Natalie will work for our neighbors.
All around us every day, county government is at work. Anoka County invests in transportation, law enforcement, elections, public safety, and waste management. Anoka County provides amenities like an extensive parks system, essential services for veterans, senior citizens and families. The county is often the pivotal player in multi-jurisdiction initiatives involving businesses, faith communities, and other levels of government.
The seven-member, nonpartisan county board oversees all of these activities. We need a representative who understands county government and will advocate for our community. That person is Natalie.
Natalie understands county finances
The path to Anoka County’s AAA bond rating was established while Natalie was on the county board in the 1980s. If elected, Natalie pledges to maintain this hard earned, top rating. As the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, under Gov. Arne Carlson, Natalie helped balance the state budget. As a Metropolitan Council member, Natalie has held the line on regional property taxes.
Thanks to Natalie fighting for fairness, the Met Council revised its funding distribution formula. As a result, tens of millions of our tax dollars have been invested in Anoka County and right in our backyards. Natalie also has championed local control for decision making that impacts the quality of life in our neighborhoods.
Efficiencies must be accomplished, whether or not the state and federal requirements come with funding. While Natalie was commissioner of the MN Department of Human Services, the welfare system was overhauled to emphasize work and time restricted financial assistance.
Natalie is uniquely qualified to foster cooperation between different private and public sector groups--gaining efficiencies and boosting effectiveness -- because she has gained experience in several leadership roles, including being appointed by Governors Ventura and Pawlenty to serve on the Met Council, being elected to the Ramsey City Council and the Anoka County Board of Commissioners, being appointed by Governor Arne Carlson to run the Minnesota Department of Human Services, and being appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich to serve on the first Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Conservation.
In Good Company
Friends, neighbors and colleagues are in my camp doing all they can to insure a victory on Nov. 2.
I'm humbled to have at my side people like -
Dennis Berg, current Dist. 1 Anoka Co. Commissioner . . . Robert Parta, Chief Deputy Anoka Co. Attorney . . . Bart Ward, Tom Weaver & Dick Mussell, Anoka businessmen . . . Jim Abeler, Minn. State Rep . . . Jim Deal, Ramsey businessman . . . Sarah Strommen, & Al Pearson Former Ramsey City Council members...Charlie Weaver, Former Minn. State Rep. & Chief-of-Staff to Gov. Pawlenty . . . Mark Urista, Nowthen business-man . . . Tom Gamec, Former Ramsey mayor . . . Bud Redepenning, past American Legion Minn. Cmdr. . . Dave Jeffrey, Ramsey Council member, Steve Schmidt, Anoka businessman and City Council. . .Sandra Short, Ramsey PACT school teacher . . . Jim Lucas, Former St. Francis mayor . . . Jim Steffen, Ramsey businessman . . . Mary Jo Olson & Margaret Connolly, Former Ramsey City Council members . . . Mike Gamache, Andover mayor. I also welcome the support of a wide range of area groups that have members who have individually supported or endorsed me, including the MetroNorth Chamber Leadership Fund, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation COPE, the Minnesota Association of Realtors PAC, the Teamsters Joint Council D.R.I.V.E., and the United Transportation Union Minnesota Legislative Board.
