Wayne A Johnson
Name: Wayne A Johnson
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-358-5975
Campaign Website: waynejohnsonformn.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: WayneJohnson4MN
Candidate Bio
I am honored to serve as the State Representative for Minnesota House District 41A. I served on the Washington County Board of Commissioners and the Cottage Grove City Council, giving me firsthand experience solving local challenges and working across all levels of government. As a small business owner for over 13 yrs, I understand the challenges families, workers and employers face. That experience has guided my work at the Capitol, where I have focus on making Minnesota more affordable, strengthening public and improving government accountability. During my first term, I authored and advanced legislation to combat fraud, improve worker safety, support local infrastructure, and reduce costs on taxpayers and local governments. I helped secure funding for critical transportation improvements in our district, supported property tax relief, reduced vehicle tab fees, and worked to stop new taxes on Minnesota families and small businesses.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
My top 3 priorities will continue to be stopping fraud in state government, reduce the tax burden on business and families, improve affordability for families and small businesses.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro? Please elaborate on your answer.
Challenging. The mandates for PFML and ESST are making it hard for both small and larger businesses. The continued desire to raise taxes on businesses by the DFL is driving people out of business or preventing them from starting. We need to stop thinking of ways to bail out small businesses and stop putting them in that position to begin with.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges such as education, housing, workforce development, or other priority areas.
We need to talk with our employers more and ask what they suggest and need. Right now it is legislators telling job makers what they need which is not working.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
I would like to hear from employers on their ideas.
The Legislature enacted several new workplace mandates in recent years, including Paid Family and Medical Leave, Earned Safe and Sick Time, and Worker Misclassification standards. If elected, how would you evaluate the impact of these policies on the East Metro economy and workforce, and what principles would guide any changes you'd seek to make?
I have heard from both employers and employees. It is not working. It is causing staffing shortages and hardship on those who need to cover the open positions. There needs to be changes like exempting micro employers and those who have a better plan.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your district and the state?
Listen to our law enforcement. We need to have leaders who champion our law enforcement officers. There are not enough candidates which is causing staffing issues. We need to come up with a plan to help create a desire to join. I am open to ideas what that will be.
How would you work to improve transportation options in the district/state, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I am open to ideas.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Build more homes. Reduce permit costs and regulations and mandates on contractors. The cost of building a home is much higher in MN than WI. We need to fix that.
Minnesota's current two-year budget shows a surplus, but state forecasters project a significant structural imbalance beginning in the 2028-2029 biennium. What steps would you take to address this long-term challenge? Please include specific ideas for reducing spending, increasing revenue, or reforming state programs.
We do not need to raise revenue. We have a spending problem. We need to find out where the money is going and eliminate grants or programs that are not doing what is promised. There is a lot of money being spent in MN Housing that may not be most efficient or effective. I would be spending more time digging into the different program and agencies in the new session.
Minnesota has faced several high-profile fraud cases involving public programs in recent years. The Legislature recently passed a new Office of the Inspector General on a bipartisan basis. Beyond this new office, what additional steps would you support to strengthen fraud prevention and rebuild public trust in how the state manages taxpayer-funded programs?
Department directors need to report to the legislature and not the governor. We need a change in accountability and job descriptions. There needs to be a better way to hold departments accountable for grants and decisions.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-358-5975
Campaign Website: waynejohnsonformn.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: WayneJohnson4MN
Candidate Bio
I am honored to serve as the State Representative for Minnesota House District 41A. I served on the Washington County Board of Commissioners and the Cottage Grove City Council, giving me firsthand experience solving local challenges and working across all levels of government. As a small business owner for over 13 yrs, I understand the challenges families, workers and employers face. That experience has guided my work at the Capitol, where I have focus on making Minnesota more affordable, strengthening public and improving government accountability. During my first term, I authored and advanced legislation to combat fraud, improve worker safety, support local infrastructure, and reduce costs on taxpayers and local governments. I helped secure funding for critical transportation improvements in our district, supported property tax relief, reduced vehicle tab fees, and worked to stop new taxes on Minnesota families and small businesses.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
My top 3 priorities will continue to be stopping fraud in state government, reduce the tax burden on business and families, improve affordability for families and small businesses.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro? Please elaborate on your answer.
Challenging. The mandates for PFML and ESST are making it hard for both small and larger businesses. The continued desire to raise taxes on businesses by the DFL is driving people out of business or preventing them from starting. We need to stop thinking of ways to bail out small businesses and stop putting them in that position to begin with.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges such as education, housing, workforce development, or other priority areas.
We need to talk with our employers more and ask what they suggest and need. Right now it is legislators telling job makers what they need which is not working.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
I would like to hear from employers on their ideas.
The Legislature enacted several new workplace mandates in recent years, including Paid Family and Medical Leave, Earned Safe and Sick Time, and Worker Misclassification standards. If elected, how would you evaluate the impact of these policies on the East Metro economy and workforce, and what principles would guide any changes you'd seek to make?
I have heard from both employers and employees. It is not working. It is causing staffing shortages and hardship on those who need to cover the open positions. There needs to be changes like exempting micro employers and those who have a better plan.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your district and the state?
Listen to our law enforcement. We need to have leaders who champion our law enforcement officers. There are not enough candidates which is causing staffing issues. We need to come up with a plan to help create a desire to join. I am open to ideas what that will be.
How would you work to improve transportation options in the district/state, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I am open to ideas.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Build more homes. Reduce permit costs and regulations and mandates on contractors. The cost of building a home is much higher in MN than WI. We need to fix that.
Minnesota's current two-year budget shows a surplus, but state forecasters project a significant structural imbalance beginning in the 2028-2029 biennium. What steps would you take to address this long-term challenge? Please include specific ideas for reducing spending, increasing revenue, or reforming state programs.
We do not need to raise revenue. We have a spending problem. We need to find out where the money is going and eliminate grants or programs that are not doing what is promised. There is a lot of money being spent in MN Housing that may not be most efficient or effective. I would be spending more time digging into the different program and agencies in the new session.
Minnesota has faced several high-profile fraud cases involving public programs in recent years. The Legislature recently passed a new Office of the Inspector General on a bipartisan basis. Beyond this new office, what additional steps would you support to strengthen fraud prevention and rebuild public trust in how the state manages taxpayer-funded programs?
Department directors need to report to the legislature and not the governor. We need a change in accountability and job descriptions. There needs to be a better way to hold departments accountable for grants and decisions.