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State Representative Andrew Falk
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4228
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E-Update
OPEN LETTER TO CITIZENS OF SWIFT COUNTY
Dear Citizens of Swift County,
Last summer, the late Senator Kubly and I met with the Swift County Board to discuss legislation that would allow the Swift County Board to appoint the Swift County Auditor, Treasurer, and Recorder - positions that are currently elected by the voters of Swift County. Senator Kubly and I refused to author the legislation citing considerable citizen opposition to changing these positions to appointive versus elected. The ratio of opposition to support I received was approximately twenty to one.
While I can understand the county board’s frustration that neither Senator Kubly nor I would carry this legislation, I had hoped they would recognize the citizen outcry against this action. The point was brought up that the Swift County Board has the ability to put this decision to voters in the form of a referendum vote; a point they had either not considered or had been unwilling to consider. Or perhaps they knew that the citizen opposition to this proposal was so great that the measure was likely to fail.
I personally believe that keeping these positions elected versus appointive is an important check and balance. These individuals are responsible to the voters, not the County Board. Consequently, they have the ability to be candid and give unbiased recommendations without the fear of rebuke or the loss of their job.
The commissioners contend that only by making these positions appointive will the appropriate individuals with the necessary skills be found to fulfill the roles. While I agree that the demands and challenges of these positions have become more complex, I trust the voters to make a well-informed decision. If a person fails to do their job well, the voters will elect someone new.
While the County Board and I disagreed about this proposal, I expected the dialog to continue. Needless to say, when I became aware that Representative Bruce Vogel (Republican – Kandiyohi County) and Senator Joe Gimse (Republican – Kandiyohi County) had authored legislation to make the Swift County Offices of Auditor, Treasurer, and Recorder positions appointed by the Swift County Board instead of elected by the voters of Swift County, I was outraged. As a citizen and a voter in Swift County you ought to be outraged too.
I am incredibly dismayed by this action. Rep. Vogel and Sen. Gimse, not elected by a single voter from Swift County, are authoring legislation to take away the voting rights of Swift County residents. This is wrong.
It is a common courtesy at the Legislature that you don’t author local legislation for districts other than your own. Citizens of Swift County contact Senator Gimse at 651-296-3826 or sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn and Representative Vogel at 651-296-6206 or rep.bruce.vogel@house.mn and tell them to remove Swift County from HF 2829 and SF 2445.
You do not want to have your right to vote taken away.
Respectfully,
Andrew Falk
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