Republican delegates in House District 10B will have three candidates to chose from with Wednesday’s entry of Tom Nixon of Deerwood into the legislative race.

Nixon, a Deerwood City Council member, wants to speed up government reform and take small steps to remove road blocks to economic development, while strategically phasing in larger reform. He pledged a common sense approach, stating in a news release that Minnesota needs a government willing to be responsible, transparent and accountable.

He would like to see the Legislature reduce the tax burden and stand strong on cuts for non-essential services

“If we don’t have enough money for something, why do we spend money we don’t have,” Nixon said.

Announcing earlier for the Republican endorsement for House District 10B, which includes Aitkin and eastern Crow Wing County, were David Allan Pundt of rural Deerwood, and Dale Lueck of rural Aitkin. All three candidates have said they would abide by the decision of the March 31 convention.

Nixon, 30, said local governments shouldn’t be budgeting in expected money from local government aid or grants that aren’t a sure thing. He also said there was too much red tape that accompanied incentives and tax breaks for new or expanding businesses.

In health care, the North Memorial ambulance employee called for curbing abuse in the system and finding cost savings mechanisms such as encouraging consumers to use urgent care rather than emergency room visits and mid-level practitioners rather than physicians, where appropriate.

“I have five children — five reasons to run (for the Legislature),” Nixon said

A lifelong resident of the Deerwood area, Nixon and his wife, Heather, are raising Karli, Korinna, Kallie, Kirsten, and Kole.

He is in his second term on the Deerwood City Council and was appointed to the Rural Health Advisory Committee by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Nixon has worked for North Memorial ambulance in Brainerd and Aitkin since 2008 and has worked part-time for Cuyuna Regional Medical Center Ambulance since 2001. He is president and a lieutenant in the Deerwood Fire Department.

Nixon serves on the Personnel Committee and Serpent Lake Sanitary Sewer District Board. He was voted volunteer firefighter of the year in 2006 and 2012 and firefighter of the year in 2011. A Deerwood first responder, he sells automatic external defibrillators to area responders and businesses. A member of the National Rifle Association, he is a past member of Ducks Unlimited and the Minnesota Rural Health Association.

He said his family enjoys camping and being on the lakes. When time allows, he said he goes bow hunting and also hunts waterfowl.

MIKE O’ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com. He may be followed on Twitter at MikeORourkenews.