Just four days before winning the August 10 primary, Minnesota Governor Candidate Mark Dayton and running mate Yvonne Prettner Solon visited with voters at the Grand Marais Senior Center.
Minnesota Governor candidate Mark Dayton spent a couple of hours in Grand Marais on Friday, August 6 and then flew off to Hallock, Luverne and Winona before reaching St. Paul that evening.
“I’m reaching all four corners of the state in one day; 1,200 miles in the air,” said Dayton.
This wasn’t quite as adventurous as Dayton’s “87 counties in 87 days” campaign in which he drove more than 9,000 miles criss-crossing the state to get his message out. And Dayton admitted that Grand Marais wasn’t the geological corner of northeastern Minnesota, but “Grand Portage doesn’t have an airport and I don’t have time to drive there, this trip, ” he said.
Accompanying Dayton was his Lieutenant Governor candidate, Yvonne Prettner Solon.
Dayton and Prettner met with members of the community at the Grand Marais Senior Center.
“I am in favor of increasing taxes on the richest Minnesotans so that they pay the same rate as you do,” Dayton said.
“If elected governor I will establish an ‘Energy Savings Fund’ that will invest in energy savings and alternative retrofits of every public building in Minnesota over the next decade. This will add jobs to the economy, reduce our state’s energy consumption and save millions of taxpayers’ dollars in energy costs,” Dayton said.
Concerning education, Dayton is in favor of statefunded all-day kindergarten. “Our state’s future economic growth and social vitality, depend upon a world-class educational system,” he said. Dayton also added that, while he favors increasing state spending for education, “I will insist upon further improvements in our educational systems in return for additional investments. No money for mediocrity.”
Other areas Dayton would like to see improved upon are an increase in state tourism, advertising and promotion; the creation of a new state-local economic development partnership; more money invested in facilitating growth for businesses owned by women and minorities; and border-to-border high-speed internet and cell phone connections.
Dayton took a few questions, then he was off. The former U.S. senator doesn’t lack for energy, enthusiasm, or ideas. This fall’s election will offer proof whether or not Dayton still has recaptured the confidence of Minnesota’s voters.
Leave a Reply