TELEVISION SCHEDULE

Watch CTC/Charter Channels 8 & 15 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through November 3 for interviews of the candidates who participated in "Candid Conversations with Candidates." The Senate District 10 candidate interviews will air between 3:30 and 4 p.m. on those days. (Crosslake Communications Channel 12 also will broadcast Crosslake-area races during the month of October.) All candidates were invited to participate.

Taylor Stevenson
DFL-Baxter
Senate District 10

What is the most pressing issue facing Senate District 10 in the next year? How will you recommend addressing that issue?
I think taking on economic needs, particularly challenges in employment, is paramount ... The biggest hurdle I see is a mismatch of job opportunities and skill in our workforce. ... One of my major priorities will be supporting teachers and students to help train/retrain people who make our community work. ...

What is your position about sharing services, equipment and other resources to improve efficiencies, services or reduce costs with other local units of government given the limited resources available today? If you are supportive of exploring options, what process or priorities would you recommend?
I believe that maintaining local control is important, as well as preserving the identities of our small, rural communities. However, I strongly support common sense approaches to making our government services more cost-effective as part of an ethic of delivering a quality public product at a fair and affordable price. ...

How will you support the health of the business community if elected?
I believe the public sector must do more to work with the private sector and nonprofit organizations to find innovative solutions to economic challenges. Bonding projects like road and bridge construction provide good, living-wage jobs, but this is not enough. The Legislature must do more to fill the skills gap. ...