 Election Day is now exactly one month away and tonight Lakeland Public Television continued its long tradition of providing you a look at your state legislative candidates facing off head-to-head in debates. Our first debate tonight was in Senate District 2 where incumbent Rod Skoy from the DFL met up with Republican challenger Paul Utke. One of the topics discussed was a bonding bill and proposed light rail project that failed to pass the legislature this past year. I would have voted for the bill whether it was in or whether it wasn't. I thought that it was unfortunate that all of this good projects that were negotiated in a bonding bill plus the permanent tax relief that really was targeted at rural areas and small businesses and Minnesota families did not become law because of the Southwest light rail line. There's a lot of good projects in that bonding bill besides that that would have been good for our state and and still can be. It should be looked at but the light rail is an issue that I think should stand on its own because that that splits a lot of our our country and I understand the fact that we all go down to the Twin Cities. We have to drive through the congestion and such that is there. But at what point do we do light rail versus an improved busing system or you know what is best and at this point I just don't see the numbers for light rail that would make me jump on board and support that. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.