UPDATE: See Dayton deputy chief of staff & Peggy Bennett tweet civil discourse about 2016 bonding bill for Bennett's acknowledgement that the claim was mistaken. [end update]
Bluestem can understand why some might be confused about why there's no money for bonding this year (except for the Rural Finance Authority, which just funded) given last May's headlines.
There's The cost of chaos: Legislative session ends after bonding-bill deal falls apart, minutes before deadline from MinnPost, and Session collapses; lawmakers fail to pass transportation, bonding bills from the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Nonetheless, we lose sympathy when we read passages like this one in Albert Lea Republican state representative Peggy Bennett's weekly news email under the friendly salutation "Dear Neighbors":
Local Bills
I’m once again authoring a bill to fund improvements to the Stables’ neighborhood sewer system. I carried this bill last year, and it was included in the bonding bill, but Governor Dayton vetoed it. I’m hopeful to once again have this included in any bonding agreement.
Well, no.
As the headlines from last May suggest, the bonding bill never made it out of the state legislature to Governor Mark Dayton's desk. If Bennett really wants a bonding bill to pass, perhaps she can join her Democratic colleagues who are asking that bonding legislation not be relegated to those last chaotic moments in May. We hope it gets in the bill, since it's a water quality project.
Or she could just continue to send alternative facts to her constituents.
Screengrab: Representative Peggy Bennett's email through the material about the alternative fact about the bonding bill. She ups the ante over Jeff Backer, R-Browns Valley, in alternative fact poker about the failed 2016 bonding bill.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 33166 770th Ave, Ortonville, MN 56278) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen@gmail.com as recipient.
Comments