Roger Kittelson of Goodhue Township this week announced his candidacy for the new Minnesota House of Representatives District 20A legislative seat.
Kittelson’s professional background includes more than 30 years as a dairy ingredients marketing manager with sales into the food, feed and pharmaceutical industries domestically and internationally.
Currently, Kittelson splits his time between operating a small business marketing dairy ingredients to the food and feed industries and substitute teaching in the Red Wing and Goodhue school districts.
Kittelson is the father of four adult children and five grandchildren. He is a member of the Bellechester and Zumbrota Lions Club, Goodhue-Bellechester Rail Riders, Red Wing Red Men Club, Minnesota Quilters, Lifetime Member Pheasants Forever, and life member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.
Kittelson was an eight-year school board member with two years as chair and served on several ad hoc committees hiring two principals and one superintendent. He graduated from Goodhue Public School and received an undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota.
The main issue in the race, Kittleson said, is the Minnesota economy.
“We need a good economy for all Minnesota businesses to maintain and grow which provides good paying jobs,” Kittleson said. “If we have a good economy, we can provide better schools, health care, transportation funding, and improve public/police safety.”
He added: “If our Minnesota economy slows down, all our local communities may be forced to reduce the funding needed to maintain our education systems, health care businesses, transportation needs and public and police safety needs.”
Kittleson said a strong preschool through trade school and college education system is one of the keys to a stronger economy for Minnesota.
“If we have the best schools the businesses will grow, new business start ups will occur and expanding companies will come for an educated workforce that will help them grow,” he said.
“And better wages come from that growth. Secondly, if elected I will vote for the Minnesota Health Plan – which is a single statewide health plan that covers all Minnesota residents for all their medical needs – and costs less than our residents are currently paying. And we will have better health care as the insurance companies no longer control our doctors or our clinics and hospitals. It puts the customer directly with the supplier.”
The new 20A legislative district includes these townships in Goodhue County – Welch, Cannon Falls, Vasa, Featherstone, Hay Creek, Belle Creek, Goodhue, Belvidere, Red Wing and Wacouta. In Wabasha County – Mount Pleasant, Lake, Pepin, Wabasha, Chester, Gilford, West Albany, and Glasgow plus Douglas township in Dakota County. The communities that are in 20A are Cannon Falls, Miesville, Welch, Red Wing, Frontenac, Lake City, Bellechester, Wabasha and Goodhue. Since the last census our state population has grown and this legislative district is also larger and covers more rural areas.
The primary election is Aug. 9, and the general election is Nov. 8.
