Rebecca Otto in 2018 MN Governor's race
On Civil Rights:
Address racial inequality gaps with social justice
Minnesota has one of the worst racial inequality gaps in the nation. Rebecca believes that the most powerful way to address this shameful gap is to expand economic, health, educational, and environmental justice and equality statewide. This will
specifically empower and support communities of color. Her plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 will help address the economic disparities that disproportionately affect people of color. Her plan for 2 years free college tuition will remove the
barriers that too often exist for young people. Her single payer health care plan will cover every Minnesotan. Her Minnesota-Powered Plan will drive up wages across the state and clean up the dirty air that hits communities of color the hardest. When
you study Rebecca's positions you will see that they work together to empower disadvantaged communities by leveling the economic playing field, opening the doors of opportunity, and providing every Minnesotan with better health & a chance to get ahead.
Source: 2018 Minnesota Governor campaign website RebeccaOtto.com
Mar 21, 2018
On Immigration:
Support driver's licenses for undocumented workers
Q: What will you do to restore access to immigrants' driver's licenses that were taken away by Tim Pawlenty in 2003?Otto: While supporting efforts to allow undocumented workers to obtain driver's licenses & universal health care, she added, "I don't
like hateful behavior. I don't tolerate it. I taught seventh grade. I taught 12- and 13-year-olds. They weren't allowed to say certain things in our classroom, and it's going to be the same thing with our president, and I will call him out if he does."
Source: Post-Bulletin on 2018 Minnesota governor debate
Oct 25, 2017
On Tax Reform:
Fair and progressive taxes to pay for new benefits
Otto's plan also would provide coverage of mental health and chemical dependency treatment among other benefits. Paying for them would include reducing administrative costs, as well as duplicative and inefficient services and fraud.
The plan would be funded half from "re-directed public dollars" and half from a package of "fair and progressive taxes to be developed with bipartisan input." Eliminating costly insurance premiums and deductibles would save
Minnesotans money overall, her website notes.Otto--who brings to the effort an auditor's emphasis on oversight and measurement--notes that the plan is a start, one that would be fine-tuned as it begins to account for the many variables in play.
It won't be possible to anticipate every unintended consequence, she acknowledges, and "we'll never get it perfect the first time." Instead, Otto calls the plan a "realistic start."
Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press on 2018 Minnesota governor race
Oct 25, 2017
On Gun Control:
Status quo on guns isn't working
After the San Bernardino mass shooting, Otto took to her Twitter account. "Enough already!' Otto posted. "America, you have been used by the gun industry. Time to push back and say no more of this #gunsanity." It was among the first of more than
100 tweets about guns Otto posted over the next several days. She repeated hat "what we are doing is not working," along with a call to lift a ban on gun studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press on 2018 Minnesota Governor race
Jan 23, 2016
On Civil Rights:
Endorsed by Stonewall DFL as ally of LGBT community
Stonewall DFL has announced its endorsement of Rebecca Otto for reelection as State Auditor. Rebecca has evolved to become one of the greatest allies of the LGBT community in public office in Minnesota, and we want to honor and celebrate her years of
support to the cause of LGBT equality, and the equality of all people.Rebecca has been passionate, loyal, and selfless in this support. If one looks at the photos posted on RebeccasRainbow.com, for example, many of the parade pictures are from 2011.
She was not up for re-election that year; she came to march WITH the Stonewall contingent. She literally carried our banner that year!
Rebecca Otto has emerged as one of the most principled public servants in the nation, and one of the greatest
elected allies of the LGBT community. When people told her earlier this year that in order to get reelected she had to vote against her principles regarding financial assurances for nonferrous mining she refused to even entertain the thought.
Source: 2018 Minnesota Governor campaign website RebeccaOtto.com
Jul 28, 2014
Page last updated: Dec 11, 2018