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>> Representative Woodard if you can just tell us a little bit about yourself and your
district? >> sure, I represent Southern Scott County
in western LeSueur County and District 28 and I live in Belle plane we have five children
ranging in age from 2 through 17 and I actually ran for office in 2010 and one in a very tight
election year so we won by 37 votes after almost 17,000 votes cast. After redistricting
out lost Northfield and gained all of southern Scott County in western lease or county. On
a small-business owner I own a company for the last eight years involved in international
supply chain consulting. >> what are your top legislative priorities?
>> I'm the GOP leader on education finance so what my priorities is education reform.
Some of the things we do in education just don't make a lot of sense we a lot of very
talented teachers a lot times we handcuff them and not able to do what they need to
do in order to educate kids and for Chile becomes to political of a fight. It will need
to do is really allow our teachers and our administrators to be able to do the work they
need to do to educate kids and stop handcuffing them with mandates and regulations and paperwork.
>> what do you see as the biggest challenge facing your district?
>> my district is on the edge of the suburbs so we're really the exurbs southern Scott
County is little different makeup than Western lease or county so we go all the way from
being bedroom communities in Elko in the market to very rural communities throughout southern
Scott County in western lease or county. A lot of the issues we have in that area is
a related to taxes and transportation. Most my constituents are concerned about tax rates
they're concerned about greater Minnesota is the viability and part of that has to do
with transportation related issues. Of course education, most of the families in Minnesota
with a have kids in school or not are concerned about the ability for their kids to have a
bright future. Education is a primary way we can impact that.
>> what is the most difficult aspect of being a legislator?
>> From my perspective one of the things that helps is were very busy family. With five
kids and football and basketball and all the different sports whether this scheme or whenever
events my kids are involved in managing that scheduled my wife is the principle of the
school as well in managing her schedule in getting the family on the same schedule is
really the most difficult part and when were in session that throws a different branch
in the entire family calendar. And then it also for those who are small business owners
is truly a public service and I would say every person of the Minnesota House I have
met and I know are here for the right reason they're here for public service and not here
for exposure or four certain not for making money. What we do in our business take a hiatus
when recession and that's probably the most difficult thing we deal with on a regular
basis is maintaining business and making sure it is successful on a time where my intention
is elsewhere. >> if given the chance, who would you like
to be for a day or who would like to exchange roles with?
>> I actually I think I would really enjoy being a priest I think the role our parish
priest plays is pretty important in family's lives and their insight into the entire community
is really impressive to me so I think as much as my wife would allow me to do it, being
a priest for day is something I've always aspired to do.
>> thank you Representative Woodard. >> thank you. . .