Bill Cullen has had a variety of experience in the corporate world, volunteering in schools and running his own business as a real estate investor. But, as to why he’s interested in getting into politics, he said his priority is simple: control the spending.

“We can keep the tax levels low.”

Cullen, the Republican candidate vying for the district 42A slot, says what drives him to run is the  simple fact that Minnesota is “one of the highest taxed states in the nation, still, even though the numbers have fallen.”

“But every single government agency that I know says, ‘We’re broke.’”

“It doesn’t make sense to me,” he adds.

What does make sense to Cullen is that state government should focus on funding education and basic infrastructure.

He noted that the economy has brought in more revenue and yet there are proposals for more taxes.  He said the state doesn’t need it.

“I think the economy is funding government just fine.”

Regarding basic infrastructure, he had some reserved support for the upcoming transportation amendment.

He’s not keen on state mandates, “but spending more money on transportation is fine.”

“The right solution would have been to spend more money on transportation, not mandate that all future generations spend more money on transportation,” he added.

When asked how to better fund transportation, he brings up the additional revenue in the state economy.

“You’ve got revenue growing, you don’t need additional taxes for this.”

He’s all for more local control and local funding for education. When asked how that bites into the property tax bill, he noted that when it comes to school taxes, he said the way to control that is to control your spending, not shift it to a state entity.

“There are programs that can help property taxes that I think are appropriate, especially to help the elderly and those on a fixed income.” But, he noted, but if you don’t align spending with accountability, you lose control of spending.

For education the state needs to talk more about performance programs, he said. It’s not about how much money is spent. The discussion needs to be changed to what programs help student achievement.

 “Student academic achievement, that’s the key.”

That being said, he has little use for state mandates like Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s 70 percent proposal, which would require that 70 percent of school funds go to the classroom.

“I don’t favor mandates.”

On health care, he notes “you’ve got to tackle the cost.”

Talk of universal health care, he said “doesn’t drive down the costs.”

Costs go down, he said, by encouraging the power of private market and by “empowering the consumer.”

“I favor encouraging competition.”

When it comes to an issue like a statewide smoking ban (Hennepin County instituted a ban this last year), he reiterated again, it’s up to local control.

What he wants voters to know is that he’s good at keeping convictions but also compromising when it makes sense. And, “I’m a pretty nice guy,” he added.