Dist. 40 Rep. Randy Schobinger, Minot

I’d like to thank new District 40 Chairman Jay Lundeen for providing me this opportunity to respond to his personal attack letter to the editor of April 17. With approximately one week to go in the 67th Legislative Assembly we are on track to bring multiple big successes to the people of North Central North Dakota (Minot). As a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee I have led or helped lead the way on:

Minot Area Flood Control is on track to receive $75 million in the next biennium. We were also able to increase the State of North Dakota’s promise to the project from $193 million to over $600 million

It looks like the State will provide $2 million for the Minot Intermodal System to build an infrastructure railroad track spur. This will provide a connection for our North Dakota products to be marketed and sold all over the world.

I led the charge to push back an attempt to change the way Medicaid Expansion is billed. This change would have cost the people of North Central North Dakota over $30 million.

We passed House Bill 1425 to ensure a portion of the Legacy Fund is invested within the borders of North Dakota. The end result of this will be to support the people and businesses that have long volunteered, sponsored and supported their local communities. This will have real positive consequences to all the people of North Dakota.

Our great State Fair is back on track and again being supported by the people of North Dakota. This has always been the place where our students get to showcase their talents and agriculture exhibits.

I Chair the House Committee on the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation Budget. From Pretrial Services, to Community Supervision, to a mindset change of providing services to youth in their home community rather than an institutional setting, the good things happening here help keep all North Dakotans safer.

In his letter to the editor Jay Lundeen referred to me as “out of touch”. I would like to think these successes are wholly “in touch” with the needs of the people in District 40. And I’m happy to focus my energy there.