Reprinted from:

Candidate Profile

Name: Rebecca Otto
Office: Minnesota District 52B State representative
Party: DFL
Incumbent: Yes
City of residence: Marine
Age: 41

Background: Property management; B.A., Macalester College; master’s of education, University of Minnesota; former science teacher, Forest Lake school board member, PTO board member; chaired school levy referendum; volunteer trail guide at Warner Nature Center; volunteer Big Sister; White Bear Area Chamber member; married, one child.

Endorsements: Arne Carlson; Walter Mondale; Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association; AFL-CIO; League of Conservation Voters; Education Minnesota; Minnesota Nurses Association; Clean Water Action Alliance; DFL Party; Minnesota Association of Professional Employees.

Essay: Solving the budget deficit should be our main focus. Being fiscally conservative, I don’t believe we should debate divisive social issues while our financial house is in disarray. I object to draining state assets to cover spending, using gimmicks and shifts that compounded our deficit, borrowing to pay for current spending, including inflation in revenue but not expenses, and other practices that cost us our credit rating. We need to sit down at the table and decide what our priorities are, and then adjust revenues and expenditures accordingly. We need to focus back on One Minnesota and sound fiscal policy.

Views

Legislators should rule out tax increases as a tool to help deal with state budget issues in the next legislative session.

Strongly agree
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Somewhat disagree X
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Do not wish to respond

Minnesota needs a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one woman and one man because the existing law defining marriage that way could be challenged in court.

Strongly agree
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Have no opinion
Do not wish to respond X

Additional rail transit should be funded as part of a plan to accommodate transportation needs.

Strongly agree
Somewhat agree X
Have mixed feelings
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Strongly disagree
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Do not wish to respond

The state should provide more funding for K-12 education, even if it means raising taxes or cutting spending elsewhere.

Strongly agree X
Somewhat agree
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Strongly disagree
Have no opinion
Do not wish to respond

The state should share in casino revenues, either by persuading Indian tribes to contribute more or by sharing profits from a new, non-reservation casino.

Strongly agree
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Have mixed feelings
Somewhat disagree X
Strongly disagree
Have no opinion
Do not wish to respond