We need to work together to improve our community. To support each other. To treat each other with dignity and respect. This is how we will make a difference.
Kari Rehrauer
Strengthen Public Education
As a long time public school teacher, education will always be at the heart of my work as an elected representative. I know that free and fair public education is one of the founding principles of our country because it is a pillar of a just and democratic society. Unfortunately, many of our schools today are not able to realize this vision because they do not have the necessary resources. I will work tirelessly to support our students, ensure accountability in our school funding, and ensure every child can succeed no matter their ZIP code.
Make Daily Costs Affordable
We have all felt the effects of the rising costs of food, gas, and healthcare. I support saving Minnesotans money by eliminating the state tax on Social Security, prohibiting price gouging by big corporations, and lowering taxes on workers, families, and seniors.
I have been a proud union member since 1999, when I first became a teacher. I support our unions and the working people of our community. I will fight for economic security.
Ensure Safe Communities
As a Coon Rapids Councilmember, I have strongly advocated for funding for public safety and will continue to do so as your State Senator. I voted to increase funding for our department, hiring 2 new officers & a social worker, as well as purchasing essential equipment to allow our officers to do their job. We need to get law enforcement the resources they need to do their job.
Our CRPD is a great example of what happens when we work in partnership. They have an excellent record of building relationships and keeping crime down. In the Senate, I will help ensure we partner effectively with all departments in the state, and that public safety is funded as a top priority.
Sustain Reproductive Freedom
Women should have the right to make decisions regarding their own health care and their own bodies. This is deeply personal and one of the most important decisions someone might face, and it is best left to the individual, their family, and their doctors – not the government.
As your Senator, I will protect a woman’s right to choose. I support codifying Roe V Wade into Minnesota law, and I will stand up for open access to reproductive health care for all.
When abortion is banned, women suffer. These bans take away access for people who already experience barriers to health care, like those with low incomes, who are disproportionately Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other communities of color. This isn’t right.
Provide Affordable Healthcare
Far too many people have to pay far too much to afford their basic health needs. We need to lower healthcare costs by cutting premiums and co-pays, and we need to set a fair price for essential prescriptions, like insulin. Special interests and big corporations have prioritized profits over people. I will fight for everyday people and reduce these costs.
In Minnesota, we have faced attempts to kick Minnesotans off their insurance and to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions. There have been proposals to cut our state’s healthcare programs by billions of dollars. As your Senator, I will stand in opposition to attacks on our state healthcare program and I will stand up for affordable and accessible healthcare.
Common Sense Gun Violence Prevention
Far too many American lives have been lost to gun violence, but the tools to stop these tragedies are within reach. Common sense gun reform, such as criminal background checks and closing loopholes, could greatly reduce gun deaths and keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.
Although the vast majority of Minnesotans support these reforms, Republican lawmakers have blocked such bills from ever coming to the floor. They have put their political ambitions above our safety. I support common-sense gun safety because I believe that we can do more to curb the violence and ensure the safety of our communities.
Improve Our Energy
Preserving our natural resources and mitigating the devastating impact of climate change is a crucial priority for leaders of every nation. In the Midwest, Minnesota has led the way and we should continue to do so.
Clean energy initiatives are not only good for the planet, they also are more cost effective. They lower costs in the long term and lower your energy bill. Modernizing our energy also brings in new good-paying jobs to our state that can’t be automated or outsourced.
As your State Senator, I promise to support initiatives that will modernize our energy and improve our economy.
Advance Equity and Inclusion
The murder of George Floyd shone a light on the longstanding racial disparities in Minnesota and all across the country. We must do better, not only because it is the right thing to do for disenfranchised communities, but because our collective success as a nation depends on each other. In order to be the best we can be, we must confront and correct disparities in education, wealth, home ownership, and employment. I vow to fully represent all of my constituents, with an unfailing lens on equity.
