As I attended Fulda Public Schools from 1995 to 2009, I saw the sharp decline in enrollments that has left the district wondering how they will survive in the future. I watched as businesses shuttered year after year in my hometown and surrounding small towns. It seemed my only choice was to leave — so I did. I left and studied in Minneapolis and Amman, Jordan and then worked in Detroit, Michigan and India. And then I decided to come back to Southwest Minnesota. Since I came back I have witnessed daycare providers like my mother and sister struggle to meet ever-increasing regulations put on them by the State of Minnesota. I have seen the financial hit my farming relatives have taken from skyrocketing health insurance costs. I have seen friends I grew up with struggle with mental health issues and have no access to adequate care. All this time I questioned, “Why is nothing proactive being done?”
Our elected officials have stood by for too long and let our region become a victim of circumstance, as if this was our only choice. It does not have to be this way. It is my aim to be the Representative who can take the region’s needs and translate them into concrete policy actions. We can have a thriving, growing region if we look to creative solutions to bring us into the future. Let’s work together to Move Southwest Minnesota Forward!
Issues
- Affordable Health Care
Though Affordable Care Act helped expand access to health insurance, it opened the door to skyrocketing health insurance premiums for the self-employed. Some Southwest Minnesotan couples are paying more than $30,000 in health insurance premiums per year. The sensible solution to this is to allow the expansion of MinnesotaCare to all Minnesotans. This would give much needed financial relief to farmers and other self-employed Minnesotans.
- Access to Mental Health Services
When Southwest Minnesotans are in need of mental health care, they are often placed on a waiting list. But a waiting list is not good enough. Rural Minnesota is disproportionately affected by a lack of access to mental health services and it is taking an immense toll on our families, friends, and communities. We need increase access to mental health services by ensuring their reintegration back into our area health systems and through expanding the mental health services already provided in the region.
- Support Farmers as the Foundation of Our Rural Economy
Farmers have always been the backbone of our rural economy and continue to be so. Ensuring that they are supported, as well as their products including ethanol and biofuels, is a top priority of mine.
- Address the Daycare Shortage
Excessive regulation on daycare providers has led many providers to close their businesses, leading parents to search as far as 35+ miles just for childcare. Sensible regulations for safety are needed, but the State has gone too far in regulating all the way down to grass texture. If we want to solve this crisis and ensure working parents have a safe and reliable place to bring their children, we need to cut the red tape that keeps people from opening and running daycares.
- Expand Broadband Infrastructure
When I returned to Southwest Minnesota after having lived in Minneapolis and Detroit for studies and work, I was shocked to see the limited internet connectivity here. In a way, it was like stepping back in time. In the 21st Century, we all need access to high speed internet in order to stay competitive in our increasingly connected economy. I support border-to-border broadband efforts.
- Grow Economic Opportunity and Population
One of the most frustrating trends in the past years has been seeing the decline of our small town Main Streets and continued depopulation. Instead of imagining a bright future, we have been stuck reminiscing for days that are long gone. We need to reimagine the purpose of our Main Streets and reinvest in our local economies. In doing so, we can attract residents to our tight-knit and welcoming communities to continue to thrive and grow.
This content was originally published at https://maxwellkaufman.com/