my passion to serve and work toward common-sense solutions to the challenging issues we all face in our daily lives.

I believe a strong education system and well-trained teachers are a critical component to Minnesota’s long-term economic competitiveness. One of my first priorities in St. Paul would be to focus on repayment of the $2.4 billion that was borrowed from K-12 schools last year by the Legislature. Properly funding our schools will ultimately pave the way to good jobs and economic success. The “Minnesota Miracle” of 1971 is what led to the highly educated workforce we currently enjoy in our state, and is a main reason why Minnesota has more Fortune 500 companies per capita (19) than all but one state and the 10th-most Fortune 500 companies in the nation.

You have my commitment that I will work in unison with local, state and federal partners toward solving problems so we can stop squeezing the families and small businesses that keep our Minnesota communities thriving. I don’t care which side of the proverbial aisle an idea comes from, or who wants to grab the credit. If it’s a good idea that will help the residents of our district and state, I will support it and work tirelessly to create good legislation in order to implement it. Let’s find the common ground and not focus on our differences. It’s time to put people first over politics. My name is Dan Schoen and I respectfully ask for your vote on Nov 6.

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