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 www.givemhellharry.org
Dear Voter,
Who will speak for Duluth? No one is left. Sam Solon and Willard Munger are gone. Doug Johnson is retired. Redistricting has created one district that now pits two Duluth legislators against each other. And Tom Huntley tried to escape the burdens these losses caused by trying to become Judi Dutcher's Lieutenant Governor. The Lt. Governor is like being Vice President. You may remember what FDR's Vice President Garner said about the Vice Presidency? - it wasn't ", ...worth a bucket of warm spit" (only he didn't say spit). Many of you may not even know Tom. He's done a good job of remaining hidden, and not taking tough stands. But I suspect that you've heard of me - Harry Welty.
If you thought I was a bit unusual when I was elected to the Duluth School Board six years ago you were right. I was a former teacher, full-time Dad, snow sculptor and frequent candidate for political office. I hope you've been pleasantly surprised to find out how often you've agreed with what I had to say about our schools.
There has been no tougher job in Duluth than the Duluth School Board. Three of four Board members ran unopposed last year. No one wanted their jobs, but I've never shrunk from the challenge. No Duluth legislator has ever had to face a thousand angry parents while calmly and deliberately explaining the financial facts of life faced by this district. I have. And remember - it's the legislators who set the rules we have to live by.
When I was elected the Duluth Schools had a $5.5 million debt, revolving door superintendents, and lower than average student test scores. We almost had a teacher's strike two years later. That's all changed. We've turned the District around.
We built up a ten percent reserve. We have a stable administration. Our student's test scores have climbed above the state average. We even seem to have made peace with our teachers. My latest crusade is trying to save our neighborhood elementary schools.
I don't want to be Lt. Governor. No. I want to pick up where Sam Solon left off in the legislature just like I took over his classroom as a substitute teacher when he traveled-to St. Paul during the legislative session. He was a giant and did what had to be done.
Our state leaders made some terrible mistakes last term and we now face a $ 3 billion dollar deficit. It reminds me of the School District six years ago. I was part of the team that helped straighten things out. Send me to St. Paul and I'll be part of the "sensible center" that will straighten out the state. Oh, I'll be back on weekends to make my snow sculptures. I like rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.
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