Candidate's View: Responsible budgeting helps kids, others in need

It has been an honor to serve the citizens of the eastern side of Duluth for the past seven years, first as a Duluth city councilor and now as a St. Louis County commissioner. Over this time, I have been proud of my votes.
I have shown it is possible to balance a budget and provide essential services without undue taxpayer burden. In doing so, we were able to improve the county’s bond rating to AA+, one of the highest available to local governments.I have learned two important skills over my tenure: compromise and building relationships.  It seems consensus-building has been lost in places such as St. Paul and Washington, D.C. As one of seven votes on the County Board, I know the art of compromise is still alive and well in St. Louis County. By working collaboratively with my fellow commissioners, I have voted for funding for our roads and bridges; tougher regulations on private septic systems, which, in turn, protected our waterways; and increased staffing for our most vulnerable adults and children.Since elected, I also have built relationships with city, school board, state and federal elected officials and across intergovernmental agencies. The county cannot operate all on its own. We must partner with cities and school districts within our boundaries to be efficient and most effective.Working in the health care field as a nurse practitioner, I have seen firsthand what a lack of services for mental health and those struggling with addiction to opioids and heroin is doing to our community. I will continue to work with the private and public sector to find solutions to these problems.Here in St. Louis County, we have taken the lead on innovative programs such as our “Superior Babies” program through the Public Health Nursing department. This program identifies and intensely helps pregnant women suffering from addiction have healthy pregnancies, become healthy mothers and nurture a healthy family environment.As out-of-home placement (foster care) costs skyrocket and occupy more and more of our budget, any intervention to prevent this will help all county taxpayers in the long run. I will continue to support programs to tackle this growing problem of addiction.I have never been an elected official known to “kick the can down the road.” I always have voted with future generations in mind. Today, the important issues facing the county are to protect our most vulnerable adults and children, to invest in infrastructure, and to foster economic development. We need to stay competitive in the Arrowhead region.I am ready to continue this important work and I ask for your vote on Nov. 8. Patrick Boyle is the incumbent commissioner on the St. Louis County Board in eastern Duluth’s District 2. He wrote this at the request of the News Tribune Opinion page. About this raceSt. Louis County Board District 2 Commissioner Patrick Boyle is being challenged this fall by Linda Ross Sellner. District 2 includes eastern Duluth.Hear from the candidatesBoyle and Sellner participated in a News Tribune-sponsored candidate forum on Sept. 6. Video of the forum is posted here.Read the endorsementThe News Tribune offered its endorsement in this race, as determined by the editorial board, on Friday. Read it at here.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. It has been an honor to serve the citizens of the eastern side of Duluth for the past seven years, first as a Duluth city councilor and now as a St. Louis County commissioner. Over this time, I have been proud of my votes.
I have shown it is possible to balance a budget and provide essential services without undue taxpayer burden. In doing so, we were able to improve the county’s bond rating to AA+, one of the highest available to local governments.I have learned two important skills over my tenure: compromise and building relationships.  It seems consensus-building has been lost in places such as St. Paul and Washington, D.C. As one of seven votes on the County Board, I know the art of compromise is still alive and well in St. Louis County. By working collaboratively with my fellow commissioners, I have voted for funding for our roads and bridges; tougher regulations on private septic systems, which, in turn, protected our waterways; and increased staffing for our most vulnerable adults and children.Since elected, I also have built relationships with city, school board, state and federal elected officials and across intergovernmental agencies. The county cannot operate all on its own. We must partner with cities and school districts within our boundaries to be efficient and most effective.Working in the health care field as a nurse practitioner, I have seen firsthand what a lack of services for mental health and those struggling with addiction to opioids and heroin is doing to our community. I will continue to work with the private and public sector to find solutions to these problems.Here in St. Louis County, we have taken the lead on innovative programs such as our “Superior Babies” program through the Public Health Nursing department. This program identifies and intensely helps pregnant women suffering from addiction have healthy pregnancies, become healthy mothers and nurture a healthy family environment.As out-of-home placement (foster care) costs skyrocket and occupy more and more of our budget, any intervention to prevent this will help all county taxpayers in the long run. I will continue to support programs to tackle this growing problem of addiction.I have never been an elected official known to “kick the can down the road.” I always have voted with future generations in mind. Today, the important issues facing the county are to protect our most vulnerable adults and children, to invest in infrastructure, and to foster economic development. We need to stay competitive in the Arrowhead region.I am ready to continue this important work and I ask for your vote on Nov. 8.Patrick Boyle is the incumbent commissioner on the St. Louis County Board in eastern Duluth’s District 2. He wrote this at the request of the News Tribune Opinion page.About this raceSt. Louis County Board District 2 Commissioner Patrick Boyle is being challenged this fall by Linda Ross Sellner. District 2 includes eastern Duluth.Hear from the candidatesBoyle and Sellner participated in a News Tribune-sponsored candidate forum on Sept. 6. Video of the forum is posted here.Read the endorsementThe News Tribune offered its endorsement in this race, as determined by the editorial board, on Friday. Read it at here.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.