CORRECTION RAN MONDAY (10/25/04)
An election profile of Kim Norton, a DFL candidate for District 29B, on Page 7B Saturday, incorrectly listed education twice in her top three legislative priorities. It should have said: 1. education. 2. balancing the budget. 3. health care.
---------------------------------------------------------- Age: 47.
Address: 539 Lowry Court N.W., Rochester.
Family: Husband, Steve; children, Chris, 23, Andrew, 19, Katie, 17, Kelsy, 14.
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Work history: Book seller at Walden Books; worked in early childhood special education; volunteer coordinator for Gloria Dei Church.
Education history: Bachelor of Science Degree in human development special education; master's degree course work in education.
Community activities: Served on national Parent-Teacher Association and state Parent-Teacher Association; worked in mental health and special education; recently worked for Interfaith Hospitality Network, a service for homeless families.
Government history: Two-term Rochester School Board member; state and federal volunteer lobbying on health and education issues.
Contact information: (507) 280-6273; knorton@earthlink.net.
Top three issues:
1. Education.
2. Investing in education.
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3. Having access to affordable health care.
Candidate's statement: I support policies that strengthen job creation, public education and health care. We cannot repeat last session's partisanship, which cost Rochester funding for important projects.
Five questions:
1. Should the state constitution be amended to ban same-sex marriage? No.
2. Do you support taxpayer-funding for a Twins baseball stadium? No.
3. Should Minnesota opt out of the federal education program called No Child Left Behind? No, but it should be modified.
4. Should Minnesota raise taxes to close a budget deficit? Yes, but there are ways to raise revenue other than an across-the-board tax increase.
5. Should the state provide more funding for education? Yes.
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By Matthew Stolle
mstolle@postbulletin.com
Having served on the Rochester School Board for two terms, Kim Norton is making her first bid for the House of Representatives.
The DFL candidate says she decided to run for the 29B seat after concluding that the current representative, Rep. Fran Bradley, wasn't listening to the concerns of constituents. "I haven't felt that the door has been opened," she said.
"I have already proven that I will listen and respect the opinions of Rochester residents," Norton said. "Because of my experiences as a six-year school board member, I have the experience that will help me do a good job in St. Paul" in representing the community.
Norton, 47, also has been concerned about the decisions made at the Legislature that she says have adversely impacted Minnesota's quality of life: decisions to cut child-care subsidies, the lack of funding for K-12 education, and higher tuition for college students.
"The poor budget management of our state and the no new-taxes pledge have left the city, county and school district in a position to cut vital programs and places our quality of life at risk," Norton said at recent forum.
Norton says that if elected, she would bring a vast background and knowledge in the area of education and a history of working on health-care issues to the job. Working on the nonpartisan Rochester School Board also has taught her skills in compromising and working with others toward a common goal, she said. "I can talk, but I can also listen."
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The biggest challenge in St. Paul will be in balancing the state's budget, which is estimated to be in a deficit between $400 million to $1.1 billion. She said the state also needs to reform its system of taxation so it's more fair and the state "has the revenues to invest in Minnesota," as well as making cuts and efficiencies as necessary.
Minnesota needs to look at the long-term effects of its decisions to make sure its right for Minnesota and Rochester, she says.
