Minnesota District 1 House candidates list priorities

Oct. 24—GRAND FORKS — Fraud, waste, government accountability and affordability. According to Steve Gander and John Burkel, District 1's Republican incumbent members of the state House of Representatives, those should be the top concerns of the Minnesota Legislature when the 2027 session begins in January.

Their opponents from the Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party, Jennifer Compeau and Leanna Sandahl, are focused on affordability and finding common ground, respectively.

The four candidates are vying for House seats in District 1. The district is divided into two subdistricts: In 1A, Burkel and Sandahl are on the ballot; in 1B it's Compeau and Gander.

The election is Nov. 3.

The two winners will be among those in St. Paul on Jan. 12 for the start of the next session. To learn what the candidates feel are the most pressing issues, the Herald asked, "In the coming session, what should be the top concern that must be addressed?"

Burkel said "affordability and government accountability" should be priorities.

"Families, farmers and small businesses are struggling with rising costs, whether it's property taxes, health insurance, energy, or everyday necessities. We need to take a serious look at what's driving those costs, including the impact of state spending, mandates, and regulations," he said. "Government accountability must also remain a priority."

Burkel noted that in past pre-election discussions, he called for "a serious review of nonprofits and their funding mechanisms, citing the Feeding Our Future scandal and the need to protect taxpayer dollars."

Those concerns, he said, "remain relevant today."

Fraud hurts taxpayers as well as those for whom the funds were intended, he said.

"We owe it to both taxpayers and those in need to ensure these dollars reach their intended recipients," Burkel said. "We cannot continue asking taxpayers to pay more without demanding greater accountability for the dollars government already receives."

Burkel's opponent, Sandahl, believes the Legislature's top task should be "mending the divide we've got in our government and in our country, and finding as much common ground as possible to move forward and get things done for the people of Minnesota."

In District 1B, Compeau said cost-of-living issues are concerning, and especially considering "the changes coming out of Washington."

"Families are trying to keep up with housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, energy costs and everything else. Our seniors who are on fixed incomes are trying to stay in their homes they've lived in for years while property taxes, healthcare, and everyday prices keep going up. Our seniors who are on fixed incomes trying to stay in their homes they've lived in for years while property taxes, healthcare, and everyday prices keep going up," she said. "We need to invest in our communities and make sure that those investments are actually reaching the places that need them. We can't keep waiting until something is falling apart to decide it's worth fixing. For me, this is about making sure people can afford to stay here, raise their families here, grow older here, and actually build a life here. And when federal decisions make that harder, we need to be ready to respond."

Gander, like Burkel, also believes the Legislature must address "the massive fraud, waste, and abuse happening in our state."

He believes there has been an epidemic of theft of public funds without accountability, and blames it on what he says was outgoing Gov. Tim Walz's inability to oversee state agencies.

"Worse, within these agencies, he has fostered a culture of intimidation and harassment of people who have come forward with credible allegations of abuse of public funds," Gander said. "There is no surer way to undermine the trust of the people we serve than to be sloppy and reckless in how we spend their money."

He calls it "disrespectful," especially "when you consider how much effort goes into earning every dollar, that your own state government doesn't pay attention to how it is spent."

Gander believes progress has been made, however, in combating fraud and hopes legislators will help guide efforts to cooperate with the federal judicial system to "arrest, prosecute, sentence and recover funds from those who have stolen from Minnesotans and the American people. We need to examine every provider and recipient of government funds to make sure that they are providing the necessary service and that they are actually in need of the service."

The Herald also asked each House candidate if they have ideas, legislation or other efforts they will focus on in the coming session.

Gander's answer notes what he calls an "over-taxation problem."

"Our car tab fees are like another car payment for many people. I'm hearing of tab fees approaching $2,000, compared to neighboring states in the range of $100-$200 for the same vehicle. That is outrageous," he said. "Statewide property taxes are increasing way faster than the rate of inflation. State income tax rates are near the highest in the nation. If we don't fix our spending problem, we have no chance to fix our over-taxation problem. But we will fix it. We must. The course we are on is unfriendly to businesses, consumers, residents and visitors. It is unsustainable and it will be corrected."

He said that if something isn't done, Minnesota faces "a train wreck ahead."

Compeau said that if elected, she will focus on affordability efforts and "helping buffer the impact of the cuts and changes coming from the federal government."

"I want to protect our families, our seniors, our farmers, our kids, our schools and the health and human services and healthcare systems our communities rely on. I also want to put more focus on prevention," she said. "We spend a lot of money responding to crises after people are already in them. I want to invest earlier in families through education, resources, and support so people have a better chance to stay housed, stay healthy, stay healthy, and become or stay self-sufficient."

Doing so, she said, will reduce pressures on hospitals, address the state's workforce shortages, and reduce the need "for people to reach our deep end systems before they can get help, ultimately saving much more than we will spend."

She said she won't go to St. Paul with "all of the answers," but will bring "a lived experience, a willingness to listen and a willingness to do the work. That also means investing in our rural communities and the infrastructure we need to grow and thrive."

If elected, Sandahl will work to ensure affordable and accessible healthcare.

"Getting what we need to take care of our parents, our children and ourselves, and being able to pay for it, is a continued stress in the majority of households and is only getting worse. I'd also work to keep all our small community schools open, and promote quality education while addressing staff shortages and lack of funding," she said.

Additionally, she said, "we need to relearn the art of compromise, so I'd work across the aisle to create space for that. We need to stand up for what's right, but we also need to listen and learn from each other. Even one little step at a time, we have to take them together if we want to move forward. I want to help our elected officials get back to actually working together to solve problems instead of bickering and parroting their party's national talking points and then hoping some scraps trickle down to us in the rural areas."

Burkel said he will focus on issues that particularly affect northwest Minnesota. As a farmer, he said, he will focus on protecting the right to farm, on easing unnecessary regulations and work that supports the rural economy.

"Affordability and property tax relief remain priorities. We need to control government spending and address state mandates that drive up costs for local governments, schools, businesses, and taxpayers," he said. "Education and school safety are equally important. I've worked to strengthen school safety, protect special education funding, and increase funding to schools through the Permanent School Fund without raising taxes. I'll also continue supporting the regional Level IV special education facility included in the bonding bill, helping students with significant needs receive services closer to home."

He also hopes to work to strengthen rural hospitals, improve access to care and stabilize insurance premiums.

"Finally, I'll remain focused on government accountability, protecting ATV access, addressing wildlife depredation, and responsible natural resource management," he said. "My commitment is to listen to constituents, work across party lines when possible, and deliver practical results for the communities I represent."