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Wise government leadership provides funding to educate our future workforce and also provides funding to improve our communities. Brandon Lawhead is running for the Minnesota Senate to represent us in District 23 because he is deeply concerned for our children’s education and improving the well-being of our communities.                                        

Going into the 2022 legislative session Minnesota had a $9 billion budget surplus. Austin public schools requested $2.7 million of the surplus to fill a budget shortfall. At the same time the city of Austin requested $20 million to help pay for the $80 million upgrade needed for the city wastewater treatment plant. Neither request was granted after Republican leadership walked out of budget negotiations and refused to work on a compromise. In the face of our schools’ and community’s great needs, current senator Republican Gene Dornink did nothing and remained silent.             

Reading the Minnesota Republican party platform, it’s easy to see why Dornink failed to stand up for our schools and the city of Austin. His party platform expressly states that Republicans plan to end Local Government Aid to cities and the platform says nothing about funding K-12 schools. If the Republican party wins the office of governor and takes control of our legislature, their platform states their intent is to repeal the anti-bullying law, oppose universal preschool programs and end health screening for infants, preschool children and K-12 students.

Educating our children, keeping them healthy, improving our communities and providing for our local needs will be priorities for Brandon Lawhead. We need Brandon who will speak up and stand up for us in the Minnesota Senate.                                   

Barbara Finley-Shea                 

Austin, Minnesota