Viewpoint: Swails loves the Como Zoo

Our current legislator, Rep. Marsha Swails, House District 56B, thinks that the habitat of the animals at the Como and the Duluth Zoos are more important than education, our veterans, public safety and the environment.

Como Zoo is building a very nice polar bear exhibit that is supposed to be worth a trip to see.

I really enjoy Como Zoo, but in times that our state leaders, including Marsha Swails, are claiming that Minnesota is in dire straights and must raise taxes to maintain our quality of life, I have to question why Rep. Swails would vote for zoos over our quality of life.

It appears that Rep. Swails thinks entertainment and the pork barrel projects of her Democrat legislator friends (House File 380) are more important than veterans, public housing, renewable energy, roads and bridges.

Just look at the voting record of Rep. Swails:

• Swails voted against $59 million to public housing and green energy initiatives (Rep. Peppin Amendment)

• Swails voted against $50 million for roads and $50 million for bridges (Rep. Emmer Amendment, House File )

• Swails voted against $89 million to Public Safety, Department of Corrections, and Military Affairs. (Rep. Erickson Amendment )

• Swails voted against $11 million for schools (Rep. Seifert Amendment)

• Swails voted against more than $100 million to fund the K-12 Education Bonding priorities. (Rep. Seifert, Second Amendment)

• Swails voted against flood hazard mitigation grants, shoreline protection, dam renovation and removal, wildlife area acquisition, and forestland conservation easements (Rep. Buesgen’s Amendment).

Rep. Swails’ priorities, in vote after vote, lie with the entertainment and cultural industries of Duluth and St. Paul. She prioritizes them far above any education or environment bonding needs that might affect Woodbury.

With a bonding bill bigger than any in Minnesota history, Rep. Swails, why aren’t your priorities with roads, bridges, education, public safety and the environment?

Swails’ priorities are out of line. I am supporting Lee Bohlsen because Lee will stand up for priorities that make sense.

Lee will take votes that support what a government exists to support: our veterans, our public safety, our schools and our roads, our environment. As a grandmother, Lee will appreciate the zoo with her grandchildren but know better than to prioritize them over the basic needs of society.

Lee Bohlsen will put the common sense back in Woodbury’s state representation on Minnesota’s Capitol Hill.

Ellenwood is a resident of Woodbury.

Tags: opinion, ellenwood, viewpoint, swails, como, zoo