Letter to the Editor: Senate Challenger Introduces Himself

I am Roger Champagne, a Republican candidate running for Senate District 46, which covers St. Louis Park, Hopkins, part of Golden Valley, and Plymouth. I have lived in St. Louis Park for 19 years and have raised two children. I have worked as a Minneapolis fire captain for the past 27 years and will retire this year. As a union member, I know many members that disagree with sending our union dues to the international union bosses in Washington that support candidates we oppose. I have helped many residents and communities throughout the years and look forward to helping the communities of District 46.

My platform is to “Review and Reform” State government by bringing ideas forward and completing an overview of business regulations, along with reasonable tort reforms, more accountability and transparency will help gain greater public trust, reduce state prison cost by having more work programs and removing many of the requirement that the state must provide, re-evaluate state pension funding levels and management practices to protect long term solvency. I support the voter I.D. requirement that would furnish a free I.D. to citizens that can’t afford one. This will help protect voter integrity. I will review social programs for inefficiencies, redundancies and abuse, while encouraging self-responsibility, we must always support our commitments made to our senior citizens and veterans. Health care plans that meet the individual needs with major medical coverage, will keep cost down, supporting public safety and first responders in our communities will help keep our medical care and system the best in the country.                                 

I support a 3% tuition cap at state colleges, along with streamlining unrelated required classes in degree programs to help keep cost down, expanding educational competition like charters schools vouchers and permit home schools. I am against the concept of laying off bad teachers over good teachers with less seniority because this type of approach is too subjective bringing fairness and basis issues into the mix. If we improve documentation on poor performing teachers and bring competition into education, while loosening up some union contractual policies, together it would greatly improve our education system.   

I will work closely with Senate and House representatives in considering the community needs, resources, budgets and costs to the taxpayer, by reducing spending and redirecting resources that will be used more efficient elsewhere, we will provide better services to the communities of District 46. One must be open minded, while using common sense and empathy in working with all constitutes. If elected I will always be available and willing to listen to you, the voter. I need your support August 14th in the primary election. 

Respectfully

Roger Champagne

 www.champagneforsenate.com