Election 2012: Denise Bader, Minnesota House District 33B (DFL)

Denise Bader is running against Cindy Pugh for the Minnesota State House District 33B seat up for election this November.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Share something most people don’t know about you.

I grew up in Africa, the daughter of missionaries. I have lived in my house in Mound for the past 15 years with my two kids Alaina (18) and Noah (16). I have hosted six foreign exchange students through YFU and have taken in seven kids from the community who needed a safe place to live.

These young people lived with me from between eight months to seven years and now are productive members of our community. I am tired of the partisan fighting in St Paul and believe we are all Minnesotans first and Democrats and Republicans second.

What sorts of thoughts come to mind when you think of Lake Minnetonka?

 I think of all the communities that surround it and the businesses that cater to boaters and provide jobs in the community. I think of the many lake owners who live on the lake, the many people who use our public landings and our public beaches.

I moved to Mound because of the lake and have fond memories of fishing with my kids and swimming at Surfside Beach. Lake Minnetonka is a valuable resource we need to pass on to our children and grandchildren, yet it is threatened by aquatic invasive species (AIS). I will listen to all sides to look for a solution to keeping ahead of AIS.

Are invasive species a local, state or federal issue? Or is it a mix? Describe your views.

This is an area where local agencies, local cities, lake associations, private enterprise and the DNR need to work together to find a long term solution to a problem we can’t avoid. We in Minnesota are now the front line on AIS, and every state east of us has lost the war and therefore lost their lakes to AIS.

With new technology and innovation we may be able to control some and stop other AIS. By combining the R&D at the university level, encouraging free enterprise and local governments to work together we can find solutions to our growing AIS problem.

What is the most common issue people talk with you about while campaigning? What do you tell them?

The most common theme I hear at the door (and I’ve been knocking on doors since the snow left the ground) is that people are so tired of partisan bickering at the state capitol. There is serious work that needs to be done at the state level, including balancing our budget without accounting gimmicks, funding public education—especially pre-K and post-secondary education, and fixing our crumbling infrastructure.

The Tea Party swept into the Legislature in 2010 with a promise to have a “laser focus on Jobs” but instead we saw accounting gimmicks, stalemates and an obsession on divisive social issues. I have experience working with people who have different points of view, I know how to find consensus and I know we must work across the aisle in order to best serve the people we are sent there to represent. That’s you—if you live in 33B.

How do you feel about the current property tax levels? What about school district taxes (understanding the State Legislature has no control over them)? 

Our property taxes have been rising even while our property values have been dropping. This is because we have moved from what we used to have, a progressive tax structure (based upon the ability to pay), to a regressive tax structure that is a hardship on fixed income residents and that excessively taxes small businesses whether they make a profit or not.

We need to restructure our tax code relieve the pressure on small business and homeowners.

If the funding were available, what projects—either shovel ready or on the drawing board—would you advocate dedicating it to inside the district?

Our infrastructure at the state level and within our district are suffering from insufficient maintenance. We have several of the state’s 1,200 crumbling bridges within our district, and roads that need repair and upgrade. Even though we are in tight financial times, present historically low interest rates on bonds to finance these repairs make these projects feasible and provide for much needed jobs.
 
Are you satisfied with the public safety services being provided to residents inside the district?

Most public safety is decided by the local governments, but the state can help fund training and equipment to support our first responders. Many of our fire departments are made up of volunteers, and they deserve the state’s support and funding.

Many of our police officers are forced to purchase equipment they need on the job out of their own salary. We have passed bills to put money aside to help with training and equipment, but with budgets tight, the legislature has often raided these funds to balance the budget. We can and must do better.

How would you encourage the average citizen to become more engaged in state government?

The best way to be heard is to become engaged. The first step of course is to educate yourself on the issues by examining many sources and points of view.

Then vote.

The next step is to help a candidate you want to win by making phone calls, donating to their campaign and even knocking on doors to let people know why you support that person. Regardless of who is elected, you can stay on top of what’s happening by ordering a session weekly magazine from the Capitol press and by staying in touch with your legislator.
 
Open forum. Why should voters cast their ballot for you this November?

I believe I am the candidate best able to serve the people of 33B because I don’t have an extreme ideological based agenda.When you elect a representative, they should represent the district. They should respond to what you ask them to do, not make pledges to outside special interests like the Grover Norquist’s “no tax” pledge or ALEC (American Legislative Executive Council).

The people in 33B have concerns about job creation, elevated property taxes, access to education and crumbling infrastructure that they don’t need their representative obsessing about passing controversial social legislation like the personhood bill.