Joe Atkins, Dakota County Commissioner
[7-10-2020]

Dakota County Commissioner JOE ATKINS served in a variety of public service positions, from city council member, mayor, member of the Minnesota State House to his current position as a member of the Dakota County Commission. A many-time guest on Access to Democracy, he talked about the challenges arising because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the aftermath of the George Floyd murder and its affect on Dakota County, including substantial damage to the County Center in Apple Valley and Inver Grove Heights, the county’s tax burden, which is the lowest in the state, food shortages because of the drain on the econmy, and the proposed reopening of beaches, libraries and plans for returning students to schools for the fall.