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Niska and Grimmer clash on taxes, safety and transit at Ramsey House District 31A forum
Summary
At a Ramsey candidate forum for Minnesota House District 31A, incumbent Harry Niska and challenger Dara Grimmer presented differing priorities: Niska emphasized lower taxes, public safety and road-focused transportation investments; Grimmer prioritized transit access, representation for marginalized residents and transparent funding for local media.
At a candidate forum in Ramsey moderated by Laurie Higgins of the Metro North Chamber of Commerce, incumbent Harry Niska and challenger Dara Grimmer laid out contrasting visions for Minnesota House District 31A ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Niska, a first-term lawmaker and attorney, framed his reelection bid around fiscal restraint and public safety. "The one-party Democrat control in Saint Paul grew the state budget by a whopping 40%," he said, arguing that recent spending and regulations have made state government too large and intrusive. He said the state should "dial back" regulations, promote permitting reform and prioritize law enforcement recruitment and retention to improve community safety.
Grimmer, who said she was urged by her community to run and described her work with ISD 728 and an American Indian education program, emphasized representation and services for a growing, diverse population. "I define freedom very personally," she said, tying personal autonomy to policy and saying elected officials should listen to residents who feel intimidated or overlooked. She highlighted transportation access for people without cars and supports for lower-income newcomers.
On transportation, the candidates diverged on priorities. Niska praised recent highway work and said investing in additional lanes and high-traffic corridors (he cited County Road 47 through Ramsey) should come before major rail investments. "We should be prioritizing the modes of transportation that are going to help everyday folks in Ramsey get around," he said. Grimmer welcomed Highway 10 improvements but said transit matters for those who do not own cars; she said she would pursue clearer funding sources for expanded transit and expressed a long-term interest in better regional rail connections.
Both candidates addressed civic media funding when asked about legislation to modernize funding for community stations such as QCTV. Niska opposed the form of the proposal he described as a franchise fee on cable bills, saying Ramsey voters rejected that approach. Grimmer said she supports public access television and would back transparent bill-level disclosures about how any fee revenue is used.
The forum closed with one-minute statements. Grimmer thanked attendees and reiterated her commitment to service and community solidarity; Niska asked for voters' support to continue what he described as a course correction in St. Paul.
The forum included a short audience Q&A moderated by Higgins and concluded with a reminder to vote by Tuesday, Nov. 5.
