We had entertained the notion of covering last night's First Congressional GOP candidate forum in Rochester, but predictions for icy roads in our neck of the woods kept us in. Fortunately, the PB's Matt Stolle covers the festivities at the Rochester Public Library in Republican candidates hold first debate in U.S. House race.
Perhaps the most striking thing for us is this statement by Senator Day:
Day, an 18-year state senator, also said fiscal discipline would be a top priority and that he would shun earmarks.
"I'm a guy that says, 'no earmarks. We should cut out the earmarks,'" he said.
This is certainly news to most of the First, given how Day has been carrying on about the need for Congressman Walz to bring home more transportation bacon to the district.
Shall we review? The December 27, 2007 Owatonna People's Press article, Highway 14 funding on its way, reported about Walz's earmarks:
Along with that money is $500,000 designated for improvements on U.S. Hwy. 14 from Waseca to Owatonna.
Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., a member of the House Transportation Committee, said in a written statement that the highway funding is one of 20 projects getting funds in the First District.
"We are reinvesting in our country in a fiscally responsible way by reversing some of the harmful cuts proposed by the President," Walz said. "I will always work to secure federal funding to improve the quality of life in southern Minnesota."
And did Day object? Judge for yourself:
Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, who wants to run for Walz's seat in 2008, said Wednesday that he'll take any money the district can get - especially when it comes to highway funding.
"In the scheme of things, that's not a very big chunk of money," he said. "But overall, it's another piece of money, that at least someone knows that there's a highway [in the First District] and we're trying to get it done."
This wasn't the first time Day whined about the need to get more earmarked transportation money into the First. In Walz and Kuntz’s tactics not helpful a column published in the OPP and the Winona Daily News, Day wrote:
I’m glad that Walz is learning the statistics on the importance of Highway 14 and if he’d like to send home some federal dollars to help expedite construction like Rep. Gil Gutknecht did, that would be wonderful.
Day was for earmarks before he was against them.
Or maybe he wants to campaign on Congressman Walz's earmarks being too small for the district's needs while also promising to shun earmarks himself. Or something. Who can tell?
We're betting voters in towns like Winona and New Ulm along Highway 14 might just choose to vote for their sitting Congressman--a majority member on the Transportation Committee in fact--who isn't playing these kinds of games. Walz released a list of the earmarks he requested, then kept his constituents informed about the progress of the requests in the appropriations process.
Update: DJ Danielson yucks it up over at IDHA. His pithy wit about State Senator Day's tempestuous relationship with earmarks:
The PB article did not mention if Iraq or transportation issues were discussed, though apparently Day’s greatest qualification is his old age and newest conquest is apparently earmarks.
What is the basis for Day’s comment : “send home some federal dollars to help expedite construction like Rep. Gil Gutknecht did” ?
Gutknecht was an utter failure in getting our share of the gas tax dollars returned back to the First District. Highway 14 construction was years behind because Gutknecht belonged to the Boehner school of not sending money back to the district. IF Don Young was the First District’s Congressman, Highway 14 would have been done last century. I asked Gutknecht’s office for a comparison of MN versus Iowa on which state was more effective in getting their tax dollars returned as Iowa was boasting that they got more money than they paid in … but his staff never responded … I knew the reason why …
Gutknecht could tell us that we’re all enjoying a piece of the pie, but he never told us that somebody was getting a bigger share than ours.
Kline is hurting all Minnesotans … we all use the roads … and it’s our gas tax money that is going to Washington to be redistributed.
Posted by: MinnesotaCentral | January 12, 2008 at 01:31 PM