He's taxed with improving the tax base

Every election season, candidates for county office talk about their desire to expand the tax base so that county expenses can be spread across a wider swath of property owners. Growth outpacing expenses would lower individual taxes, which have only risen in recent years.

But those are campaign promises. Reality offers a more difficult picture.

To learn more about how well Carlton County is positioned for growth, the Pine Knot met this week with one of the primary people responsible for it, economic development director Ryan Pervenanze.

"Whether it's Carlton County, St. Louis County, or Duluth...