Minnesotans will vote in the 2024 primary election on August 13th. To help our viewers make informed decisions WDIO news is doing candidate interviews so you can hear directly from those wanting to represent you in St. Paul.

Two Republican candidates are on next week’s primary ballot wanting to take on DFL incumbent, Liish Kozlowski in November in house district 8b.

In our first meet the candidates feature, we sat down with Tim Meyer and Shawn Savela and asked each of them what their primary concerns are for district 8b which covers eastern Duluth. Savela said he was upset at how the DFL party ignored so many constituents and pushed through DFL party policies.

“My primary concern when I wanted to get into politics or get into this race is, I was looking at the last session,” Shawn Savela said. “I don’t know if you paid attention to the last session, but in the last 10 minutes, there was a 1,400 page omnibus bill presented by the one party that has the trifecta.”

Tim Meyer said affordable housing is his number one concern.

“We need expansion of housing at every tier of housing,” Meyer told us. “I think it’s very misunderstood the kinds of things we need to do to increase the amount of housing that we have here in the City of Duluth.”

The two republican candidates share many similar concerns for district 8b. The lack of housing was brought up by both, as were their concerns about one party controlling the purse strings of the state. But they themselves have specific priorities of their own.

“One thing in particular is property taxes,” Savela said. “Our property taxes are a little out of control and I’d like to put a cap on that. My ultimate goal, to be honest, is I’d like to remove property taxes completely.”

“Obviously, law enforcement and public safety are a big concern to me,” Meyer told us. “And then everyone’s concerned about infrastructure, infrastructure improvements and rebuilding of our roads.”

We asked the candidates what unique qualities they specifically have that would help them serve the district if elected.

“I’m an architect,” Meyer said. “I’ve done HRA and housing development in my architectural practice. I’m currently serving on the HRA Commission here in Duluth where we’re developing affordable and public housing for moderate-income people here in Duluth.”

Shawn Savela was born and raised In Duluth and a businessman in the community since moving back in 2017.

“I’ve worked with employees, I worked with businesses, I work with the CIO level, I work with people that do the work,” Savela told us. “I know how to communicate across them. I know how to get consensus. And I am a moderate when it comes to policy.”

The primary election is next Tuesday, August 13th.