Frequently Asked Questions

Sandra answers the questions most commonly asked of her and set the record straight on others. 

Are you really a tax and spend liberal like they say?  

Where do you stand on education?

The Republicans say they are making good environmental decisions—do you agree?

Do you think the state is going in the right direction regarding healthcare?

Are you trying to set up a welfare state?

Where do I go to vote?  How do I register to vote?

You used to be a Republican.  Why did you change parties?

With all that you've said about Republican policies, why do you think people continue to support them?

What is your vision for Minnesota?

Tim Wilkin characterizes himself as bi-partisan.  What is your perspective on this? 

Are you really a tax and spend liberal like they say?  

Bottom line—I take a responsible approach to both taxation and expenditure.  I believe that it is important to spend money that we have, rather than to push the bills forward into the future.  I consider the Republican Party in Minnesota to take a “borrow and spend” approach.  That approach puts bill on Minnesota’s future citizens: our children and subsequent generations, who had no opportunity to participate in the decision making that affects them. 

Where do you stand on education?

While I was door knocking, a teacher in my district described her classroom, where students had to sit in the hallway because there was not enough room in the classroom for all of the students.  This is wrong.  We need to fund K-12 education at a level that brings classroom sizes down to a manageable level.  We need to invest in early childhood education, which contributes directly to success in later years.  And we need to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to affordable and high quality higher education—not just a select few.  Education is the economic driver of the state and the key to continued quality of life for all.  We need to make decisions that maintain our status as national leaders in education.

The Republicans say they are making good environmental decisions
—do you agree?

From my perspective, we are under-investing in the environment.  For example, with the Clean Water Legacy bill, the government agencies involved estimated an annual $200 million dollars to meet the need.  The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota League of Cities lobbied for $85 million.  The Legislature passed $25 million for one year only.  I do not call this a Legacy—I call it political maneuvering to be able to say they support the environment, but without the resources to really make an impact on environmental needs.

Do you think the state is going in the right direction
 regarding healthcare?

There are some positive developments in health care; for example, I support the development and promotion of Health Savings Accounts as a coverage option.  The problem is, many people do not have the resources to afford the out-of-pocket portion of this type of coverage.  Minnesota has done quite well in reducing the portion of uninsured, but we have begun to go in the opposite direction through reductions in the MinnesotaCare program.  Health care costs for the uninsured don’t go away—they go up through delayed care leading to more expensive treatment and through uncompensated care at Minnesota hospitals.  We need to make decisions that lead to better fiscal and human outcomes.

Are you trying to set up a welfare state? 

Absolutely not.  I believe in the role of government to promote the well-being of all Minnesotans, including a safety net for bad times that can happen to any of this.  Most people use government services for short periods of times—a couple of years or less—while they get back on their feet.  These people then rejoin the ranks of tax-payers, contributing to the well-being of all.

Where do I go to vote?  How do I register to vote?

Information about voting is available on our website.  Click here for more information.

You used to be a Republican.  Why did you change parties? 

I moved to the Democratic Party because I believe in individual rights.  The Republicans no longer consider that important and are too driven by their desire for power.  The common good is no longer part of their vision.  I also disagree with their focus on wedge issues such as abortion, gay marriage, and others instead of focusing on the substantive policy issues of our constituents, such as education, transportation, and the environment. 

With all you’ve said about the Republican policies, why do you think people continue to support them?   

Honestly, I am at a loss to explain it.  For the average Republican voter, the policies of the Republican Party take away freedom and financial security.  Tax policies benefit the wealthy, environmental policies are shortsighted and benefit business’ short term balance sheets over the common good, and basic services such as education and transportation are neglected.  In addition, Republicans are ever more intrusive in citizen’s personal lives.

What is your vision for Minnesota? 

When I first moved to Minnesota and began to get involved in policy development, I found that we were always leaders at national conferences in terms of creating and implementing solid public policy.  I want that to continue.  I want Minnesota to always provide the best environment—to be a place to live and work and grow—for people in the state.  We can’t stay still—we need to keep looking ahead and working together for the people of Minnesota.

Tim Wilkin characterizes himself as bi-partisan. 
What is your perspective on this? 

According to Democratic legislators at the state and my review of his record, with rare exceptions, he blocks all Democratic bills from being heard.   To me, this does not equal a bi-partisan approach.

 

 

Q&A with Sandra

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Sandra Says…

"I don't believe in lying so I can't pretend to know the answer to everything but I promise you this: if you ask me a question that I can't answer, I'll let you know I don't have an answer, and then do everything I can to get one for you."