Column: Robin Brown, Capitol Comments

I want to personally thank the citizens of District 27A for the privilege of serving you in the Minnesota House of Representatives. I also want to express my best wishes to our new governor and the newly elected members of the state Legislature.

As I complete my fourth year as your state representative, I want to share some of my best memories.

State government is both comprehensive and complex. It has a direct impact on almost every thing we do. I have enjoyed working with the other 200 members of the Minnesota legislature. Every representative and senator brings a unique point of view to the operation of state government.

I have enjoyed working with numerous locally elected and appointed public servants such as mayors, city councilors, school board members, superintendents, county commissioners, township trustees and city, school and county department heads. Minnesota has a strong tradition of good public officials working together for the betterment of township, city, county, school district and state government.

I am proud to have voted for some very important legislation that has improved the wonderful quality of life that we enjoy in Minnesota:

• Passage of the Indoor Clean Air Act that prohibits the use of tobacco products inside of public places such as restaurants and bars. Regardless of initial concerns, this has provided a family friendly environment for all citizens when they go out for dinner. Neighboring states of Iowa and Wisconsin have followed the lead of Minnesota.

• Voting to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the increase in the gas tax that provided much needed funding for the development and maintenance of safe roads and bridges. This followed the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge.

• Passage of multiple state bonding bills from 2007 to 2010 that provided millions of dollars to Albert Lea to complete the cleanup of the Edgewater Park dump site, bring the park facilities back to usable condition, and improve the water quality of Fountain Lake. . This is just one example of working with legislators from throughout the state, across regions and party affiliation to provide state funding for important projects in Albert Lea.

• Modifying the distribution of the wind energy production tax that provides an additional 6 percent of revenue to townships where wind turbines have been installed.

• Protected school funding for K-12 public schools from state budget reductions.

I have enjoyed providing timely and quality constituent service to the thousands of individuals that contacted me over the past four years in person, via e-mail or by phone. This gave me the opportunity to work with multiple departments of state government that provided direct service to my constituents.

I have also enjoyed meeting and making myself available to the wonderful people of District 27A. Personally door knocking at more than 40,000 homes since 2006, participating in 30 parades, visiting each of the five school districts located in District 27A, speaking at nursing homes and attending the many city festivals, county fairs, farmers markets, volunteer fire department pancake breakfasts, as well as church soup and pie dinners was truly a pleasure.

Most importantly, I am proud of drafting a new K-12 funding formula that I have turned over to current legislators for their continued research as they develop and implement a reformed new school aid plan that is BEST: Balanced, Equal, Simplified and Targeted. Good legislation takes time and I am pleased to have been a part of the process. Fixing the current unfair school funding formula should be a top priority of our new governor and state Legislature.

On a personal level, some of the highlights of my four years of service include:

• Eating breakfast at the governor’s mansion with Gov. Pawlenty and a small number of freshman legislators.

• Meeting Supreme Court Justice Alan Page in his office and discussing civil rights.

• Serving as vice-chairwoman of the property tax committee.

• My 100 percent voting record with the exception of when I saw my youngest son off to Iraq to serve as a soldier in the U.S. Army.

• Saving state revenue by accepting one of the lowest per diems of Greater Minnesota legislators.

Minnesota should be proud of our part-time citizens’ legislature where people from all walks of life may serve their communities at the state level. I am now looking forward to returning to the classroom as a full time art teacher at Albert Lea High School, spending more time with my family, creating new works of art and working with my horses.

Happy New Year and, as always, it has been an honor serving you.

Robin Brown, DFL-Moscow Township, steps down this week as the state representative for House District 27A. Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea, replaces her.