Tuesday my class had the opportunity to visit Richard Lehmann, the Republican Candidate for District 4A and John Persells opponent. Seated in a conference room we had his attention undivided, and asked him a few questions.
Mr. Lehmann answered us honestly and candidly, giving us all an idea about how he stands politically, personally, and how he feels he’s helped Bemidji since becoming mayor. Since his term began Lehmann feels he’s helped bring many businesses and by extension jobs because of the involvement of Home Depot, Walmart, and now Menards. However he feels that more is needed in tax reductions to truly incentivize and retain businesses in our town.
Small local businesses weren’t the center of his attention though, dismissing concerns about how Menards could affect local lumber yards. I question the wisdom however, knowing how large chains and their prices affect those who can’t compete on the economy of scale. While embracing large businesses do create jobs locally I can’t help but wonder why they’re being championed instead of businesses owned locally. It’s well known that the money Walmart makes doesn’t stay in Bemidji, save for what it pays and generates in taxes.
This seemed to highlight what I noticed as an apparent hypocrisy in Mr. Lehmann’s rationale. While being a staunch supporter of economic growth and our quality of life, he supports businesses that don’t provide a return on what they take from the community. It’s akin to following the recipe for a cake where the measure of each ingredient is ignored, and followed in name only.
Mayor Lehmann also felt that government should provide infrastructure, education, and a security to life. However if the taxes that support these services are slashed, and left to be fulfilled by the promise of more business, more jobs, and more taxpayers then I wonder how one can reconcile those two values. The invisible hand of economics doesn’t pave roads nor write on chalk boards. Curiously seatbelt laws and helmet laws for motorcyclists were the two best examples of evidence to the fact government is too involved in our lives.
Should it also be our freedom then to be a liability upon society? The social services Mr. Lehmann says make our city great, but also cost us too much money, are the ones that would respond to an accident caused or exacerbated by the two “freedoms” he cited. Who would pay for the ambulance, policeman and women, and for the road to be cleaned up?
The idea that by allowing people to become a larger liability to society through freedom is one that I disagree strongly with, that isn’t freedom except to be taken care of because of your “free” choice of danger.
Mr. Lehmann seems to be adept enough to act as mayor, but I question his wisdom for any other office higher than what he currently holds.
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