The Rochester Post Bulletin's Matthew Stolle reported yesterday in Lawmakers get chilly reception from area business owners:
Chamber president John Wade set the frosty tone early by speaking about the frustration many chamber members are feeling. Already they are hearing talk from county officials that property taxes will have to go up. . . .
The first question asked lawmakers to name one piece of legislation that helped businesses create jobs. "Next question," one audience member said sarcastically. . . .
The reason for the snort? For a session that opened with the Not-Brodkorb Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and othr leaders stressing jobs, jobs, jobs, the results seem a bit paltry, as MPR reported last month in Did government deliver on jobs?.
According to the Post Bulletin article, Assistant Senate Minority Leader Terri Bonoff, House Majority Leader Matt Dean,Sen. Carla Nelson, Sen. Dave Senjem, Rep. Mike Benson, Rep. Debra Hilstrom, Rep. Kim Norton, and Rep. Duane Quam attended the chilly breakfast.
Senjem said the elimination of the medical provider tax would help business, while Nelson said keeping a lid on spending without raising taxes would do the trick. Hilstrom pointed out that cuts in scheduled LGA would cause property taxes to rise, dampening businesses' ability to create jobs. Norton mentioned streamlined regulations.
No word on what Dean, Bonoff and the rest had to say for themselves.
Photo: International Man of Mystery Matt Dean had time to call out pencil-necked weasel writers during the session, but if he said anything in Rochester about job creation, the PB isn't telling.
The breakfast cost those who attended $25 if they are RACC members and $35 for non-members. If Dean's name were Chip Cravaack, he and the rest of them would be in big trouble with those meanies at Politico, given the price of admission. Maybe not: it sounds like the guests were taking their Minnesota Nice lessons from pre-straw poll Pawlenty & Bachmann coaches.
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