ALBERT LEA – DFLer Pat Piper ran into an aggressive challenger at Monday’s political forum.

Wednesday, October 25, 2000

ALBERT LEA – DFLer Pat Piper ran into an aggressive challenger at Monday’s political forum.

While Piper, the incumbent, clearly relied on her record as state senator for District 27, Republican Grace Schwab wants a change in leadership.

Piper, of Austin, has been the area’s senator since her election in 1986. She told the audience at Riverland Community College in Albert Lea that Minnesota has done an excellent job growing its economy and caring for its people. She identified education and elder care as key issues in the race.

Schwab, on the other hand, had little praise for Minnesota’s government, accusing the state of over taxation.

"I truly believe that people make better decisions with their money than the government does," Schwab said. Any significant surplus, she said, is a sign of excessive taxes.

Schwab also challenged Piper on the issue of the so-called sick tax, which adds about 2 percent to medical and dental bills.

"It’s one of the cruelest taxes in Minnesota," Schwab said.

Identifying Piper as one of the original architects of the tax, Schwab proposed using tobacco settlement money to fund Minnesota Care.

"The sick tax is a tax that we need to get rid of," Schwab said.

Piper said the tax was the best way at the time to generate funding for Minnesota Care.

"We’re trying to find alternatives," she said.

The economy has been so strong that more employers are offering insurance coverage for their workers than ever before, Piper said.

Piper and Schwab both place education high on their priority lists. Piper said teaching children is key to sustaining the economic growth in Minnesota.

"Children are all of our responsibility, not just the parents that bore them."

Schwab, a three-term Albert Lea School Board member, told the audience she thinks children can rise above poverty through the classroom.

"Education is the best way to equalize the playing field I know."

Piper said the growth in the economy was the best thing that the state had going for it.

"Generally, we’re growing dramatically in this state," the senator said.

Schwab, however, said that the state still tends to try to spend its way out of troubles.

"Dollars just don’t provide all the answers," she said.