WINONA STUDENT SENATE DM & E RESOLUTION UPDATE
The Winona Daily News carries the story of Winona State student opposition to the DM & E expansion. The railroad's tracks run through the campus.
Over in Rochester, the Post-Bulletin's Government Center blog gets schooled on the student senate by reading Cyberindee after calling the student senate's press release "cute."
"Cute" isn't a word I'd ever use to describe student activists in Winona. No, after watching Jason Bauman and others organize for Walz and other candidates on the Winona State campus, I'd call them stone-cold effective.
WINONA DAILY NEWS
Sharon Ropes and Gene Pelowski are chomping at the bit to get work done, according to the Daily News in Elected, re-elected officials in frantic rush to get up to speed:
Twenty-four hours after winning her state Senate seat last month, Sharon Erickson Ropes was in St. Paul planning for the next legislative session.
That frantic rush to get up to speed seemed to permeate the thoughts of the elected and re-elected officials who spoke at the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce annual legislative forum Thursday.
Ropes, the president of the state Parent Teachers Association, spoke about education and transportation. “We need a better funding formula (for public education),” she said.
She also pledged better funding for southeastern Minnesota roads and bridges.
“We are patching the patches in some cases,” Ropes said.
[snip]
Passing of the gavel
Minnesota Rep. Gene Pelowski will help wield the gavel on the floor of the state House when the speaker is absent.
The Winona Democrat was named one of four Speaker Pro-Tempores.
“I chose these four representatives because I am confident they will rule with civility, fairness and respect for all members of the House,” said Speaker-designate Margaret Anderson Kelliher.
“Our House debate will also be focused on policy, not party or personality,” Pelowski said.
Kelliher will take up the Speaker’s gavel when the House is called into session Jan. 3. She succeeds Rep. Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon).
Democrats took over the House majority in the November election, gaining the Speaker’s chair, committee chairmanships and other leadership positions occupied by Republicans.
Debate about policy, not party or personality? Whatever will the Strib find to write about?
KTTC: FREEBORN COUNTY PARTY
While the lead in this TV news report focuses on the victory celebration, Albert Lea area lawmakers Dan Sparks and Robin Brown are looking toward the work to be done in the next legislative session:
ALBERT LEA, MN -- Nearly a month after the elections, some DFLers are still partying in support of their candidates.
The DFL of Freeborn County hosted a victory party in Albert Lea for Senator Dan Sparks and State Representative elect Robin Brown.
A party organizer said that they expected a better turnout, but the cold weather seemed to convince some supporters to stay at home.
Brown said in the last month she's been busy with orientation where she's been learning about legislative procedures.
Sparks said he'll try to accomplish what the voters in District 27 would like done.
Senator Dan Sparks said this: "they talked to us about education, fully funded education at the state level. They want some health care reform. Obviously that's something they want us to work hard to achieve."
Sparks also added that he'll be working with other legislators to try and get some permanent property tax relief.
CENTURY FOUNDATION REPORT: IMMIGRATION'S NEW FRONTIERS
Via an AP story in the Austin Daily Herald, we learn of a new report from the Century Foundation looks at the way in which five states, including Minnesota, have responded to increased immigraton. Minnesota press release here and opening chapter here, but those who wish to read the whole thing will have to plunk down $15.95.
The Century Foundation's immigration project web site is also worth a visit.
ROCHESTER POST BULLETIN LTE: JUST ASKING
Brian Brownlow poses a simply question in Imagine Donwtown Derailment:
I'm really curious. What would have been the consequences if the recent DM&E ethanol spill would have occurred in downtown Rochester?
Yesterday, the Post Bulletin praised Senator Coleman's leadership on asking for DM & E mitigation in an editorial: Coleman demonstrates leadership on DM&E.
Funny how hard it is for the senator to earn praise for his move without somebody bringing up Tim Walz's role as well (the readers' comments are fascinating). This could get to be downright bipartisan, as the fine print shows:
Coleman, Walz and Pawlenty all argue that the DM&E proposal that would run trains through Rochester is unacceptable in its present form.
MANKATO FREE PRESS: NO SIGNATURE ON DM & E AGREEMENT
Speaking of the DM & E railroad, today's Free Press reports that railroad president Kevin Schieffer hasn't signed the community partnership agreement the company negotiated with Mankato:
The agreement includes promises by the railroad to make substantial improvements to the rail corridor through the city that would cost millions of dollars and allow trains to sail through the city without blowing their whistles.
DM&E President Kevin Schieffer said Mankato residents shouldn’t view the decision to leave the agreement unsigned as an indication the railroad isn’t committed to making the improvements.
“If we agreed to do it, we’re going to do it,” Schieffer said.
The agreement, with it’s safety improvements and whistle-free status, is important to the city because the DM&E hopes to undertake a major expansion into the coal-hauling business that would entail sending up to 34 trains, each about a mile long, through Mankato daily.
Construction could begin as early as next year if federal authorities approve a $2.3 billion loan sought by the railroad and completion could come as soon as 2010, although it would likely take the DM&E several years beyond that to be running anywhere close to 17 loaded coal trains and 17 returning trains daily.
Schieffer said the delay in signing the agreement reflects only a desire that Blue Earth County also sign on first, he said.
“If the county signs it, we would do so immediately,” Schieffer said.
Blue Earth County Admin-istrator Dennis McCoy discounts that rationale.
“It’s disingenuous on the railroad’s part,” McCoy said.
The DM&E can negotiate an agreement with the city and a separate agreement with the county to deal with the prospect the railroad might ultimately build a bypass south of the city through rural parts of Blue Earth County, McCoy said. . . .
[snip]
. . .The relationship between the DM&E and the county, however, appears to be less than serene right now. McCoy said the railroad is trying to play the city against the county in refusing to negotiate one-on-one with each local government.
“It’s a negotiating tactic,” McCoy said. “It’s kind of ‘Do it my way or do it my way.’”
USATODAY AND MPR: GUTKNECHT'S THOUGHTS ON LEAVING OFFICE
Gutknecht shares his reflections in USATODAY's Republicans of '94 revolution reflect on '06 and in an audio file at MPR: Minnesota's outgoing congressmen reflect on leaving Washington.
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