Much of today’s government policies are shaped or revolve around “gotcha” politics. In depth discussion and consideration of the issues seems to have all but disappeared in today’s environment; both in St. Paul AND in Washington DC.
This doesn’t bode well for the citizens of this country and all attempts to shape policies for a positive, healthy future for America. Minnesotans deserve to be treated with respect… they deserve to have their voices heard, and their concerns addressed. In order to help people you need to be a good listener, and in order to be a good listener you need to care.
That’s why I’m running for the House 11B seat – I care!
Priorities
Healthcare
Everyone, EVERYONE deserves to have access to quality, affordable healthcare. This is not a new topic, but it is a critical issue that affects ALL Minnesotans. Recent history shows that solutions have been proposed to make healthcare services more accessible and affordable for all and without much success. A Harvard University study showed that medical expenses accounted for over 65 percent of personal bankruptcies in the US. Interestingly, the study also showed that 72 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy due to medical expenses had some type of health insurance, thus debunking the myth that only the uninsured face financial catastrophes due to medical-related expenses. As the richest country in the world this should never happen – it is immoral and inhumane to ignore this very damaging state of affairs.
More recently, a move to allow more people to buy in to Minnesota Care received approval in the legislature (sort of a “public option” for health insurance). If it’s signed into law it will represent an incremental step in the right direction. The confusion still exists among the general public when it comes to healthcare, specifically that having health insurance is the same as having healthcare…it is not. Healthcare is the delivery of direct health services to people by health providers, whereas health insurance is merely the mechanism for paying the aforementioned healthcare service providers. It’s important to define that difference. In summary, the current system is the most cumbersome, inefficient, and certainly the most costly way to provide healthcare to people. Our health care costs are rising at an unsustainable rate and Minnesotans continue to lose ground and access to healthcare services. For the good of all people of Minnesota (and the U.S.) it needs to be changed.
Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege…everyone should have healthcare!
Senior Issues
Senior’s lifestyles and their way of life deserve to be protected from those who don’t consider them of vital importance. Healthcare, housing, and transportation are the three top issues that have been affecting the lives of seniors for multiple decades. The topic of healthcare should be safe territory, but recent actions and conversations coming out of Washington, DC in the past twelve months have seniors worried nationwide, and rightly so. Turning the current and very reliable Medicare system into something disparagingly referred to as Voucher-care would be disastrous for seniors everywhere…it’s also been called “Premium Support” by those who would soft pedal the likely damage caused by making the system wide change in how healthcare is delivered and paid for.
Likewise, housing has become increasingly important to seniors as the trend is to move away from the familiar Nursing Home system to one of Assisted Living facilities. These systems hold great potential, but there are many hurdles to overcome including cost (affordability) and low staffing levels at many existing facilities. Work needs to be done to help support these facilities reach their potential in delivering quality healthcare and lifestyles.
Finally, transportation for seniors for day to day travels, in addition to extended distance trips for specialized services, still needs ongoing support in order to meet the needs of a growing cast of seniors now that Baby Boomers (and subsequent aging generations) have come of age as seniors.
Transportation
From the Northwest Angle to the bluffs near Lake Pepin, and From Gooseberry Falls to the sights at Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota is a beautiful state with many thousands of acres of pristine and beautiful wilderness for people to enjoy year round. To get to these remote places it also has thousands of miles of roads, many that are in dire need of repair – the state also has thousands of bridges that are aged-out and dangerous to use, with over 700 bridges termed “structurally deficient” and in need of immediate repair or replacement (2017 report from American Road & Transportation Builders Association). Major transportation challenges are facing all Minnesotans.
The state has been playing a game of catch up, especially in rural Minnesota, and continues to fall behind in road and bridge investments in order to fund critical maintenance and replacement projects. Minnesota has yet to adequately address emerging transportation issues and concerns posed by the needs of our residents, as well as forecasts of population growth, and perhaps most importantly, the overall environmental impacts of the current system. Transportation priorities need to be reassessed and realigned. For safety, as well as economic reasons, we cannot allow ourselves to fall further behind.
Renewable Energy
Some communities in Minnesota have taken the lead in promoting renewable energy sources – they should be used as models for all of us around the state. The state should consider expanding incentives to encourage companies and industries to create, and bring online, more forms of renewable energy generating systems. It’s good for the environment, it’s good for the economy, and…best of all, it’s good for the citizens of Minnesota. Win, Win, Win!
Affordable Housing
Recent Housing studies in the East Central Region of Minnesota have shown some significant shortages in workforce and affordable senior housing. To that end, I have been participating in two ongoing housing education trainings since 2014. These training sessions have taught all of the members of my east central Minnesota cohort about many of the nuances of housing in the region, as well as the state. Our first group (ECHO) helped get a senior housing building project off the ground in Mora and also created and brought a regional housing website online. The website has proven to be a great resource for people looking to explore the housing market in the entire east central Minnesota region and beyond.
Education
Today’s students have much more flexibility/mobility in selecting their school, than students of just thirty (30) years ago, in where they choose to attend school, thanks to the School Open Enrollment law. This enrollment flexibility offers many positive options for students that didn’t even exist a relatively short time ago. At the same time it has created a real challenge to all local school boards in planning/budgeting for an ever-changing number of students. It would be good to find more effective ways to better minimize the yearly shock of losing numbers of student that in turn affects the per pupil revenue dollars allotted for each school district… it will be a real challenge, but an important one to address.
About Tim
I am a long time (41+ years) resident of Pine County and have lived in Hinckley for over 30 years. My wife Kathy and I have been married for forty two (42) years and we raised our two children, Andy and Peter, in the Hinckley-Finlayson school district.
I’ve been part of different sports organizations doing raking/ grooming of softball and baseball fields in Pine City and Hinckley over the years (sports are a first love). This activity included repairing and replacing fences at field sites, painting grandstands and fences and light towers, hanging adverting banners preseason at the ballpark and taking them down postseason, as well as organizing and coordinating special event nights at baseball games, and softball tournaments. I served first as a player and later coach/manager for the Hinckley Knights baseball team from 1990 until 2012.
As a Lion’s club member I walked mile long stretches of the I-35 freeway doing highway cleanup as part of Lion’s Adopt-a-Highway program for many years. Civic projects also included picking up Christmas trees after the holidays for Hinckley residents, and gathering brush and yard waste during spring cleanup in Hinckley, also part of Lion’s Club involvement.
I’ve been part of the choir at St. Patrick’s Church in Hinckley for over 30 years; 26 years as a cantor/soloist in the choir. I also served on the Parish Pastoral Council as well as on the Church Finance Council during the planning and creation of the church’s facility expansion in the late 90’s. My service also included being elected Grand Knight in St. Patrick’s Knights of Columbus for 2 years, and serving for 5 years as the local Tootsie Roll Chairman, which is a Knight’s of Columbus annual fundraiser for handicapped children.
My community involvement also led to the creation, promotion and launch of the Arts in the Park Music series in downtown Hinckley at the Westside Park. “Sweet Summer Sounds” was established in 2016 and has grown in popularity and size since it was started, bringing musical talent from all over the upper Midwest to Hinckley for outdoor concerts. These entertaining musical productions are free and open to the public.
Community Education board has been part of my life since 1994. This provides education enrichment for people of all ages in the community and is part of my current resume of community engagement. Highlights include: Serving up food and doing setup/cleanup for the annual Senior Awards Banquets for H/F High School students and their families every year as part of Community Education. I’ve been part of the setup for the newly created and extremely popular Father – Daughter Spring Dance, which has blossomed into a great family bonding experience for all. Likewise a Mother – Son adventure, which changes themes and sites from year to year, has proven to be a family growth experience for those taking part as part of a Community Education event.
I was first elected to the Hinckley City Council in 2008 and have been reelected twice since. I have served on the Planning Commission for four (4) years and currently serve on the Park Board and Summer Rec committees. I’m the city representative on the CVB (Hinckley Convention and Visitors Bureau). I’m also the city representative to the ECHO Housing group (East Central Housing Organization) established in 2014, as well as a member of the Pine Housing Initiative created in early 2017 and sponsored by the Minnesota Housing Partnership.
I’m serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Lakes & Pine Community Action Agency as the representative of senior services after being named to that board in late 2016.
Currently, I’m the MN Association of Small Cities (MAOSC) Region 5 Director and have served in that capacity since 2009. MAOSC is a statewide organization whose membership is made up of cities with populations under 5,000 people. The needs of these cities are a bit unique and this organization advocates and lobbies in St. Paul and Washington, D.C. on behalf of Minnesota’s small cities… a truly engaged and committed group.
I retired in January of 2017 after serving for more than eighteen (18) years as the Executive Director of the Seven County Senior Federation (Mora). Previous to that I was the editor and opinion columnist for the Hinckley News, and before that worked as the Vice President of Operations for the Wisconsin Bar Brand snack food company of Pine City. My wife Kathy and I originally moved to Pine City from south Minneapolis when I accepted the news director job at WCMP Radio after graduating from Brown College of Broadcasting in 1975.
This content was originally published at http://timbfor11b.com/