News
DFL Senate District News
Jerry Pitzrick to Run for Eden Prairie State House Seat
Jerry Pitzrick has announced his candidacy for the State House of Representatives seat for House District 42B. "My family and I have lived in Eden Prairie since 1976," said Pitzrick. "We've been a part of the community through its most rapid, expansive development. My wife and I have raised our daughter here and watched her graduate from the Eden Prairie School District. My mother is now a resident of an Eden Prairie senior living center, as well."
"I believe I have a unique background that makes me a strong candidate for the House of Representatives," Pitzrick stated. Jerry is a successful business owner who regularly consults with cities and government entities across the country to help them work together more productively. Prior to that, he spent more than 20 years working in management for a larger, locally based national contractor. He is trained as a Civil Engineer, with a degree from the University of Minnesota. Jerry has also served on the Eden Prairie Planning Commission since 2006.
"I believe:
- Providing consistent, reliable funding to better educate our children today helps them succeed tomorrow — and that will eh lp Minnesota business
- Minnesota needs more innovative thinking and strategically-directed resources to promote a diverse, vibrant and stable economy
- Investing in effective transportation helps people and businesses be more productive and ultimately saves time, energy and money
- Infrastructure is much more than roads and bridges. We need to deal with water management, new sources of renewable energy and power transmission issues now to avoid problems in the future.
"I believe that my background, skills, and commitment will make me a strong, independent voice for Eden Prairie."
Sen. Hann States Minnesota's Roads are in Great Shape
At the confirmation hearing for Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, Sen. Hann not only says that Ms. Molnau is doing a great job, and it's political assassination to not confirm her. He also states Minnesota's roads are in great shape:
Sen. Hann Holds "Press Conference" Calling Senate Hearing on Atrazine Based on Delusion
On October 17, 2007, Sen. David Hann released a press commentary at a "press conference" at the Minnesota Capitol stating that a recent Senate Health, Housing and Family Security committee hearing "unreasonably implied government conspiracy" and compared concern with groundwater contamination by pest atrazine as comparable to people believing in alien abductions or that Elvis alive.
Atrazine is a pesticide banned in much of Europe due to its ability to enter the drinking water supply. According to the EPA, short term exposure to levels above the MCL cause congestion of heart, lungs and kidneys; low blood pressure, muscle spasms, weight loss and damage to adrenal gland. Long term exposure has the potential to cause weight loss, cardiovascular damage, retinal and some muscle degeneration and cancer.
At the end of this taping, Rep. Ken Tschumper, a farmer from southern Minnesota, contests Sen. Hann's statements. Take a look at the number of people in the room, and when Sens. Hann and Fischbach leave who leaves with them to get an idea of how much media was really attending.
Here's a link to the Minnesota Senate website where you can watch the video in either Real Media or Windows Media formats.
Sen Hann Calls Women's Earnings Gap "Absurd, Illogical and Irrational"
On May 17, our State Senator, David Hann stood on the Senate floor during discussion of SF1061 to ask if the bill was presented seriously. He stated he didn't believe in the gender earning gap. And, that he believes that if there is wage disparity it is because "women have children." If unmarried men's and women's income is compared, there is no disparity. He made this statement on Gender Equity day ... the date a typical woman has to work to in order to make an equal amount with a typical man. Don't believe us? Just listen:
Check out these websites for more facts on women's earnings compared to men:
American Association of University Women
Digital Commons @ Bryant University
Sen. Hann Votes Against Increasing Minimum Wage
The week of April 16, the Minnesota Senate voted on Senate File 875, which would increase the state’s minimum wage. This action is needed to ensure the state’s lowest paid workers see their income keep pace with the rising cost of living. Unfortunately, Sen. Hann voted against the increase, siding with big business rather than the people of Minnesota.
The minimum wage increase Sen. David Hann voted against was modest. It would incrementally increase the minimum wage to $7.75 for large employers and $6.75 for small employers by August of next year. By way of comparison, had the federal minimum wage set in 1968 kept pace with inflation, it would now be worth over $9.25 an hour.
Strengthening the minimum wage helps to ensure that working adults can take care of their families without relying on government programs. What’s more, raising the minimum wage actually stimulates local economies, since the lowest-wage workers typically spend every dollar they earn. What is Sen Hann most to: safe and secure families, less government spending, or improved local economies?
Sen. Hann 1 of 3 Voting Against Giving Dept. of Health Ability to Set Firmer Health Risk Limits
On April 17, the Senate voted 60 to 3 to describe the possible health effects from perflourochemicals found in water supplies and fish in the Twin Cities. Sen. Hann was one of three senators voting against the bill stating, "It furthers a sense of concern and hysteria that is not warranted."
New guidelines released April 16 state that due to concentrations of the chemicals perflurooctane sulfonate (PFOs) and perfluorchemicals (PFCs, people who eat bluegill sunfish from Lake Calhoun and several connected lakes limit their consumption to 1 meal per month. PFOs have also been found in bluegill, carp, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white bass, northern pike and walleye in the Mississippi River. The Department is considering issuing more restrictive guidelines for women who are or who may become pregnant or children under age 15. To read the full Department of Health report, visit their website.
Per Diem Amount Update
The week of June 11, 2007, WCCO Television's Pat Kessler aired a segment on what our legislators had done regarding the per diems that were such an issue in January. Their website offered PDF downloads of what each legislator claimed for this past session. Here's the facts:
Rep. Erik Paulsen received $10,967, the 6th highest amount of the session.
Rep. Maria Ruud received $5,335, the 131th highest amount of the session.
In the Senate, Sen. David Hann who was quite vocal in his opposition of the increased per diem amount on the floor of the senate, took the highest per diem amount of $96 and received $13,344.
Sen. Hann is Co-Host to"Climate Change" Symposium
On March 8, our state Senator and three other Republican Legislators acted as co-hosts for a Climate Change Symposium held at the Minnesota History Center. Speakers included Patrick Michaels, a fellow with the Cato Foundation; Prof. E. Calvin Beisner and James Taylor. All are on record as believing that what humans are doing isn't affecting the planet's weather. This matches what Sen. Hann stated at the 2006 League of Women Voters debate. See for yourself.
Minnesota News
Safe Roads and Bridges Improvement Act Veto Overide
The Legislature reached out to the business community to develop a transportation investment that will move Minnesota forward. By working together, we’re taking a good first step in improving the safety and efficiency of our transportation system.
We applaud the work of the Minnesota Chamber in being a true partner in addressing the needs of our transportation infrastructure. This investment in transportation will attract economic development, improve the delivery of goods and services, and create jobs for Minnesota—goals that we all share.
Legislators of both parties, along with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, recognized the value to our state’s safety and economy by supporting this investment in Minnesota’s transportation system. Now is the time for the Governor to also recognize the needs facing our state by joining this bipartisan coalition and the business community in supporting this bill.
By passing this legislation within the first two weeks of session, the Legislature is demonstrating its commitment to safe roads and bridges and creating jobs in Minnesota.
This legislation will provide a $6.6 billion investment in safe roads and bridges over the next 10 years. That means important projects, such as (insert local project) will actually get the funding to move forward.
The transportation investment provided in this bill has the potential to create 33,000 jobs annually for the next five years, getting Minnesotans back to work now during the current recession.
This bill emphasizes bridge safety. A tiered Bridge Improvement Program is established to ensure that Minnesota’s bridges are repaired and replaced according to safety needs.
Under the Bridge Improvement Program, the most unsafe bridges must be under contract for repair or replacement by 2018.
This bill also ensures that bridge repairs and replacement are not delayed. Six-hundred million dollars is provided in the first two years to fix 13 fracture-critical trunk highway bridges.
This bill reflects compromise. All of the Governor’s ideas for transportation funding are included in the package. Additionally, the Legislature removed many provisions in the name of compromise.
This bill carefully balances the needs of all areas of our transportation system: trunk highways, local roads, and transit in the metropolitan area and Greater Minnesota.
Minnesota has seen property taxes increase by $1 billion a year since the mid-1990’s just to meet local transportation needs. This bill will help relieve the pressures put on property taxpayers.
By providing increased state resources to counties and cities for transportation projects, this bill will stabilize the property tax burden being carried by local home and business owners.
Minnesota’s gas tax has not been increased in 20 years—that 20 cents has lost a great deal of buying power.
Currently, 23 states have a higher gas tax than Minnesota. Even with the increased investments provided in this bill, Minnesota would still not be in the top tier in its gas tax rates.
The Legislative Auditor recently released a report that said Minnesota’s roads have deteriorated over the past five years and will continue to deteriorate and jeopardize the safety of the public without increased transportation resources.
The Legislative Auditor attributed this shift away from road upkeep and safety to the reliance on trunk highway bonding to fund transportation. This bill provides the steady resources needed to ensure our roads are properly maintained and safe for Minnesota motorists.
Revenues raised:
- Five-cent gas tax increase: $160 million/year ($1.6 billion over 10 years)
- Debt service surcharge: $110 million/year when 3.5-cent cap reached in 2013 ($922 million over 10 years).
- Metropolitan area quarter-cent sales tax: $110 million/year ($1.1 billion over 10 years)
- Vehicle registration tax changes: $1.9 billion over 10 years
- Trunk highway bonding: $1.8 billion over 10 years
System 10-year totals:
- Trunk Highways: $3.4 billion
- County State-Aid Highways: $1.5 billion
- Municipal City-Aid Streets: $392 million
- Greater Minnesota Transit: $58 million
- Metropolitan Area Transit: $1.1 billion
How did our state legislators vote on the gas tax legislation?
From those who lost their lives, to the brave people who worked to save as many people as possible with no thought to their own safety, our hearts and prayers go out to everyone dealing with the horror of the I35W bridge collapse.
There is a huge issue that has been swept under the carpet for years: investing in infrastructure. Not as "sexy" as building shiny, new things, but more important. The 5-cent a gallon gas tax proposed last legislative session would have gone to fund transportation needs like bridge maintenance, repair and upgrading.
Here's how our legislators voted when the bill came before them:
| David Hann | Erik Paulsen | Maria Ruud | |
| 2007 | voted against 3 times | voted against 1 time, didn't vote 2 times |
voted for 3 times |
| 2006 | voted for | voted for | |
| 2005 | voted against | voted against | voted for |
(photo: Jae Bryson, Black Heart, Inc.)
What's really happened to Minnesotans during the Pawlenty years?
Does it feel like you're being stretched further financially? Commutes taking longer? Noticing the rust on the overpass bridges on freeways you drive daily? Wonder why all that's happening? Here's an analysis of how our lives today stack up against our lives in the pre-Pawlenty years.
National News
What Party's the Best for Your Pocketbook?
In a recent study by the strictly neutral Stock Trader's Almanac, they found that $10,000 invested in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (an unmanaged index of 30 widely held stocks) would have compounded to $279,705 during 48 years of Democratic presidencies. It would have only compounded to $79,699 during 56 years of Republican presidencies.
Accomplishments of the Democratic Congress
People on the right of the political discussion are trying to paint the current Congress as ineffective. The US House has passed 85 key measures, nearly 70 percent with significant bipartisan support. Want to know what they are? Click here.
What was Dick Cheney's position on invading Iraq in 1994?
See Dick Cheney's flip-flop on Iraq for yourself.