Candidate's View: Resist Twin Cities-DFL push against mining

Minnesota’s Iron Range always has been one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. In spite of thousands of job losses and population decline, we maintain the Ranger can-do attitude.
But when do we reach the tipping point where our Ranger toughness no longer can overcome the trials we’ve always faced with gritted teeth?I believe the window of economic growth on the Iron Range could be closing due to the intervention of Twin Cities environmentalists. A prime example is the recent news that Enbridge will not proceed with the Sandpiper oil pipeline from North Dakota to the Superior refinery. The pipeline would have meant lease payments to hundreds of landowners across our state, 3,000 good jobs, and increased property tax revenue. In addition, a pipeline of this size would have boosted demand for high-quality Iron Range steel while transporting oil more safely at a third of the cost and reducing rail congestion.The DFL - now controlled by metro environmental extremists - is expected to pass a platform resolution against mining in Minnesota at its December state central committee meeting. The vote was delayed until just after the election. If metro interests succeed in closing mining, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board would lose its source of funding. We also would lose the most uniquely powerful engine driving Iron Range economic development.Before the window of opportunity closes, we need to stand up to Twin Cities environmentalists who want to rob us of our livelihood. We need to fight for projects like PolyMet and Twin Metals. Non-ferrous mining is the door to economic growth on the Range for the next 100 years.We need to use the power of the IRRRB and our outstanding college system to encourage homegrown businesses, including in computer programing, an industry that is expected to double (from 2 percent to 4 percent of the gross domestic product) in the coming years. Imagine the impact of turning the Iron Range into the Silicon Range by utilizing the tools we already have to make our area a technological hotbed.We need to reform our education system so our children get the education they actually need. Instead of trying to prepare every student to attend a four-year college, we must bring back technical education for students who have no plans to attend college. We can mitigate the student loan crisis on the Range by doing more to prepare our kids for a career while they are still in high school.We need to make sure our transportation dollars are used to build roads and bridges, not billion-dollar trains in the Twin Cities that a fraction of the population actually uses. Rangers see, firsthand, the need for proper funding for our neglected roads and bridges.If the Iron Range continues to send the same people with the same ideas to St. Paul we will continue to get the same results. It’s time for leaders with the boldness to fight the environmentalists who have taken over the DFL and pave the way for the next 100 years of mining. It’s time for leaders who will offer incentives for the jobs of the future. It’s time for leaders who won’t waste Range taxpayer dollars on trains in the Twin Cities. And it’s time to truly reform education so all of our students get an education they can use.On Nov. 8, the choice is clear. Vote Rob Farnsworth to move the Iron Range into the next 100 years of growth. Together, we can keep the Iron Range great for the next generation. Rob Farnsworth of Hibbing is the Republican candidate for Minnesota House District 6A. He wrote this at the request of the News Tribune Opinion page. VIDEO: Iron Range candidate forum Minnesota House District 6A About this raceRepresentative of Minnesota House District 6A since 2011, Rep. Carly Melin did not seek re-election this fall. Three candidates have lined up to replace her: Republican Rob Farnsworth of Hibbing, a teacher; declared write-in Steven Hakly of Cherry, a heavy-equipment operator; and DFLer Julie Sandstede of Hibbing, also a teacher. The Iron Range district stretches from Floodwood in the south to Effie and Bigfork in the northwest and includes also the cities of Nashwauk, Keewatin, Hibbing, Buhl and Chisholm. Hear from the candidatesFarnsworth and Sandstede participated in a News Tribune-sponsored candidate forum in September in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Virginia. Hakly met individually with the newspaper’s editorial board. Videos of the forum and the interview can be found under the “Opinion” tab at duluthnewstribune.com. Read the endorsementThe News Tribune offered its endorsement in this race, as determined by the editorial board, on Sept. 28. Read it at duluthnewstribune.com. Deadline for lettersWeigh in on this race and others this fall by writing a letter to the editor. Letters endorsing or critical of specific candidates are limited to 200 words. Submissions can be directed to letters@duluthnews.com. Remember to voteElection Day is Nov. 8.  Minnesota’s Iron Range always has been one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. In spite of thousands of job losses and population decline, we maintain the Ranger can-do attitude.
But when do we reach the tipping point where our Ranger toughness no longer can overcome the trials we’ve always faced with gritted teeth?I believe the window of economic growth on the Iron Range could be closing due to the intervention of Twin Cities environmentalists. A prime example is the recent news that Enbridge will not proceed with the Sandpiper oil pipeline from North Dakota to the Superior refinery. The pipeline would have meant lease payments to hundreds of landowners across our state, 3,000 good jobs, and increased property tax revenue. In addition, a pipeline of this size would have boosted demand for high-quality Iron Range steel while transporting oil more safely at a third of the cost and reducing rail congestion.The DFL - now controlled by metro environmental extremists - is expected to pass a platform resolution against mining in Minnesota at its December state central committee meeting. The vote was delayed until just after the election. If metro interests succeed in closing mining, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board would lose its source of funding. We also would lose the most uniquely powerful engine driving Iron Range economic development.Before the window of opportunity closes, we need to stand up to Twin Cities environmentalists who want to rob us of our livelihood. We need to fight for projects like PolyMet and Twin Metals. Non-ferrous mining is the door to economic growth on the Range for the next 100 years.We need to use the power of the IRRRB and our outstanding college system to encourage homegrown businesses, including in computer programing, an industry that is expected to double (from 2 percent to 4 percent of the gross domestic product) in the coming years. Imagine the impact of turning the Iron Range into the Silicon Range by utilizing the tools we already have to make our area a technological hotbed.We need to reform our education system so our children get the education they actually need. Instead of trying to prepare every student to attend a four-year college, we must bring back technical education for students who have no plans to attend college. We can mitigate the student loan crisis on the Range by doing more to prepare our kids for a career while they are still in high school.We need to make sure our transportation dollars are used to build roads and bridges, not billion-dollar trains in the Twin Cities that a fraction of the population actually uses. Rangers see, firsthand, the need for proper funding for our neglected roads and bridges.If the Iron Range continues to send the same people with the same ideas to St. Paul we will continue to get the same results. It’s time for leaders with the boldness to fight the environmentalists who have taken over the DFL and pave the way for the next 100 years of mining. It’s time for leaders who will offer incentives for the jobs of the future. It’s time for leaders who won’t waste Range taxpayer dollars on trains in the Twin Cities. And it’s time to truly reform education so all of our students get an education they can use.On Nov. 8, the choice is clear. Vote Rob Farnsworth to move the Iron Range into the next 100 years of growth. Together, we can keep the Iron Range great for the next generation.Rob Farnsworth of Hibbing is the Republican candidate for Minnesota House District 6A. He wrote this at the request of the News Tribune Opinion page.VIDEO: Iron Range candidate forum Minnesota House District 6AAbout this raceRepresentative of Minnesota House District 6A since 2011, Rep. Carly Melin did not seek re-election this fall. Three candidates have lined up to replace her: Republican Rob Farnsworth of Hibbing, a teacher; declared write-in Steven Hakly of Cherry, a heavy-equipment operator; and DFLer Julie Sandstede of Hibbing, also a teacher. The Iron Range district stretches from Floodwood in the south to Effie and Bigfork in the northwest and includes also the cities of Nashwauk, Keewatin, Hibbing, Buhl and Chisholm.Hear from the candidatesFarnsworth and Sandstede participated in a News Tribune-sponsored candidate forum in September in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Virginia. Hakly met individually with the newspaper’s editorial board. Videos of the forum and the interview can be found under the “Opinion” tab at duluthnewstribune.com.Read the endorsementThe News Tribune offered its endorsement in this race, as determined by the editorial board, on Sept. 28. Read it at duluthnewstribune.com.Deadline for lettersWeigh in on this race and others this fall by writing a letter to the editor. Letters endorsing or critical of specific candidates are limited to 200 words. Submissions can be directed to letters@duluthnews.com.Remember to voteElection Day is Nov. 8.