St. Cloud Businesswoman, Representative Bernie Perryman, Sworn in for First Term Tuesday

(KNSI) — A St. Cloud businesswoman is starting her first term at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Newly elected District 14A Representative Bernie Perryman, owner of Batteries Plus Bulbs in St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids, says her best teachers in life were her mother and grandmother. She talked about the advice they gave her that she is taking to the Legislature. “You have two ears and one mouth. Sit back and listen before speaking on what the subject matter is, use your ears and listen intently [with] curiosity, and empathetically before responding.”

She says she’s confident her experience with civic organizations will serve her well in St. Paul. “I’m a newbie at this, but I’m a good newbie because I have lived and done a lot of things in St Cloud. I have served on a lot of boards and have listened to a lot. So we can get things done for the people we’re representing.”

The freshman Republican says she will support police and an end to the state’s tax on social security. Perryman says she also supports gun owners’ rights. She said the state’s $17.6 billion budget surplus shows the need for tax reform.

Perryman is one of 25 new lawmakers being sworn in. She will serve on the Commerce, Policy and Finance Committee, Economic Development, Policy and Finance and Health Policy and Finance.

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