For just more than a decade, Erik Paulsen has been representing Eden Prairie in District 42B. Over that time, he’s worked his way into house leadership, becoming the House Majority Leader in 2002. The question comes up, for this busy dad of four girls, what drives him to stay in the fray that can be state politics?

“I’ve really enjoyed the new challenges,” he said.

He still has energy, and he notes, over the last years in particular, “I’ve been able to, I would say, make a difference on certain issues.”

Sometimes the system works really well, as in this past session and sometimes, you have what happens in 2005, when the state experienced it’s first ever shutdown, as work dragged into a special session. Two years ago, noted Paulsen, “There was a clash of personalities.” This year, “everything pretty much stuck right to the timeline.”

“That was one of

On what bills he’s been able to make a difference on, Paulsen jumps right into the subject of education funding and policy.

Though 2005 ended on a contentious note, it was also the year that brought a state increase to the school funding formula, he said, along with a move to lift the referendum cap districts like Eden Prairie bump into.

He’s also a big supporter of another program that brought funding for schools: Q Comp, or Quality Compensation. That program, which brings in funding for a change in teacher pay structure is something that Eden Prairie has taken advantage of this year. On his Web site, Paulsen also touts a bill he authored that will result in having the state Department of Education put together a Mandarin Chinese curriculum.

On other issues:

When it comes to transportation, Paulsen said he’s supportive of the ballot initiative that would dedicate a motor vehicle sales tax to roads and transit. He’s not so supportive of a gas tax.

When it comes to health care, there are a number of ideas in terms of affordability, he said.

His goal is to move the state toward “a more consumer-driven system.”

He supports providing transparency when it comes to providing the cost of health care; health savings accounts; and he said they need to move more toward work on minor medical malpractice reform, as well as “allowing for-profit health care.”

“There’s no silver bullet,” he noted.

Despite the complicated issues, the countless meetings and slow pace, there are still rewards, he said.

“It’s nice knowing that you’re making a difference ...”

He recalled door knocking once and a woman thanked him for one of his bills, a “Gift of Life” tax credit for organ donors, which she had been able to use.

He wants voters to know that “there are a lot of good people that argue for progressive leadership and compromise and getting things done.”

He said he would characterize himself in that mold.

“In the end, get the job done.”