Tabke for Minnesota

I understand the everyday challenges Shakopee families are facing because I listen and work with others to find solutions.

We can create a better future for all of us if we focus on the issues that matter most and work together to get things done.

We can reduce the cost of health care and prescription drugs by holding big corporations accountable for their role in rising prices.

We can fully fund our local schools and improve opportunities for our children.

We can reduce gun violence and improve safety in our communities.

And we can protect abortion rights and women’s access to health care.

I will work on these issues and more, so we can build a better Shakopee and a better Minnesota.

Workforce Development

I care about families who are paying more for gas, groceries, and health care. My focus is on helping Minnesotans better afford their lives by holding big corporations accountable for their role in rising prices.

Minnesota has been known nationally for having a powerhouse workforce. However, we are falling behind in our ability to attract and grow new businesses due to our inability to maintain a steady stream of educated workers. We must focus on workforce development for the future in Minnesota. This has three main components:

Education

Shakopee residents deserve a world-class education for the careers of tomorrow from pre-K through retirement.

As the husband of a public school teacher, I know the passion our local teachers bring to their job every day. I believe it is vital to give our teachers and administrators the resources they need to properly run our schools. Given resources and room for innovation, classrooms can be incubators of our children’s potential, giving each child an equitable opportunity to learn and improve.

Fully funding our schools, technical colleges, post-secondary education, and life-long learning must always rise above partisan politics. If we ask our students to do their best every day then we should expect the same from our leaders.

Effective Leadership: In 2019, I helped the Minnesota House pass an education bill with historic funding for Minnesota’s schools, increased access to mental health care for students, and bussing for pregnant and parenting teens (HF681).

Transportation

Our system is not currently able to move workers, and those who rely on public transportation, successfully from Point A to Point B.

Congestion on Highway 169 will never be solved solely by adding more lanes. Minnesota must pass a comprehensive transportation bill with funding that focuses on improving our current system of roads, bridges, and transit. Specifically, our leaders must focus on working with their colleagues to fund the planned bus rapid transit for Highway 169. Doing so will increase mobility for businesses and commuters and also improve access to transit in Shakopee.

Effective Leadership: In 2019, I wrote and passed a bill in the Minnesota House (HF 1555) that would add a MNPass / Bus Rapid Transit lane from Marschall Road in Shakopee to Highway 55 and into Downtown Minneapolis.

Housing

Locally available affordable housing is critical to having a local workforce.

Housing has become unaffordable for many Minnesotans. We want our children to be able to move away and get new experiences and then return to Shakopee to raise their families and start businesses. Affordable housing and rentals are critical for first-time home buyers and empty-nesters.

Our ability to maintain a local workforce hinges on making it possible for people to live and work in the same community. The state needs to take steps to increase the availability of housing by reducing regulations, creating private investment strategies, and allowing local governments to tie fees to property values.

Effective Leadership: I wrote and carried a bill creating public/private partnerships that would incentivize new affordable housing throughout Minnesota (HF3253).

Abortion

I believe women should make their own health care decisions in consultation with their doctor and without government interference. I will oppose extreme laws, being pushed by Republicans in states like Texas and Oklahoma, that ban nearly all abortions.

Racial Inequality

It is unconscionable that Minnesota is second best in the nation for raising families and second worst in racial inequity.

We must stop only talking about this problem and tackle it head-on by fully funding pre-K so all kids have a fair start in school, by fully legalizing marijuana to reduce the criminal injustice it brings, and by increasing access to good-paying jobs for all Minnesotans.

Effective Leadership: Governor Walz signed the Police Reform and Accountability Act after the death of George Floyd. Governor Walz also signed a bill allowing property deeds to be changed to eliminate racial profiling.

Public Safety

I have always, and will always, support the Shakopee Police Department. I will work to provide more funding for public safety and expand access to mental health and social services.

Effective Leadership: As Mayor, I significantly increased funding for the Shakopee Police Department and added more officers to our community. As State Representative, I also increased funding for public safety and passed a bill providing local funding for soft body armor.

Civility in Politics

I promise to run a positive, issues-focused, campaign that isn’t based on buzzwords, memes, and personal attacks.

Effective Leadership: I built relationships with some of the most conservative senators and some of the most liberal House members to get a significant amount of legislation passed for Shakopee residents and businesses.

Effective Leadership: Nearly all of my bills had both Democratic and Republican co-authors.

Effective Leadership: During my term, I led the Suburban Caucus, which fought for solutions that make sense for suburban communities like Shakopee.

Health Care

I will stand up to insurance companies and Big Pharma to bring down healthcare costs and make prescription drugs more affordable for all Minnesotans.

Mental Health

I will partner with local health professionals to increase funding and access to mental health services, counseling, and treatment for addiction. I will also fight to deliver more mental health resources to public schools to better support our students.

Effective Leadership: I was a co-author of the historic Alec Smith Insulin Affordability bill providing affordable insulin to all Minnesotans.

Immigration

Immigration is a Federal issue where the United States is miserably failing. We must recognize the value immigrants and their families provide to our culture, workforce, and communities at both the state and local levels.

Effective Leadership: I advocated for, and worked to pass, legislation in the Minnesota House allowing drivers’ licenses for all Minnesotans regardless of their immigration status. This legislation – according to Police Chief Jeff Tate and County Sheriff Luke Hennen – would keep Shakopee safer and dramatically increase the quality of life for many Shakopee residents and students.

Gun Safety

I am dedicated to keeping our communities and schools safe from gun violence through common-sense measures like criminal background checks and red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

Effective Leadership: The Minnesota House passed legislation for Red Flag Laws that have proven to reduce suicide by gun in many other states – especially for farmers and veterans. We also passed expanded background checks that would make the people of Minnesota safer.

Effective Leadership for Shakopee

I believe we get more done working together than trying to divide us along partisan lines.

My focus is always on issues that directly affect Shakopee residents and businesses. I have worked together with members of the House and Senate to pass a significant amount of legislation during my first term in office.

Bills Signed Into Law

These are the provisions I negotiated, wrote, and authored that were signed into law during my first term as a State Representative:

  • * Passed legislation keeping County Sheriffs, Police Officers, and Shakopee Prison Corrections Officers safer by allowing them to use body scanners when bringing in offenders. (HF0733)
  • * Passed legislation allowing Canterbury Park to continue operations in the event of a MN Government shutdown. Since the 2011 shutdown, Shakopee leaders have been trying to pass this bill. (HF0633)
  • * Passed legislation for local school districts to be reimbursed by the State of Minnesota for bussing pregnant and parenting teens to their best education opportunities. (HF681)
  • * Passed legislation brought by a Shakopee resident to allow the use of leashed dogs by hunters to track big game. Particularly helpful to recover lost game and for hunters with color blindness. (HF680)
  • * Passed legislation brought by local Shakopee workers requiring vehicles to slow down and move over when passing garbage trucks, utility workers, or any vehicle with flashing lights. (HF1188)
  • * Passed legislation for local Police Departments, reimbursing them for the purchase of bullet-proof vests and other safety equipment. (HF1490)
  • * Passed legislation securing $250,000 in funding for MVTA’s Route 495 bus route. (HF1555)
  • * Passed legislation with technical fixes and updates for the Minnesota Racing Commission and Canterbury Park. (HF2018)
  • Passed legislation for the trucking industry modifying operating standards. (HF3240)
  • * Passed legislation allowing 16-year-olds to safely operate rides at ValleyFair. (HF3720)
  • Passed legislation amending and reducing motor vehicle registration taxes to meet new MNLars programming. (HF3547)
  • * Passed COVID legislation allowing Canterbury Park to better function during a pandemic. (HF4597)
  • * Passed COVID legislation allowing the extension of drivers’ licenses past their expiration date.

*Direct impact for Shakopee residents and businesses.