Otto proposes new report on roads and bridges

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Rebecca Otto, after she was nominated to be the DFL candidate for the Minnesota State Auditor, at he DFL Convention, in Duluth, Minnesota, on May 31, 2014. Photo/Paul M. Walsh

DFL State Auditor Rebecca Otto says she’s proud of her accomplishments over the past eight years and is already making plans for what she wants to do in a third term.

Otto’s re-election bid faces a surprise primary challenge from former DFL state Rep. Matt Entenza, who has said the auditor’s office has been too quiet under the incumbent. The state auditor primarily oversees the finances of local units of government.

Otto said she’s working on a new initiative called “Infrastructure Stress Reports,” which will identify and quantify public needs across Minnesota, including roads, bridges and water systems. Otto said the consolidated information could help guide the spending decisions of lawmakers.

“It’s hard to plan when you don’t have all the information,” Otto said. “So, what this report and these reports will do is to drive a conversation and inform a conversation. You can have a map of the state and understand where the greatest needs are, and understand which ones would have the greatest public safety and public health implications if not dealt with.”

Entenza says his focus as state auditor would be on protecting pensions and shining a light on the subsidies that local governments provide to businesses.

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