reprinted from

July 21, 2006

Auditor hopeful Otto sees role as advocate

By MIKE O'ROURKE
Associate Editor

Former state Rep. Rebecca Otto says she'll be an advocate for financially strapped cities and counties if elected state auditor.

The DFL-endorsed candidate said Thursday while in Brainerd that she wants to do more than just see that local units of government comply with state statutes.

"I want to help them meet future challenges," Otto said.

Some of those challenges, Otto maintained, are the legacy of the Republicans' insistence on "no new taxes" - a regressive strategy she claimed led to rising property taxes and local option sales taxes to provide necessary services. She said she'll stress the need for efficient, effective government while focusing on building stronger communities.

"We've got to help those people in the future," she said.

The auditor's job should be nonpartisan, the former school board member said. Elected to the state House as a Democrat in a Republican-leaning district, she said she's always focused on good fiscal management. Former Vice President Walter Mondale and former Gov. Arne Carlson both backed her last legislative bid. If elected she pledged to be fair to everyone regardless of party labels.

"You're not there to do the job of your governor or your party," Otto said.

Otto, 43, who lives near Marine on St. Croix, said current Auditor Pat Anderson's office has made numerous errors in reports and has overseen the theft of laptop computers. Competency will be one of the themes of her campaign, she said.

"I love to solve problems. I love teamwork."

Elected to the House in a special election in 2003, Otto was defeated in 2004. Before serving as a legislator she served on the Forest Lake School Board. She has 20 years experience as an entrepreneur, building up a 50-employee business, which she has since sold. She taught school for five years. Otto earned her bachelor's degree from Macalester College and her master's in education from the University of Minnesota.

MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.