MANKATO — Mark Meyer thinks voters are sufficiently tired of the two major political parties and frustrated by inaction on state budget deficits.

And the Independence Party candidate thinks state Rep. Tony Cornish has done nothing to address the state’s biggest problems.    

Cornish, R-Good Thunder, was first elected to House District 24B in 2002. He will face Meyer and DFL candidate Joan Muth-Milks of Wells in the November election.

Meyer formally announced his campaign Wednesday at the library in Mankato and at other communities.

Meyer says his expertise as an actuary, lawyer, former school board member and farmer make him the most qualified candidate in the race.

He touts his tenure as chairman of the Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial School Board, when the district finally passed a bond referendum after six failed attempts and the district went from financial problems to having a surplus.

Meyer of Lake Crystal is an employee benefits consultant who works with firms of 300 to 3,000 employees. He owns a 2,400-head hog operation in Nebraska and raises a small herd of cattle. He’s married with four grown children.

“I don’t think he gets the big picture,” Meyer said of Cornish, pointing to Cornish’s campaign flier that touts having “protected” Minnesotans from $5.4 billion in new taxes.

Meyer said allowing billions in spending while refusing to raise any taxes is irresponsible.

Contacted after the news conference, Cornish said Meyer’s claim that he wants to change the bickering in the Legislature falls flat.

“Everything he’s put out so far, he can’t seem to say anything without being derogatory toward me.”

 Cornish said the claim that his policies have raised property taxes “is a tired old argument. I haven’t had anyone come to me who thinks I raised their property taxes.”

Cornish said the Legislature did this past year reduce the actual size of the budget for the first time in 19 years, and more cutting can be done.  

Meyer’s budget plan would include 60 percent in spending cuts and 40 percent in tax increases to close a projected $6 billion state budget shortfall.

He favors expanding the sales tax and would increase income taxes for all “to the level they were the last time we had a budget surplus.” That tax increase, he said, would amount to about 75 cents more on every $100 of taxable income.

Meyer said he would focus on reducing property taxes, which he says have gone up because of cuts to local governments made by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Cornish.

To help local governments, particularly schools, deal with lower funding, Meyer wants laws that would allow school districts to reduce teacher pay and more easily lay off staff as they deem necessary. He said schools will also need to take new approaches, such as sharing superintendents, business managers and specialized teachers.

He said every public employee and program will have to share in what will be dramatic state budget cuts.

Meyer was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the 1st Congressional District in 2008 but withdrew prior to the primary election in which Randy Demmer was nominated.   

Cornish was first elected to his state seat in 2002, winning with 52 percent of the vote. He was re-elected with 60 percent of the vote in 2004, with 54 percent of the vote in 2006 and with 51 percent of the vote in 2008.