Letters to the Editor

From: Sen. Mark Ourada, District 19, Buffalo
It is unfortunate, but sadly expected, that my opponent has chosen to resort to mudslinging during these final days of the campaign. In last week’s letter to the editor by Mr. Thor Carlson, on behalf of Ross Bennett, the candidate has clearly decided that telling only a small part of the story is the kind of campaigning that citizens will embrace and respond to. I reject that notion and am confident you will too.
Nevertheless, I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.
As a member of the Stadium Task Force I did not vote to appropriate any money for a sports stadium. The task force had no legal or legislative authority to do so. It has clearly been my position that I will not support spending general tax dollars for sports stadiums. The Senate record clearly shows that I voted against such spending a number of times. It is a matter of public record.
While I strongly support our state’s “gift ban” for public officials, as with many laws, changes are sometimes required. The former Ethical Practices Board, a bipartisan group appointed by the governor charged with the responsibility of overseeing and enforcing these laws, recognized some shortcomings in 1997. The Board said this law “has yielded what we believe are occasional absurd and unintended consequences.” It was this type of change that I supported, as recommended by this oversight board.
As for commuter rail, I make no apology for my caution. While I have publicly stated that the Northstar Corridor makes a great deal more sense than light rail, we still need to invest carefully. This project will cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
MNDOT’s (Minnesota Department of Transportation) Phase II Feasibility Study projects that it will cost more than $60,000 per rider to build, have a fare twice as expensive as van pool and still cost taxpayers an additional $2,000 per year per rider to operate.
If paid for by property taxes every home in the affected area would see over a six percent increase. As the lead Republican senator on the Transportation Committee, I have an obligation to ensure its money well spent. If I’m confident that it will be beneficial to my constituents, provide a good return on its investment and have an affordable fare, I will lend this project my full support.
Mr. Carlson gives no details on the feedlot votes he cites. However, from the wording in his letter, I believe the missed votes occurred the day I chose to miss the Legislative Session because my wife was at the hospital having surgery. So it was a very easy choice to make that day as far as where I needed to be.
Since these issues are apparently so important to Mr. Carlson I am somewhat perplexed, and a bit disappointed, that he has never contacted me before to express his concerns directly and have a candid discussion. I guess it is just easier to wait for months, or even years, until two weeks before the election and write a very negative and inaccurate letter before checking out all the facts.
I am proud of my record and the work I have done as your State Senator. This year I was able to stop 10 million of your gas tax dollars from being spent on non-highway purposes. I will not resort to negative, mudslinging campaigning as my opponent is doing. As always, I will stick to the issues. Voters deserve nothing less.