Staff photo/Jane Howard Gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza (middle) made a campaign stop in Cook County Friday, July 24, 2009. With him was long-time friend Julie Munger of Duluth (granddaughter of Willard Munger, Minnesota’s longest-serving state representative) and his host, Bill Hansen of Sawbill Lodge. To support the local economy, they made sure to buy some fudge at Beth’s Fudge in Grand Marais.
Even though President Obama’s term may still seem new and Senator Franken has just recently started his job, the race for the next governor of Minnesota is already heating up. Gubernatorial DFL candidate Matt Entenza spent time in Cook County Friday, July 24, 2009 getting to know people and sharing his vision.
Entenza and his long-time friend Julie Munger of Duluth, whose grandfather Willard Munger was the longest serving legislator in Minnesota history, were hosted by Bill Hansen of Sawbill Outfitters. Several community members spent about an hour and half with them at Sven & Ole’s that day, talking about issues affecting them individually and Cook County as a whole.
Entenza grew up in Worthington, Minnesota, and wants people to know he has never forgotten rural Minnesota even though he now resides in St. Paul. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and spent four years as Speaker of the House. In 2007 he launched a public policy think tank called Minnesota 2020. Entenza believes the state does better when government focuses on four core issues: education, affordable health care, a transportation system “that works,” and strong economic development.
What distinguishes Entenza from other candidates, he said, is that he already has a base of support from people who can see what he’s already done for the state, and he plans to get Minnesota on its feet again by growing the economy.
Even a big tax increase wouldn’t pay off the state’s budget deficit, Entenza said. Instead of simply cutting programs, “you have to have a strategy to grow the economy,” he said. He would like to see the state diversify economically as much as possible with agriculture, natural resources, and technology. One way to utilize all three is to develop the renewable energy industry in Minnesota.
“We could be the Silicon Valley of clean energy,” Entenza said. He sees great potential in solar, geothermal, wind, and biomass sources of energy, and he wants to lower barriers faced by some rural communities.
In order to help Minnesotans find clean energy solutions, the state could create financing programs, Entenza said.
Entenza talked with Cook County Health Care Foundation Director Karl Hansen about rural health care challenges and with City Councilor Tim Kennedy about rural education challenges.
The group also talked about the lack of broadband Internet and its effect on businesses such as lodges in remote areas of Cook County. Thirty percent of the geographical area of the state has no broadband, Entenza said, and this affects business.
For more information, visit the Matt Entenza for Governor website at www.entenza.com/about/Meet_Matt.
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