My husband and I grew up in Minnesota, but the Marine Corps took us out of state for many years. In 2010, we finally got back to our beloved state to raise our kids. And for years, it was idyllic to be home. But ever since George Floyd’s death in 2020, it just seems like the leaders of our state have managed to mishandle our most pressing issues. They’ve allowed rioting with impunity, and instead of locking up the perpetrators, they defund the police, which makes us all less safe. In fact, violent crimes are up 22% over last year in our state according to a recent report from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
They enacted extended lockdowns with devastating effects on our kids. Did you know that only 45% of Minnesota students are proficient in math and only 51% proficient in reading (https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/minnesota-test-scores-down-since-pandemic-mde-pledges-to-do-more/)? Seriously? Half our kids can’t read or do math? That’s a leadership problem!
And the buck stops with our leaders when it comes to the lockdown’s effects on our economy and the out-of-control inflation rates. So, what to do? VOTE for new leadership!
And I’ll be backing a candidate that I know will work to turn some of these disturbing trends around—Marla Helseth, who is the challenger running for the District 49 state senate seat. Her son and my son are classmates, and so I’ve known her for years. She’s an intelligent, tenacious don’t-mess-with-mom kind of woman who has said, “Enough is enough.” I’m grateful she’s set aside her work in education to serve (and) fight for change in state leadership. Like me, she deeply desires to return our community to one where our eighth grade boys can ride their bikes without us needing to worry about criminals, and where our boys can thrive in a school of our choosing, and where we can run to the store to feed our hungry boys without devastating our wallets! So, I urge you to learn more about Marla at her campaign website and vote for Marla in November!
Sara Davis, Eden Prairie
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