By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

From 2007 to 2011 Republican State Rep Bud Nornes and Democrat and State Sen. Dan Skogen traveled together and hosted town halls in Otter Tail County. Those were the days when state legislators, while not always agreeing with one another, were more inclined to hear different points of view on particular issues.

Nornes, from Fergus Falls, represented this area in the state House. Skogen, from Wadena, represented constituents in Wadena, Otter Tail and Becker counties in the state Senate.

Back then there was not the animosity that takes place today. Nornes had amiable relationships with fellow Republicans and also with Democratic leaders such as DFL majority leader Roger Moe of Ada. Nornes was raised in Fertile, a town northeast of Ada.

County residents supported both Nornes and Skogen to work for legislative bills related to education, road maintenance, housing, economic development, health and human services, agriculture, our two state parks and other initiatives that helped make Otter Tail County a better place in which to live and work.

Skogen and Nornes served in the state legislature when bipartisanship and respect was the order of the day. Today, name calling is oftentimes the norm at the state capitol and throughout our state.

The good news is that bipartisanship does take place these days, albeit infrequently. One example is Republican State Sen. Jordan Rasmusson and other conservatives working with Democrats in support of crisis stabilization units to help people facing mental health issues. Two of these centers are located in Fergus Falls and Hoffman, west of Alexandria.

Other examples, in recent years, are Republicans and Democrats coming together at the state capitol to approve needed funding for rural Minnesota nursing homes and rural ambulance service providers.

Yes, we are a high tax state. However, state residents are willing to support funding bills when needs arise. Here in Otter Tail County, it was a county government department director, active in the Republican party, who called for county commissioners to pass a half cent sales tax for road and bridge maintenance. 

The tax proposal passed after overwhelming support from county residents during public hearings throughout the county. Opposing parties can find common ground through compromise. We have, sadly, found out in recent years that failure to attain bipartisanship leads to gridlock.