ISSUES
Education is about results
“We need to continue to support the costs of the current education system as we seek to discover ways to make it work better. All too often we gauge our commitment to education by how much money we are willing to spend. A better metric would be to focus on the results we are getting for that investment.”
Better roads help everyone
“Our first focus needs to be on roads and increasing the capacity for vehicles in the metro area. Our transit dollars should be focused first on improving the bus systems. I do not favor a gas tax increase.”
Quality healthcare means more choices
“We need to move away from a health care system dominated by government toward a system that places greater reliance on market place dynamics. Consumers need to be able to find out the real costs of health care procedures and be able to compare quality differences among providers. Additionally, we need more competition among health insurance providers. Instead of prohibiting any more insurers from entering our state, we ought to encourage it.”
Responsible government
“Over the past four years, we have moved from a $4.5 billion deficit in our state budget to a projected $500 million surplus after restoring the reserve funds and buying back the shift in education payments. One of the reasons the economy in Minnesota is doing so well is because this was accomplished without raising tax rates. I believe we need to work harder at managing the size and scope of state government. State government should not be the fastest growing enterprise in Minnesota.”
Experience counts
“My eight years on the school board and the past four in the senate have given me a wonderful background in the details of school policy, management and finances. In addition, my work in the private sector managing budgets and developing process improvement strategies required that I get first hand knowledge of the specific issues surrounding a problem and to ask the right questions in order to understand it.”
MORE ISSUES
• HAS SCHOOL SPENDING BEEN CUT? -- Don't be fooled! Although David agrees that we need to spend money to improve education, politicians who say “education has been cut” are simply not telling the truth. According to the Minnesota Department of Education, we have more than kept pace with inflation in education spending. Even David's opponent, Carol Bomben, wrote an op-ed for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press in which she herself admits that education funding has exceeded inflation. But, in her the October 16 debate with David, Bomben suddenly and repeatedly asserted that funding “has not kept pace with inflation.” Now you know the facts.
• DAVID'S #1 PRIORITY: EDUCATION -- David's commentary for the Eden Prairie News in which he discusses his #1 legislative priority: Education. David continues to be a strong advocate for academic achievement, local control, accountability, and parental choice.
• BOMBEN RECOGNIZES DAVID'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION -- Letter of commendation for David from the Minnesota School Boards Association (which includes Eden Prairie's Carol Bomben), recognizing him with their “Advocate for Local Educational Solutions” award.
• HOPKINS SCHOOLS AWARD -- Hopkins Schools issues a letter of commendation for David, thanking him for “listening to the voices of our parents, residents, and business leaders and their concerns about public schools.”
• MINNETONKA SCHOOL BOARD AWARD -- David receives a document of commendation from the Minnetonka School Board.
• TRIBUTE FROM A STUDENT AND FORMER STAFF MEMBER -- David recieves an awesome tribute from Sam Schwabe, a graduate student who had served as Sen. Hann's legislative assistant for several years. His message is more personal than political, encouraging all SD42 residents to get to know this humble, hard working servant of the people.
• Q AND A -- David's Candidate Question and Answers that appeared in the Eden Prairie News.
• EDUCATION ACCESS GRANTS -- David's presentation at the press conference when he introduced his Education Access Grant bill.
• PERSONAL PROFILE -- A personal profile of David -- his life and his vision -- written by the Star Tribune's Norman Draper.
 • MINNESOTA STATE QUARTER -- David completes work on the Quarter Dollar Commission -- selecting the official state quarter design for the state of Minnesota.
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