Letter to the Editor - Russ Tempel brings experience to SD14

Editor,

In my eight years in the State Senate, one thing became abundantly clear. With the current short term limits on Legislators, a candidate’s level of experience has become extremely important.

When Russ Tempel was appointed two years ago with just a few days’ notice to fill the vacant Senate District 14, it gave me great comfort to know that he was bringing 18 years of experience in County Government to the position. That experience paid off when Russ was assigned to two of the Committees that I served on myself for years, the Senate Tax and the Senate Education Committees, where I thought he did an admirable job on both.

Russ Tempel was used to getting a lot done in his previous years as a county commissioner, including helping to build a new fire hall, and much-needed senior center. However like many of us, he found things to move much slower in the state Legislature. Still, he proved himself a strong supporter of education, focusing on improved student outcomes; and he voted time and again to support the wise use of our natural resources, so critical to our economic growth.

In this era of fast turnover in the Legislature, experience counts and Russ Tempel has it in Senate District 14.

Taylor Brown

Huntley