Rep. Ruud to host Town Hall meeting May 19

Rep. Maria Ruud will be hosting a listening session/Town Hall meeting at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 19, at the Eden Prairie Library, 565 Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie. Her most-recent Town Hall meeting in Minnetonka attracted nearly 40 participants and topics ranged from transportation and taxes to education and global warming.

Ramstad scheduled for May 30 public forum
The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a series of public talks by prominent government leaders. Congressman Jim Ramstad is scheduled to appear on May 30. The forum will be held at Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, starting at noon.

For more information, call 612-625-2530 or email cspg@umn.edu

Democratic Visions TV show airs Sundays, Wednesdays
This month: Eden Prairie's PROP Shop is featured on Democratic Visions, the cable-access TV show produced by DFL Senate District 42 volunteers. PROP Shop is a resale store selling gently used donated items to raise funds for PROP (People Reaching Out to People) clients and operations expenses.

The show airs on Channel 15 at 9 p.m. Sundays and 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays in Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield. For more information or to volunteer, call 952-944-2861. To view some previous shows, go here.

Check out this news on our website:

• 2007 DFL tax and education proposals -- restoring fairness and investing in Minnesota's quality of life.
• Recent votes of Senator David Hann.
• Tax truths -- the middle class tax burden and the so-called budget "surplus."

Minn. House, Senate offer free magazines
A great way to be informed about Minnesota politics is to read the non-partisan magazines of the House and Senate. The House publication, Session Weekly, can be found online here. You can also sign up here to have a free hard copy delivered to your home. For the Senate publication, Senate Briefly, go here.

Next DFL meetings

May 10: monthly Senate District 42 meeting (senate district central committee)
Time/Place: 7 p.m. every second Thursday of each month; Glen Lake Community Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd., Minnetonka.
Who Attends: Senate District 42 Central Committee members, including the Executive Committee, local state central committee members, all precinct chairs and associate chairs. You are also welcome to attend. Your input is valuable and you will be able to participate fully except for voting.

May 16: monthly 3rd Congressional District Meeting (congressional district central committee)
Time/Place: 7 p.m., every third Wednesday of each month; Minnetonka City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka.
Who Attends: 3rd Congressional District Central Committee members, including congressional district senate district chairs, directors, state central committee members, others. You are also welcome to attend. Your input is valuable, and you will be able to participate fully except for voting.

Next school board meetings

Eden Prairie School Board Meetings: May 7 and 21
Time/Place: 7 p.m. on scheduled Mondays; 8100 School Road, Eden Prairie. Go here for more information on the School Board.

Hopkins School Board Meetings: May 3, 17 and 31
Time/Place: 7 p.m. on scheduled Thursdays; Eisenhower Community Center, 1001 Highway 7, Hopkins. Go here for more information on the Hopkins School Board and its meetings.

Note: School Board meetings are now available on local cable stations and as video and audio streams. For more information, go here.

Minnetonka School Board Meetings: May 3 and 17
Time/Place: 7 p.m. on scheduled Thursdays; Minnetonka District Service Center, 5621 County Road 101, Minnetonka. Go here for more information on the Minnetonka School Board and its meetings.

Next city council meetings

Eden Prairie City Council Meetings: May 1 and 15
Time/Place: 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month; Eden Prairie City Hall, 8080 Mitchell Road. Council meetings are televised live on cable channel 16 and replayed on opposite Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and on Saturdays at 1 p.m. Citizens have the opportunity to speak before the Council during Open Forum from 6:30-7 p.m. You must sign up with the City Manager's office at 952-949-8412 by noon to speak during Open Forum. For more information on the Eden Prairie City Council, go here.

Minnetonka City Council Meetings: May 7 and 21
Time/Place: 6:30 p.m.; Minnetonka City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Boulevard. The Minnetonka City Council meets twice a month. See the calendar here for specific dates and go here to learn more about your Council members, meeting procedures and cable TV replays of meetings.

Express your opinions
Go here to petition Sen. Norm Coleman to end the Iraq war and to email Gov. Tim Pawlenty about the need for a robust transportation bill this session.

Volunteer on a committee
We have many opportunities that can fit your talents and schedules. You'll have fun, meet other DFL supporters in your community and feel good about helping a great cause. Our committees include: affirmative action and outreach; candidate support and development; communications and technology; events; fundraising; precinct organization; and strategic planning and research. Go here for more information and to sign up.

Write a letter to the editor
Writing letters to the editors of our local papers is an important way we can support our DFL elected officials and promote progressive issues. Go here for more information.

Make a contribution
It's easy to make a contribution to DFL Senate District 42 and it will only cost you five minutes of your time and a postage stamp. If this is your first contribution of 2007 to a state candidate or DFL organization, you can take advantage of the Minnesota Political Contribution Refund Program and receive a refund of $50 per individual or $100 per couple. That's right, a refund. There is no catch or fine print. Think of it as a "loan" to help Democrats win because you'll get your money back from the state in 2 - 4 weeks. You can write your check to Senate District 42 DFL and mail it to 13012 Jane Lane, Minnetonka, MN 55343. We'll provide you a receipt and easy-to-complete form to send to the state. Go here for more information.