Dick Lang is the incumbent candidate for District 4 county commissioner

Q. When facing budget deficits, county board members often have to choose between increasing taxes and reducing services to the public. How would you find a balance between the two?
A. You would have to choose on what is mandated and what is not. Look at the budget you have to work with. It’s better to reduce the services as opposed to eliminating it completely. I would choose to reduce the services before I would increase the taxes.

Q. After the state of Minnesota reduced funding to the Sentenced to Serve Program, the county began funding it. Do you think the county should continue to do so?
A. Sentenced to Serve works in many ways, and by funding the program it gives the county opportunity to have our prisoners do the work and take some of the workload off of our county workers.

Q. The county board will soon have to determine the future location of the Health and Human Services office. The board could renew the lease at Oak Park Mall, renovate space at the Mower County Government center or build a new home for the offices on the “Robbins block.” Which options would you support and why?
The old courthouse, it’s there. It’s free (no tax increase) and paint and wall paper go a long way. And, it also creates a downtown base. (Does anybody actually know how long Oak Park Mall will be there?)

Q. The county board is looking into the possibility of joining forces with Steele and Rice counties to regionally house Mower County’s dispatch services. Would you support this, and why?
We are still waiting for all the facts:
1. Will it save us money?
2. Will there be layoffs?
3. Will it do the same function?
4. Employes will have to travel.

Q. What skills do you have that you think are unique and make you stand out as a candidate?
My serving on the County Commissioners for two full terms, the HRA board for 12 years, City Council for six years. Self-employed in the city of Austin, county of Mower for 50 years.

Q. What other issue or issues are important to you as a candidate, and what policies do you favor in these areas?
I plead the fifth