Inflation, Harris calls Trump ‘fascist’, deportation, referendum in Stearns County

I lay awake at night thinking about how Trump would deport millions of illegal immigrants. According to the Department of Homeland Security, there will be more than 11 million by 2022. How would this happen? Who would identify and bring together all these people? Would they be woken up in the night and led to arenas until transportation to their home countries could be arranged? Who would pay for all this? Assuming they boarded planes, it would take 30,000 flights (an average of 400 per flight) to transport them to their home countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, etc. And these would be not just the workers, but also their families – women, children, babies. But wait: the children born in the US are legal, right? Would they then be separated and left behind? Who would provide food, water, beds, diapers, and medical needs? Or would they be left as if the Jews had to fend for themselves until they were transported? And would they be accepted or mistreated in their home country?

These practical questions are mind-boggling and unimaginable, but we have a presidential candidate who is determined to do it!

As Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer, I want to ensure voters understand the referendum question on their election ballot to use sales taxes to pay for the new Stearns County Justice Center. The question is how fund this project. The State of Minnesota and the County Board have determined that a new justice center is necessary due to our county’s increasing jail overcrowding, aging infrastructure, and inadequate court and security spaces.

Stearns County is offering voters a choice: fund the justice center through sales taxes or through a property tax bill. A “yes” vote on the referendum means that funding will come from a sales tax; a “no” vote means the county will have to look at property taxes. A sales tax spreads financial responsibility beyond Stearns County residents, with approximately 55% of the cost covered by non-residents who shop or do business in Stearns County, and 45% borne by local residents. This reflects the use of our justice system, as approximately half of our prison population and court users are non-residents. On the other hand, if the referendum fails, the entire cost will fall solely on Stearns County property owners.