Guest Editorial: Ben Schierer - Leadership, Vision, and Practical Experience
Schierer emphasizes ability to connect with voters DFL has lost - “if we want to be a party for the entire state, we must have candidates from the entire state.”
*BNB Note: The guest editorial below was written by Ben Schierer, former Fergus Falls Mayor and DFL candidate for Minnesota State Auditor*
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Hello, Minnesota. I’m running to be Minnesota’s next state auditor because I have a unique set of skills and experiences in local government that no one else in this race has. I also have a proven ability to connect with voters that the DFL has lost over the past few decades.
I grew up in rural Minnesota, and I’m proud of that fact. I met my wife, Tessa, in Fergus Falls, and we are deeply rooted in our community. Fergus Falls is where Tessa and I started two main street businesses from scratch and where we are raising our five kids. It is also where I served 16 years as a local elected official, including two terms as mayor. I’m a rural progressive, twice elected mayor in one of the reddest parts of the state. No one else in this race can say that.
No office in the state is closer to local government than the state auditor. I remember the day I decided to run for office. It was Labor Day 2004, we were talking politics at a family picnic, and I had a lot of opinions. My dad looked at me and said, “Stop talking and start doing. You should run for office. There’s an open city council seat in your ward.” I went home that night and talked to Tessa. I didn’t know the first thing about local government; I didn’t even know which ward I lived in. But I did know that Tessa and I had decided that Fergus Falls was where we would raise our family, and that we would do everything we could to make it the best possible place for the next generation. I went to City Hall the next day and put my name on the ballot. Aside from being a husband and father, serving my community as a local elected official for 16 years has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done.
But my local government experience isn’t limited to Fergus Falls. During my time in office, I actively engaged with the League of Minnesota Cities, served on the Board of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, and was a founding member of Minnesota Mayors Together. That leadership—building relationships with local elected officials across the state—was recognized. I have been a Bush Fellow, NewDEAL Leader, and Presidential Leadership Scholar—all focused on elevating the essential work of local leaders across Minnesota to ensure that every community can thrive.
The state auditor oversees $60 billion in local government spending. I understand how vital that funding is to communities across the state and how important it is for local leaders to have the tools and resources needed to make sure those tax dollars—your tax dollars—are used effectively and efficiently. Beyond this essential oversight, we need a state auditor with the vision to recognize what’s possible in these communities. The state auditor manages important programs and serves on key state boards that are critical to local government: the Rural Finance Authority, the State Board of Investment, and local hospital districts. However, there are two I want to highlight. Nothing is more vital for job creation and economic development in local communities than Tax Increment Financing, which the state auditor oversees. Additionally, the state auditor is on the board of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Many jobs in communities across the state remain unfilled because we lack the housing to support them. I understand how these programs work and how to get these projects done, and I will ensure that the voices of local leaders are included in our state policy discussions.
There will be plenty of talk about fraud in this race, from both Democrats and Republicans. I’m not here to score political points or point fingers; I’m simply going to tell you what I will do on day one—based on what I’ve actually done in the past.
• First, I will ensure there is a fraud hotline, both internal and external, available statewide and to every community in Minnesota. Not as a campaign slogan or an empty promise; it is what we did in Fergus Falls while I was mayor, long before fraud was in the headlines or a political talking point.
• Second, I will make all 80+ employees in the OSA- public accountants and professional auditors- available to any state agency or local community that needs assistance fighting fraud. The fraud is serious, unacceptable, and we need to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to stop it.
• And finally, I will institute a culture of accountability, uniform internal controls across all divisions, and a laser focus on prevention. I’m not interested in performing autopsies; we must stop the cancer before it spreads. That’s what I did as a small-business owner and as mayor, and what I will do on day one as state auditor.
Our campaign has reached every corner of Minnesota. We’ve connected with union workers in Hibbing, farmers in Granite Falls, and teachers in the Twin Cities. We’ve shown that we have the grassroots support to win, raising more than twice as much as anyone else in this race, Democrat or Republican, from everyday Minnesotans. We have endorsements from all levels of government, across the state and across our party—from Attorney General Keith Ellison to former Congressman Collin Peterson and Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson.
Fellow DFLers, if we want to be a party for the entire state, we must have candidates from the entire state. We need candidates who can connect with the voters, especially in rural areas, that we have lost as a party over the past two decades. Together, we can keep Minnesota Blue and create a state where everyone sees themselves as part of the future.
I look forward to connecting with you on the campaign trail soon.