Candidate Maryjane Westra of Fergus Falls has heard people say she's a "one-issue candidate" in her bid for the District 10A House of Representatives. That issue is "kids," and it might be true.

Westra sees an achievable goal in getting all Minnesota children covered under a universal health care system, wants quality child care for working families and proposes a large increase in funding for education, especially special education programs.

But Westra, the mother of eight and founder of the Permanent Family Resource Center, an adoption agency in Fergus Falls, also is taking a look at economic security. She's happy with the JOBZ program, though admits it needs tweaking, and loves the way Harold Stanislawski is running the EIC board. Ultimately, she wants to lure more companies to the area.

She also blames Gov. Tim Pawlenty for using the funds marked for education to balance the state's budget, and said pressure needs to be put on the federal government to fund special education programs by 40 percent. Westra would also like to see the state roll back college tuition increases, noting some students she's talked to won't even consider the state universities anymore because of how much it now costs to attend.

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