Candidate for Minnesota State Senate - District 65 in 2022 Minnesota Primary Election.
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Get StartedReproductive choice is a fundamental human right. Everyone should have the right to medical care for their own body and circumstances. Reproductive rights are constantly under attack and we cannot let Minnesota become an anti-choice state. I am pro-choice and I will always stand up for those rights at the legislature. Learn more
LGBTQ rights under attack by right wing politicians nationwide. Basic rights such as using a restroom in line with your gender are being criminalized. If they had a chance the MN GOP would do the same. In 1993 the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) was amended to include LGBTQ rights. We can not sit back and assume the MHRA is enough. Learn more
We have to continue to fight make sure LGBTQ rights are protected in Minnesota. Including investing money in non-discrimination enforcement, protecting the right to use a restroom in line with your gender identity, addressing LGBTQ youth homelessness and addressing hate crimes. Learn more
I support a community-oriented vision of public safety. This includes a robust department of Public Safety, which includes mental health professionals, community outreach, trained de-escalation specialists and, when needed, uniformed police officers. A militarized police force does not keep us safe, but truly community-oriented public safety can. Learn more
Too many non-violent offenders sit in jail because they can't afford their bail. Cash bail does nothing to keep us safe; it just criminalizes poverty and disproportionately affects our BIPOC neighbors. I support ending cash bail and allowing the judge in each case to determine if it is safe to release a person through the use of standardized risk assessments. Learn more
It's time to legalize marijuana and free up resources that can be redirected to better support the community. All non-violent marijuana convictions should be expunged, and anyone in jail for a non-violent conviction should be immediately released. Learn more
I support investing in a Green Civilian Job Corps with union jobs to plant trees, install rain gardens, engage in ecosystem restoration, weatherize houses and more. Learn more
Over 20% of our neighbors within our district can’t make ends meet and live below the poverty line. SD65's poverty rate is more than twice the Minnesota and U.S. average. We will no longer accept the status quo of having to choose which basic necessity to afford. Learn more
Additionally, we must explore a moratorium on charter schools so that we can study their impacts on our public school system. Learn more
Our kids deserve the best in public education and the state needs to do its part. I support substantially increasing the amount of money the state invests our schools. Learn more
It's the state's responsibility to make sure we have the most qualified educators, as well as educators from diverse backgrounds. To accomplish this, we need to start with protecting and respecting collective bargaining. Learn more
I support studying and reassessing our carbon neutrality plans. We need to become carbon neutral by 2035 not 2050. Learn more
I support state money being used to offset the purchase of solar panels and/or e-bikes, prioritizing BIPOC and low-income communities first. Learn more
I do not support Line 3 or any other oil pipeline. Line 3 is opposed by Indigenous communities, the very communities that will be harmed most if and when it leaks. Oil pipelines only increase our reliance on carbon producing fuels. We need to be working toward a future where oil is not needed. I will also never support mining in or near the Boundary Waters. Learn more
Climate change is an undeniable fact and a threat to Minnesotans. This past summer’s drought and wildfires are a peek into our and our children's futures, unless we make drastic changes. We do not have any time to waste, and we have to take bold, courageous measures to stop climate change! Learn more
BIPOC and lower-income communities are being affected first and in a more severe way than richer communities. Climate change is bringing about hotter summers and low-income neighborhoods are much more likely to be without adequate insulation and air conditioning. Every solution we attempt must be oriented with an understanding of racial justice. Learn more
The choice to use your voice and vote should never come with barriers. Millions of Minnesotans are registered to vote and yet we are leaving behind thousands of people. For working people it can be hard to take time off to vote; those hours could mean the difference between making rent or putting food on the table. Learn more
Minnesota communities have been set up to travel by car. I believe it’s time we make sure everyone of age has the ability, regardless of citizenship status, to have a driver's license, allowing them to commute to make a living and support their families. Learn more
I believe all Minnesota citizens 18 years of age and older should be automatically registered to vote and be automatically sent a ballot for each election. Learn more
I will be a strong champion in congress to build a state where no one has to carry the burden about how they pay for healthcare. Learn more
MN Care should be expanded to include as many people as possible by allowing small businesses and private individuals to buy into the plan as a public option. By raising the minimum qualified income limits more people have access to MN Care. Learn more
I support Senator Marty’s Minnesota Health plan, creating a single-payer health plan for all Minnesotans. Learn more
To make these changes, we need to raise taxes on the extremely profitable Minnesota health insurance industry. Minnesota leads the nation in the best healthcare providers, and I believe we can come together to make sure everyone can benefit from it. Learn more
We need to explore solutions at the state level to allow for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and better zoning to create higher density cities. Learn more
I believe we should lift the rent control statewide preemption, allowing cities to make policies that work for them. Learn more
I support statewide rent stabilization, capping rent increases at 3% a year, and a statewide renters' rights bill, which would include a tenant's right to purchase. Learn more
We need more state dollars directly invested in quality public housing for all that can directly compete with private, mega-rich landlords. Learn more
N SD65, we are part of a sanctuary city which allows for our worldly neighbors to seek refuge. I believe we need to live up to our "Minnesota Nice" values and open our borders to provide safety and sanctuary to all. That means no assistance to ICE by our state government or law enforcement. Learn more
Childcare should never be unaccessible for working class families due to cost. I will fight to expand the eligibility and subsidies of the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program. Learn more
I support a system of taxing carbon polluters and capping the amount of carbon allowed to be released. We would then use that tax to help pay for a Green Civilian Job Corps. It's time for rich polluters to pay for the harm they create. Learn more
I stand for the creation of at least 12 weeks paid family and medical leave so families receive the time to take care of themselves and new or old members of their family. Learn more
I support an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour, with yearly increases tied to inflation. I do not and I will never support a tip penalty. And I will support an expanded enforcement and penalty for businesses caught committing deliberate wage theft. Learn more
I am a proud Union member and a Leader of my Union. Minnesota was its most prosperous when union membership was at its highest. Collective bargaining is a human right and I will work everyday to make sure it is respected. I want to make sure every person has a seat at the decision-making table to bargain with their employers, if they choose. I will work with Unions to design and support laws that make it easier to collectively bargain. I will work to expand collective bargaining to those not protected at the federal level, including gig workers. Learn more
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