Your opinions
Critical of Paulsen
Voters of the western suburbs, rest assured: Erik Paulsen won't do anything in Congress, either.
Last week, the Minnesota Legislature passed a bipartisan, comprehensive transportation bill that will finally get our state back on track toward safer roads and bridges, reduced gridlock and improved public transit.
Wasted fuel and time spent snarled in traffic currently cost Minnesotans about $800 a year. But while we struggle with dilapidated and deteriorating roads, unsafe bridges, gridlocked traffic, and too few transit options, Paulsen voted "no" again on overriding Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto.
Paulsen's obstructionism is nothing new. A similar bill passed the Legislature in 2007, and he voted against that bill and against overriding the governor's veto.
The bill just enacted — over Pawlenty's and Paulsen's determined opposition — will move Minnesota many steps forward in solving our transportation problems. But instead of figuring out real solutions to the problems, that we face, Paulsen — and too many other Republicans — just voted "no."
Standing in the way of progress and dodging responsibility when confronted with hard choices isn't the kind of leadership we need in Minnesota. And it's certainly not the kind of leadership that we want in Washington.
Brian Melendez, Mpls., DFL State Party Chair
Questions Remark on Equal Pay
Sen. [David] Hann: Perhaps you lacked sufficient field data when you made the following statements: “Nobody does that. And, in addition to which, the idea that you can do that is against the lawy> We have a law that was passed in 1963 that prohibits that. So this notion that this bill is premised on is completely absord. It’s illogical.” I used to be that naive, please read on. Following law school graduation (nine years after the 1963 law), interviews included questions and comments such as: “I’d like to offeryou a job, but one of the senior partners doesn’t believe in women lawyers.” “Would you be willing to work as a clerk until the [omitted] adopts a program to train field agents?” “Some members of the [omitted] commission like to go out for a drink after their formal meeting, as the only woman we just don’t think it would be comfortable for you.” “We use an outside law firm, but we’d like to hire you as a secretary and run our legal questions by you.” I was fifth in a family fo eight children and expected to fend for myself, accepting the fact that I would always be responsible for my own destiny and welfare. As a result, I learned how to get through the typing tests and interviews until I found a suitable offer. There were many gender challenges as the only woman on a legal staff, making decisions that influenced the availability of financing for farmers and ranchers in the Midwest. In the beginning, loan officers questioned whether it would be a good idea to let me talk to representatives in the field, simply because I was a woman. Let’s add yet another assumption regarding gender: Sexaul harassment is the woman’s responsibility despite her volunerability as a young, junion employee. For many years, male supervisors overtly and subtly threatened women’s careers and earning capacity despite the laws. In addition to the impact on pensions and Social Security, the recovery from a depressed salary take a long time. Absurd? Yes. Subsequently, I accepted an opportunity with a large, national corporation and left the first job. Over the years, I lived and breathed work, work work, believing I played a significant role in keeping our local office from being closed. Rather than take vacation time, I worked wo “we” wouldn’t have to hire more staff. Along with others, I took reduced pay for a while so our bottom line met corporate goals. I believed my commitment to the company was rewarded despite the fact that I struggeled financially over many of those years, taking on part-time jobs. After 22 years, I inadvertently learned that a co-worker with less time and experirence had been earning at least 20 percent more for quite some time. Sen. Hann, let’s get to know each other. Let’s talk about absurdity, logic, equal pay, responsibility and the right of the individual to achieve his or her potential. Let’s be factual, not naive.
Mary Belisle, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, June 7, 2007
Questions Hann on pay gap
On May 17 Sen. David Hann called the gender pay gap “absurd,” “illogical” and “irrational.” He couldn’t be more wrong about equal pay for men and women. In the United States and Minnesota women earn on average only about three-fourths of average earnings for men. This is true despite passage of the federal Equal Pay Act in 1963. Studies have shown that even after taking into account education and experience, one quarter to one half of the wage gap is unexplained. Hann was speaking about the “Pay Equity for Contractors” bill. The bill would require companies wishing to contract with the state to submit pay equity plans, to be eligible as contractors. The legislation does not set pay rates for any job, and allows for pay differences based on experience and hours of work. The only thing the law would not allow is an overall pattern of consistently lower pay – throughout the company – for “female-dominated” jobs of comparable value to “male-dominated” jobs. The state of Minnesota has shown that pay equity legislation works. Minnesota passed unique pay equity laws in 1982, for state government employees, and 1984, for local government employees. State and local government jobs were evaluated based on skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions. After using a point factor job evaluation system, the state found that the “women’s jobs” paid 20 percent less on average than male-dominated jobs. Pay equity adjustments were phased in over time and today women earn 97 percent of the average pay for men in state government (up from 72 percent when the law was passed). The senator claims that the pay gap exists because women have children and they take lower paying jobs that allow flexibility. This is untrue. In fact, higher paying salary jobs are those with the most flexibility while lower paying hourly jobs are less flexible because leaving an hourly job to tend to a family emergency means zero pay. Hann’s statement reinforces that fact that society still has not made it fully acceptable for men to be stay-at-home dads or for men to put their careers on hold to raise their children. Over her lifetime, the pay gap can cost a woman between $700,000 and $2 million in lost wages. I hope Sen. Hann would not find these numbers to be “absurd.”
Kate Malmon, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, May 31, 2007
It's all about Pawlenty
As I sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic, as my health care premiums soar and as I watch my third-grader try to overcome the din of 30 students packed into a classroom meant for 20, I think of Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He is refusing to listen to the majority of voters who overwhelmingly voted last November for change and for investment in our state. We are being held hostage by the national political ambitions of Pawlenty as he tries to burnish his macho conservative credentials. He clearly cares more about his own political career than the well-being of Minnesotans.
Reade Bailey, Eden Prairie
StarTribune, May 12, 2006
Questions no new taxes pledge
I am happy the DFL is trying to recover from the irresponsible Pawlenty administration and his right wing cronies lack of responsibilities, calls for increases in fees and ducking responsibilities. It's about time Minnesota took a good hard look at what the no new taxes pledge has cost us and future generations. Tax cuts for the very wealthy and red ink as far as the eye can see for future generations. Whatever happened to the old-time responsible Republicans that stood for fiscal responsibilities. They have ben trampled by the radical right, and don't think it isn't happening here. Hoorah for the courage of those brave legislators who look to the future.
Pete Iversen, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, April 26
Enforce airport requirements
As a resident of Eden Prairie for 28 years, I am writing regarding the issue surrounding the Flying Cloud Airport.
We have all witnessed the increased usage of the airport over the years and have experienced what at one time had been a mild annoyance become a serious quality of life issue. The noise coming from the airport now exceeds anything that has come before. Commuter plane and helicopter operations at the airport not only have become louder but have gotten to the point of interfering with sleep. Often, my family has been awakened well before 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (not to mention weekdays) to the grating noise of a low flying helicopter or propeller driven plane leaving or returning to Flying Cloud Airport. I think there are altitude requirements for pilots taking off over residential areas and other noise abatement rules but there seems to be no enforcement of these rules. And they are continually ignored.
If only the city could persuade the MAC to enforce altitude and create engine muffling requirements, I think the airport and the citizens could coexist peacefully. Many planes flying over the Minnesota River Valley are fairly quiet. However, there are also many that are extremely loud and thus create the problem we citizens endure. I am hopeful that the jets using the expanded runways will be held to the same kind of standards we're discussing here.
I have been a booster and advocate for Eden Prairie ever since I moved here in 1979. This has been a great place to live and raise a family. Perhaps the city could use its influence to make coexisting with airport operations something we can all live with.
Jay Herman, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, April 26, 2007
Progressive tax system needed
The DFL in the Senate are keeping their promise to the voters who elected them. They have passed legislation that increases funding for our schools, they reduce our property taxes and they put more money into higher education to control tuition costs. How do they do it? By returning to a progressive income tax on the top 1 percent of wage earners.
While Gov. Pawlenty balks at this proposal, his own Revenue Department's Tax Incident study shows wealthy Minnesotans are paying less in state and local taxes while the middle class is paying more. We need a progressive tax system, and everyone, not just the middle class should contribute. Our schools, children, college students, home owners and the middle class will all be better off and Minnesota's commitment to family values will become a priority again.
Patti Indre, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, April 26, 2007
Guns vs. kids
Regarding the tragic events at Virginia Tech: When are we as a nation going to stop sacrificing our children for the right to bear arms?
Donna Minter, Eden Prairie
Minneapolis StarTribune, April 18, 2007
TV is an accomplice
Let's see: Television portrays 8,000 murders to an average child before he or she reaches 13 years of age. Movies make graphic scenes an art form. Video games adeptly train those prone to violence in stalking and indiscriminate massacre. And Americans are surprised and appalled at scenes like that at Virginia Tech?
TV researcher Leonard Eron of the University of Michigan has said, "The only people who dispute the connection between smoking and cancer are people in the tobacco industry. And the only people who dispute the TV and violence connection are people in the entertainment industry."
It's time to hold the entertainment industry accountable -- just as we have the tobacco industry.
Scott Kirkwood, Minnetonka
Minneapolis StarTribune, April 18, 2007
Questions Paulsen plan
At first glance,State Rep. [Erik] Paulsen's plan for further incentives for the 529 College Savings Plan sounds like it might be a boon to parents. On further review though, I don't think so. In fact, I think it looks like the usual Republican doubletalk and yet another instance of them pandering to their wealthy contributors.
Rep. Paulsen's plan would allow a couple to deduct up to $10,000 from their Minnesota taxable income. He gives an example of the top bracket couple saving $785 on their taxes. That is not a huge amount, considering the top bracket starts at $123,750, but it is money that is not going into the state's revenues.
The way this plan looks to me, the more money you have, the more you can afford to tuck away, and the bigger your tax benefit. Those who can most afford to send their kids to college get the most tax relief. Those who can't afford to send their kids to college still can't.
The University of Minnesota gets about 25 percent of its funding from the state. When Rep. Paulsen says that "we can rely on the Legislature to make college affordable," he is right. There are too many plans like his that block tuition relief for all in favor of refunds for the few.
Alan Belisle, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie News, April 12, 2007
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