reprinted from

August 12, 2006

State auditor candidate strives for fair taxation

By JASON KROEKER

Staff Writer

OWATONNA Democratic state auditor .candidate Rebecca. .Otto said Friday that she wants to use the elected position to push for fairer taxation between rural and metropolitan Minnesota and try to ensure that local government aid remains intact.

Otto, the DFL endorsed candidate from May Township near Stillwater, was in Owatonna on press tour Friday.

She also stopped in Faribault, Albert Lea and Austin.

"I believe that at this time people need to understand the office because it has a direct impact on their life," said Otto.

She is challenging Republican incumbent Pat Anderson; Green Party candidate Dave Berger, professor at Inver Hills Community College; and Lucy Gerold with the Independence Party.

Gerold is a deputy police chief with the Minneapolis Police Department.

Otto previously served as state representative for District 52B from 2003 to 2004. Prior to that she served on the Forest Lake School Board. She is also small business owner, has man aged property and spent five years teaching in the Mounds View School District.

Otto said that Gov. Tim Pawlenty's "no new taxes" pledge actually caused property taxes and fees to increase. She said it has also led to rising college tuition.

Tuition at Minnesota public

colleges and universities has gone up 55 percent, according to Otto.

"The bottom line is that every thing costs something, and this sort of taxation is not based on your ability to pay," said Otto.

Otto said that the state auditor recommends how much funding should be given to local governments.

She said that Anderson advocated to cut taxes and aligned herself with the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.

She said this has led to reduced public services and communities pushing for local option sales taxes.

While she is not a CPA, Otto does not see that as an impediment to success.

Otto said the position is managerial, and she has 20 years of experience running small businesses.

"The way we set up in Minnesota, it's very managerial," she said.

Otto said the auditor's race is different from other races because it is not a well-known race and many people aren't sure what the state auditor does.

"For me there's a lot more education that has to occur," Otto said.

A lot of people will vote for auditor along party lines, without knowing much about the candidate, Otto admitted. ' There are also people that vote for candidates of different par ties, she said.

Those votes usually swing an election one way or the other.