Reprinted from

New Ulm, Minnesota

October 27, 2006

Rebecca Otto for State Auditor

Four years ago we endorsed Patricia Anderson for state auditor in part because of her background as a former city councilor and mayor in Eagan. As a former elected city official, we felt she would have a good understanding of the different needs of cities, with their different tax bases and different service requirements.

In that regard, Anderson, a Republican, has been a disappointment. In trying to be the taxpayer’s watchdog, she has taken an aggressive approach toward local government that oftens smears all with the same brush.

An example is the recent letter she sent to newspapers (which appears on this page), which calls for people in school districts that are seeking tax levy referendums to turn to her web site and her comparative reports on school district revenues and spending, instead of listening to school officials and their “frustrating” spread sheets. Unfortunately, her online reports give you no information that is on those spread sheets about the current financial condition of your school district, its bottom line or what it has done to save money in the past.

It’s an attitude we have seen from state officials too much in the past, an attitude that we don’t like: “Don’t trust your local elected officials. They just want to raise your taxes. Trust the state, instead.”

We think Minnesotans will get a more objective job from the DFL candidate, Rebecca Otto. Otto served a term, 2001-2003, in the House of Representatives, and has a background that includes business and service on the Forest Lake school board.

Otto has received the endorsement of three preceding state auditors from both parties, Judi Dutcher, Arne Carlson and Mark Dayton.

We think Otto will take an honest, objective and accurate approach to the job of state auditor.