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Ben Thome

District:		45A
Party:		Independence
Residence:		Plymouth, MN
Web site:		www.BenThome.com

Statement from the candidate:
The Legislature has abandoned its responsibility to the people of the state in favor of petty squabbling and manipulations to garner power. They have erected a wall of special interests around them, ignoring our voices and hearing only theirs. I run to serve the people of Minnesota and to create a prosperous state.

Biography:
I was born and raised in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities. After graduating from Centennial Senior High School, I proceeded to the University of Minnesota where I earned my B.A., double majoring in anthropology and linguistics. As I always seek to broaden my horizons, I have recently returned to earn my B.S. in plant biology.

I moved to Plymouth after school to be closer to my family and friends. While I had always kept abreast in politics, it was here in Plymouth where I first started to get active. Currently, I am serving as a delegate for the MN Independence Party for my district and I represent my district on its Central Committee. In addition, I serve on the party's state Public Relations Committee.

Beyond that, I am an avid linguist, horticulturist and bird raiser in my down time and for four years I have volunteered with the Minnesota AIDS Walk, proudly walking for a cure. Minnesota needs a government that can nurture our state into a healthy and prosperous future and I have the skills to do it.

On the Issues:

Should increased taxes be considered as part of a solution to a projected budget deficit?		Undecided
Should gambling be expanded in Minnesota to generate new revenue for the state?		Yes
Should state funds — directly or indirectly — be used to build new sports facilities for the Twins and Vikings?		Yes
Do you support Gov Pawlenty's JOBZ zones program?		Yes
Should K-12 spending in Minnesota be curtailed in order to balance a projected budget deficit?		No
Should a constitutional amendment be presented to voters that would ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota?		No
Should the state spend money for expanding mass transit options in Minnesota?		Yes
Should there be additional restrictions on abortion in Minnesota?		No
Should the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, which seeks to protect wildlife habitat and wetlands by paying farmers for taking marginal lands out of agriculture production, be supported?		Undecided
Should the state's subsidized health care program be trimmed in order to reduce a projected budget deficit?		No