Rukavina would be fair to everyone

One does not forget his roots.  I was born and raised in the Fourth District of St. Louis County.  While having transmigrated westward in occupation and career as educator, juvenile corrections superintendent and county commissioner, my compass returns to those beginnings.

I now observe that the people of the Fourth District will be given the opportunity to select a successor to Commissioner Mike Forsman.  As the electorate looks upon the career experience, training and public service of those seeking to succeed Forsman, it is my observation and belief that the people of St. Louis County’s Fourth District will find strong reason to support the candidacy of Tom Rukavina.  

I have known Tom Rukavina for all of his twenty-six years in the Minnesota Legislature.  In appointed and elected public service careers, I have found Tom to be discerning of issues affecting the great and the small.  I have always enjoyed and respected his blunt, but wise counsel on issues.  I can also say that I found support for legislative policy affecting my sector or my elective responsibilities, and while his prime focus was always his district, he was grounded in policy positions that best served people throughout the State of Minnesota.  He was unrelentingly fair and objective.  I don’t think Tom would disagree that generally, the best government is the least government, as he was alway at the epicenter of protecting people when government ran afowl of constituents.  He always demonstrated a deep and abiding care and concern for people.  Constituent service was his hallmark.  There was never a stranger at Tommy’s office door:  he welcomed one and all.  It is no coincidence that constituents repeatedly re-elected him by overwhelming margins.  Tom always championed the vulnerable and the less fortunate.  He was never held captive by special interests.  Primacy with Rukavina was always about across-the-aisle, non-partisan constituent service. 

I hope the people in the Fourth District of St. Louis County will give Tom Rukavina their strongest support in electing him as their next County Commissioner.  I would welcome and appreciate the opportunity to be partnered with Tom Rukavina in county government.

Joe Vene

Beltrami County Commissioner

Bemidji, Minn.