Our View/Endorsement: Put community leader Munger to work for taxpayers

For more than two decades, Mark Munger served the Northland as a district court judge, prosecutor, attorney, and in other roles. With his grandchildren in mind, Munger wants to continue to serve Northeastern Minnesota, now as a state legislator.

He's a longtime public servant, a devoted and dedicated community leader, and he's willing to give back. Eligible voters in Minnesota House District 3B — which includes Hermantown, Two Harbors, Proctor, Rice Lake, a bit of Duluth, and several townships — can be grateful for his willingness and can jump at the chance to elect him on Nov. 5, putting him and his impressive experiences, influential connections, and background in public service to work for them in St. Paul.

"I want to bring integrity, civility, and passion back to politics. I don't like where we are. I don't like the discourse we find ourselves in," Munger said at a Sept. 16 candidate forum in Canal Park hosted and moderated by the News Tribune and Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce. "I'm an effective advocate, but I'm also a good listener. I can listen to both sides of an argument. That's what I did for 23 years as a district court judge. That's a skill set I (can) bring to St. Paul."

While his role as judge trained and well-prepared him for public office, so did his service as city attorney for Proctor, co-executive director for Grace Lutheran Church in Hermantown, board member for the Greater Denfeld Foundation, member of the Voyageur's Boy Scouts of America Advancement Committee, assistant scoutmaster, youth coach for 25 years, officer for the Fredenberg Community Club, and Hermantown Community Foundation board member. He's also a member of the Denfeld Hall of Fame, an Eagle Scout, an Army Reserve veteran, an author of 14 published books, and a small-business owner. He's lived in Fredenberg Township for 40 years.

If elected, he said his priorities will be getting the bonding bill done that should have gotten done this year, as well as child care, elder care, and health care.

"We're not very good about taking care of the youngest in our fold and the oldest in our fold, he said.

Also, the economy, including mining, is a priority, he indicated.

"I'm not a prove-it-first guy," Munger said. Rather, he's willing to consider copper-nickel mining plans while extremists in his DFL Party push for mining moratoriums. "As long as we do it sensibly and with the environment and our grandchildren in mind, I want to create jobs here. I've lived here virtually my whole life. My family lives here. I want jobs for Northeastern Minnesota, and I'm going to work for them."

District 3B voters can appreciate incumbent Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar's service the past two years, including her advocacy for small business and for ensuring that schoolchildren can read at grade level. Hardly a politician, Zeleznikar instead was a longtime nursing-home administrator and assisted-living facility operator. She was a consistent voice in St. Paul for lower taxes, more child care, and smaller government.

"The past two years have been an honor to serve," she said at the forum.

But voters have an opportunity now to pick someone who's already a longtime community leader and public servant and who has the temperament, ability to consider varying viewpoints, connections, relationships, and smarts to work even more effectively on their behalf. In a race with two strong options, Munger is simply the better choice.

"I think I'm well-suited to work across the aisle and bring us back to common-sense politics," as he vowed. "You can be assured I'm going to be fiscally sound, I'm going to be fiscally adept, (and) I'm not going to be ... wasting money from the taxpayers."