by Jeff Achen
Thisweek Newspapers

Sitting at Big Apple Bagel during a Monday morning interview with Thisweek Newspapers, state Rep. Shelley Madore was approached by a constituent concerned that his daughter isn't getting the highest quality education for her money at one of Minnesota's universities.

Apparently, her teachers weren't consistently showing up to teach her classes. Madore eagerly told the man she'd look into it, adding the issue to her growing list of priorities as one of the Minnesota House of Representatives' newest members.

And that's the most challenging part, balancing her desire to stay in touch with the community with the demands of being at the Capitol.

"I'm making sure I'm aware of the agendas on Apple Valley and Burnsville city councils," she said. "But, I'm finding that committee meetings run late. It's hard to get [to City Council work sessions] fast enough to be part of those talks."

Being out of the community is a learning curve for Madore.

"I'm really having some transition difficulty with that," she said.

Yet, she loves her work and dives right into any issue with enthusiasm and passion.

"I think I'm coming into this with a lot of knowledge on the issues of transportation, the zoo, mental health, my community work with autism, health and human services and public policy," she said.

As if by fate, Madore said she's been assigned to the Minnesota Transportation Finance Division Committee, serving as the Transportation and Transit Sub-Committee vice chair. She's also on the Minnesota Heritage Finance Committee, Mental Division Committee, and the Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division Committee.

Transportation

Madore said she's made a number of contacts and connections that have helped her in her new job. Among those connections are residents and city leaders who've been involved with the Cedar Avenue corridor project.

Madore said she's been talking with local officials who tell her traffic congestion relief is their biggest transportation concern. The voters are telling her light rail is a solution they'd like to explore.

"I don't think they want another bus. We've haven't shown the bus to be a solution to the problem," Madore said. "I think if we could increase the amount of MVTA buses, that would help, but MVTA is strapped. They're committed to BRT, but we want to know if it's the only solution. I think we have to have a multi-modal solution."

Housing

As poverty rates begin to rise in Dakota County, affordable housing has risen to the top of Madore's agenda. She pointed out the Community Development Agency has a backlog of low-interest loan applicants.

"I think today's retiree isn't the same as a retiree from even 10 years ago. Today's retiree is retiring with a mortgage. We also need to look at predatory lending and helping people get assistance before they go into foreclosure. Perhaps it's something the county can do, perhaps it's grants. I know that's on the legislative agenda."

Madore would also like to see the state do more with Web technologies such as allowing people to fill out and process forms and transactions online.

"Why are we asking people to spend hours in line waiting to see people they may not even see. I think there's ways to be much more economical in that," she said.

Education

In regard to education, Madore would like to see educators and those in the business community broaden the range of career opportunities they advocate for high school students.

"I'd like the business community to help students discover opportunities to explore manufacturing careers. I think people are still thinking manufacturing jobs are tool and dye operations, that they aren't technical. That's not what today's manufacturing jobs are all about," she said. "We're trying to train everyone to go to college. I don't know if that's the right direction."

She said she's working on a bill to put employable outcomes as part of special education.

"Let's be sure we're always offering a variety of opportunities to students," she said.

That may take the form of apprenticeships over the summer or job shadowing and other business/school partnerships, she said.

Property taxes

Madore's answer to property tax reduction: fund transportation.

"Thirty percent of their taxes are going to fund transportation, that is the state's responsibility," she said.

Madore said money for transit needs to come out of the state's general fund, which would relieve pressure on local property taxpayers.

"I think our city governments are doing a good job. Being a citizen of Apple Valley, I've seen the budget. I don't know how much more fat there is to cut from city budgets," she said.

She said another challenge is the fact that the state is funding programs that the federal government is requiring them to offer. She's also an advocate of making state income taxes fairer.

Overall, Madore said her term in office will be shaped as the budget priorities fall into place. Her approach is to set the priorities first, then figure out how to pay for them.

"I'm not afraid to say I don't know how we're going to pay for this because I think we first need to identify if it's a priority. Then once we determine if it needs to be funded, we'll figure out how we're going to fund it," she said. "It forces us to prioritize. I would like us to say, ‘what are the priorities, what is it that we want to pay for in this state?'"

Then, Madore said, government can get somewhere on trimming budgets, lowering property taxes, and getting the essential services through that her constituents at Big Apple Bagel want addressed.

Jeff Achen can be reached at av.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.