Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

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Voter Guide

Minnesota State Senate District 54

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  • Candidate picture

    Ben Bakeberg
    (Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Rick Olson
    (DFL)

Biographical Information

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (750 characters)

What will you do to support a vibrant economy across Minnesota and to address inflation? (500 character)

What legislation, if any, would you support to address racial or ethnic disparities in Minnesota? (500 characters)

Do you support the adoption of a ballot issue to add the Equal Rights Amendment into the Minnesota State Constitution - why or why not? (500 characters)

What legislation, if any, would you support to protect clean air and water in Minnesota? (500 characters)

What legislation, if any, would you support to meet the need for safe communities? (500 characters)

What changes to legislation would you support to reduce the influence of big money in elections? (500 characters)

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Campaign Website http://rickformn.com
Facebook (Full URL) http://www.facebook.com/rickformn/
Campaign Email rick@rickformn.com
o We need to get control of our health care costs. We need to reduce the complexity and administrative costs caused by the insurance industry. We can make progress towards Healthcare for All – a universal, single payer plan where people don’t need to worry  whether they can access health care they need for themselves and their families,  whether the treatment their doctor prescribes will be approved by an insurance company,  whether the medical provider is in the insurance company’s network, and more. o I hope to get on the Education Finance Committee to utilize my expertise as a former MN school business manager to ensure adequate school funding, o as well as on the Energy Committee to retain low cost and reliable electricity.
o We need to provide pathways, such as apprenticeships to good paying jobs, not only for the youth but also for mid-life changes in our lives. o We need to be frugal in our spending to reduce the need for tax increases so MN can stay competitive for businesses versus other states o Focus on controlling healthcare costs. o We can control local property taxes by avoiding unfunded mandates. o More wind and solar energy generation backed up by batteries will keep electricity low cost and reliable.
We need to do it, but unsure which mixture and how much of each of the following: higher minimum wage, increased earned income tax credit, child care credits, higher union wages (which drag up nonunion wages as well), and higher wages for women via the ERA, apprenticeships to give people a “hand up”.
Yes, I was previously against the ERA, but in light of the increasing wage, incomes and wealth gaps, it is time for public policy to abandon the strict free market economy policies that I was trained for in my Ph.D. program in Agricultural Economics
Ban mining in the areas near the Boundary Waters. Consider additional subsidies for farmers to adopt more practices that reduce erosion and run off. Require data centers to meet strict water quality (and quantity) requirements as conditions for permits.
I support all of the proposals of Moms Demand Action. Maintain funding for police. Oppose ICE in its current form but also oppose sanctuary cities to allow cooperation regarding violent or serious criminals.
I would support the elimination of dark money and limits on corporations’ (and LLCs’, LLPs, etc,) donations to independent expenditure groups to the full extent permitted by the U.S. and State constitutions.
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The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

VOTE411 is brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any political party or candidate for office.