Letters to the editor: When voting, think about needs here

We have the opportunity to elect for the first time in more than 50 years a state senator who actually lives in Carlton County. The last time that happened, the district included Carlton, Aitkin and Crow Wing counties and we were represented by Norman Hanson of Cromwell.

Michelle Lee would have voted for the bonding bill with Rep. Mike Sundin that would have paid for a waterline from Carlton to the Interstate 35 area at Minnesota Highway 210.

Our senator, who doesn’t live here, did not support the bonding bill. As a result, he also did not support the funding that would help the Carlton and Wrenshall schools districts to consolidate and the expansion of the county jail facility.

Our senator supported denying our jailers, prison guards and other state employees the salary increase due in the second year of a two-year negotiated contract. These are frontline essential employees, many of whom contracted Covid-19 at work. Who reneges on a negotiated contract? Our senator supported just that. Is that someone you can trust?

Sundin did his job and supported the supplemental funding bill that provided funding to keep the Willow River CIP funded as well as plugging holes in the programs at the Moose Lake prison. This affects nearly 125 employees who will lose their jobs if something does not happen soon.

Maybe if our senator lived next door to these employees he would have not allowed his caucus to send the bill to committee and thus guaranteeing failure. The Minnesota Department of Corrections made it clear that lack of supplemental funding due to Covid expenses would create huge cuts. Well, we are seeing locally the results of those cuts to our local correctional facilities.

Patty Murto, Carlton County DFL party chairwoman Esko