Editor’s Note: The Timberjay submitted questions to the two District 3A House candidates ahead of this year’s general election. Below are their responses

DFLer Rob Ecklund • Int’l Falls

The state of Minnesota has an estimated $9 billion budget surplus. What do you propose to do with the money?
We reached an agreement with the Senate GOP last session that was great. One third of the money was to be given back to Minnesotans through tax credits and cuts, one third was going to be saved for a rainy-day fund, and one third would be invested in education, infrastructure, jobs, and healthcare. Unfortunately, the Senate GOP ended up walking away due to election year politics. I would propose the same ratio next year, putting money back into Minnesotans’ pockets, responsibly investing in our sectors with greatest need, and preparing for the future. 

Minnesota currently has an unemployment rate of 1.8 percent and the third-highest workforce participation rate in the country. While this is good news for workers, businesses are struggling to find qualified employees. How do you propose to help businesses find the workers they need? Would you support allowing more immigrants to come to Minnesota to help fill the many open positions?
Job creation and retention has been and will continue to be a top priority for me.
Even before the pandemic, Minnesota had a great labor market. Our state has consistently had economic success due to the strong work ethic and commitment of our workers and business owners. Minnesota’s population has continually increased over time.
I’d like to see more help for students wanting to pursue the trades. We have incredible union work in the trades, and it’s a sector that is hurting the most right now in filling job openings. 
I support legal immigration and work visas for those outside of the country, but I do think that we should be advertising to other states in the Midwest. We have a lot to be proud of - we have one of the nation’s highest high school graduation rates, a beautiful environment that is well-preserved, a high quality of life, and a booming economy. 

Health care in Minnesota, particularly rural health care, is also experiencing a dire shortage of workers, and the disparities in rural health care are projected to get worse over the next five years. The problems exist from doctors and nurses to mental health professionals and long-term care aides. What would you do to address this?
Throughout the pandemic, the demands placed on nurses and other health care workers across the state have left them physically and emotionally drained. We must continue to incentivize working in health and mental health professions in order to rebuild this workforce. I’m in favor of creating new workforce incentive funds, covering education costs for these areas, offering transportation stipends, childcare assistance, and other programs to invite, support, and retain workers in these fields. 
I also support the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, a bill that will address hospital short-staffing and the retention crisis.
We need to keep supporting the workers we have. I supported the Frontline Worker Bonus Checks because I recognized that our healthcare workers, service providers, and essential workers put themselves in harm’s way to keep our state going.
When I’m at the Capitol and as I travel throughout District 3A, I do everything I can to talk directly with workers, and then amplify their voices.

While gas prices are declining, food inflation continues to be a major problem for families. What ideas do you have for helping families cope with the high cost of groceries?
It’s getting harder for workers and families to make ends meet due to the pandemic and an economy that is tilted against them. Corporate profits are soaring while Minnesotans are seeing their costs go up. I am focused on putting more money into Minnesotans’ pockets. While it’s complicated to directly lower grocery prices as a state legislator, I do support lowering the costs of property taxes, housing, college, childcare, and healthcare.
We can also make sure that Minnesotans have more access to food by supporting our local farmers. And assure investments in Second Harvest Heartland and critical initiatives like Farm to School, Youth and Urban Ag, and Good Food Access, so we can better ensure everyone has nutritious food to eat.

Scientists are raising increasingly dire warnings about climate change and we’re already seeing an astonishing increase in extreme weather, as well as food shortages and higher prices for food due to the warming planet. How do you propose to address climate change?
As one of the fastest warming states in the country, Minnesota is already experiencing impacts of the climate crisis. To prevent irreversible and potentially catastrophic consequences, we need to act now. We also save money in the long run if we invest in critical infrastructure and good union, clean energy jobs now, rather than waiting for a disaster to happen. Our farmers are already struggling with drought and extreme weather.
I support soil health initiatives, tree planting, wind and solar energy, energy storage, and reasonable alternatives to fossil fuels.
I believe we can approach comprehensive climate change solutions while maintaining a strong working relationship with the mining industry. I support the concept of non-ferrous mining as long as it’s done safely and effectively, because it will create the next generation of mining jobs in northern Minnesota.

The Minnesota Constitution independently guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion, and most restrictions on abortion in Minnesota were ruled unconstitutional in July. What restrictions or protections to this right would you advocate for in the Legislature? Would you support a constitutional change implementing a ban on abortion in Minnesota?
I will never vote to restrict abortion access in Minnesota. Women are in danger when they don’t have access to the full spectrum of pregnancy care. We’ve seen the complex problems in other states since Roe was overturned.
I believe that women should have the right to make their own health decisions with their doctors without government interference. I am opposed to any effort to remove women’s constitutional protection.
 
Affordable housing is an enormous need throughout Minnesota. How do you propose to create more affordable housing in northeastern Minnesota?
Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place they can call home. Many Minnesotan families’ number one expense is housing.
There is no question that we have a serious shortage of affordable housing for both permanent and seasonal residents. We need to use our state surplus to jumpstart programs to address this problem. We need to assure people have a living wage so that they can afford adequate housing.

Why do you think you are the most qualified candidate for this position?
I love serving my community and District, listening to my neighbors and amplifying their voices at the state capitol. We have well identified the serious problems that we face in our lives, economy, country, and world. Further, we have the ability to address and solve these problems, if we work together. What prevents this, in my opinion, is the intensely divisive political environment that has grown and worsened among us in recent years. This atmosphere keeps us from pushing up our sleeves and doing the hard work of bipartisan solution building.
Many times as a District 3A Representative, my perspective and experience as a veteran, a labor union leader, and a former county commissioner have been essential to successfully passing laws in a divided legislature. These laws have changed our state for the better.
I’ve lived in International Falls for over 57 years, and worked at the Boise paper mill for over 26. I’m committed to my family, my community, my District and state. I believe we deserve the best representation possible. It’s an honor to be your representative, and I ask for your vote and continued involvement as we address the challenges before us. Thank you.

Republican Roger Skraba • Ely

Minnesota has an estimated $9 billion budget surplus. What do you propose to do with the money?
It is likely to be more like $11 billion. The current legislature had a plan for it. I would review it and find appropriate places to fund issues. We could buy down future taxes and we could invest in our energy future and fund the changes we need in education.  

Minnesota currently has an unemployment rate of 1.8 percent and the third-highest workforce participation rate in the country. While this is good news for workers, businesses are struggling to find qualified employees. How do you propose to help businesses find the workers they need? Would you support allowing more immigrants to come to Minnesota to help fill the many open positions?  
I wholeheartedly support the J1 visa program and would support a program to legally allow foreign workers in our state. We have state departments that help employers find employees. Maybe their focus needs some tweaking and new direction.

Health care in Minnesota, particularly rural health care, is also experiencing a dire shortage of workers, and the disparities in rural health care are projected to get worse over the next five years. The problems exist from doctors and nurses to mental heath professionals and long-term care aides. What would you do to address this?  
I would encourage communities to become more involved in solving these issues. There have been opportunities to fund a student’s education so that student comes to work in that particular community. I would help promote why living in rural areas is a better way of life than the metro. We all need to work together to spread the population from our large metropolitan areas to rural areas.
This is an area where we could use some of the surplus budget money.
 
 While gas prices are declining, food inflation continues to be a major problem for families. What ideas do you have for helping families cope with the high cost of groceries?  
I wish gas prices were declining. My fuel oil bill keeps getting bigger. The rush to solve the climate change issue has caused many issues. The cost of fuel oil, directly connected to food prices, keeps going up because of government regulations. We need to work on solving the clean air clean water issues while also weening ourselves off fossil fuels. Going cold turkey is not the way. Our society will reject this sudden impact and settle on a way that solves both issues simultaneously. I will help fund new technologies that will solve the climate change issue and not bankrupt our citizens. 

 Scientists are raising increasingly dire warnings about climate change and we’re already seeing an astonishing increase in extreme weather, as well as food shortages and higher prices for food due to the warming planet. How do you propose to address climate change?  
Some scientists believe just the opposite. It’s a matter of perspective. Again I will support new technologies that support clean air, clean water and that are affordable. Together we can solve this issue.
 
The Minnesota Constitution independently guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion, and most restrictions on abortion in Minnesota were ruled unconstitutional in July. What restrictions or protections to this right would you advocate for in the Legislature? Would you support a constitutional change implementing a ban on abortion in Minnesota?   
As a law abiding citizen I support the Minnesota constitution and if there are changes all the legal voters will change it.
 
Affordable housing is an enormous need throughout Minnesota. How do you propose to create more affordable housing in northeastern Minnesota?
This is a very difficult issue to solve because there are so many other issues attached to it. You need jobs for workers who need affordable housing who also need healthcare and safe transportation. I would promote building affordable housing as a region and not just a city or township issue. Perhaps we could get a developer to build twelve or more ten-unit apartment buildings throughout the region. Create a housing economic development area. That way a developer would be able build to a scale where they make money, employ local trades and we get affordable housing. We need to look at this issue with a broader focus. I will work with others to help solve this issue as I think we all want to grow our population in District 3A. 
Why do you think you are the most qualified candidate for this position? 
I have been involved in serving the public since high school, throughout my college years at North Dakota State University and currently in my community. I have been blessed with opportunities throughout my life to serve. I graduated from Ely High School then graduated from NDSU, served nine years in the U.S. Army Reserves and Minnesota National Guard and honorably discharged, owned several small businesses currently guiding canoe trips and working as a carpenter, spent a summer working for Congressman James L. Oberstar in Washington D.C., currently the President of Club Mesabi which promotes the use of the Mesabi Bike Trail. I also am the Trail Administrator for the DNR Grant in Aid Tomahawk Snowmobile Trail and Ely to Lake Vermilion snowmobile trail, and am currently the chair of St. Louis County Planning Commission and vice chair of the Board of Adjustment. I am also blessed to be elected to serve the good people of Ely as their Mayor for four terms. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in all of these capacities and I feel that these experiences have given me the qualifications to serve as the next state Representative of District 3A. Most importantly is I want to serve all the people of District 3A.
Please vote for Roger J. Skraba on or before Nov. 8.