Political Notebook

Dayton meeting with lawmakers today about silica sand

Southeast Minnesota lawmakers are scheduled to meet with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton today to talk about silica sand mining.

Legislators in Senate District 21 and Senate District 28 were invited to attend. The governor is expected to discuss his position on the issue. Mining opponents have been pushing hard for a statewide Environmental Impact Statement to be done on silica sand mining and a moratorium be put in place. Red Wing Republican Rep. Tim Kelly has expressed support for such a study and possibly a temporary moratorium. Others, such as Mazeppa GOP Rep. Steve Drazkowski, oppose a the idea of a study or any other additional state regulations on the industry. He said the state already has strong regulations in place to protect the environmental and public health.

Sen. Matt Schmit, DFL-Red Wing, has said he plans to put forward a comprehensive bill shortly addressing the silica sand issue. He is still working out the details, but in the past he has indicated he is concerned a statewide EIS could end up taking too long. Rather, he has suggested working with state agencies to study some of the issues.

Drazkowski elected to leadership post

Mazeppa Republican Rep. Steve Drazkowski has been elected an assistant minority leader. He initially ran for the top post of House minority leader, but lost to Rep. Kurt Daudt of Crown.

Drazkowski is one of five assistant minority leaders. The others are Rep. Tara Mack of Apple Valley, Rep. Joe Schomacker of Luverne, Rep. Peggy Scott of Andover and Rep. Kelby Woodard of Belle Plaine. Rep. Tim Sanders of Blaine was elected minority caucus whip.

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, was previously named an assistant minority leader in the Senate. Rep. Kim Norton, DFL-Rochester, has said she hopes to be elected an assistant majority leader by her caucus.

Drazkowski warns of 'extreme environmental advocates' pushing more regulation

In an email to constituents on Sunday, Rep. Steve Drazkowski warns of an effort by government officials and "extreme environmental advocates" to increase environmental regulations that will "undoubtedly include the killing of even more Minnesota jobs."

The Mazeppa Republican is critical of a report recently competed by the Environmental Quality Board that recommends beefing up the board's staffing and improving its transparency. Drazkowski notes in his email that legislation was introduced last session to eliminate the board because its usefulness "has been almost non-existent." He also warns that a series of Environmental Congress meetings around the state are simply a way to legitimize the board.

"As far as I can tell, the efforts by our state government to notify farmers and other business owners throughout the state, about these meetings, has been extremely limited. This may have been by design.  I encourage you to attend one or more of these sessions to represent common sense in the discussions.  Please notify your friends and neighbors in other parts of the state, as well," Drazkowski wrote.

The Rochester meeting is tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Wood Lake Meeting Center. It appears the Rochester Tea Party Patriots are also skeptical of these Environmental Congress meetings, writing in their weekly newsletter that "this will likely be a put up job with a predetermined outcome."

Ellen Anderson, senior adviser to the governor on energy and environment, said Drazkowski's assertion that notification about the meetings has been limited is "completely false." She said the board has sent out hundreds of email invitations to various stakeholders including farm groups, chambers of commerce, mining groups, environmental groups and energy groups — just to name a few.

 

 

 

 

Republican Liberty Caucus supporters endorse Quam, Valeriano

Note: I have updated this post to correct a mistake. Apparently, I got my liberty caucuses confused. While Ron Paul supporters headed to the Republican National Convention have identified themselves as the Liberty Caucus, they are a different group than the Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota. That group was founded in 1991. I apologize for the error.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota gave its seal of approval to two local Republican legislative candidates — Rep. Duane Quam of Byron and Melissa Valeriano of Rochester.

The group announced today they have endorsed 15 additional legislative candidates "who will be advocates for fiscal responsibility, individual liberty and reduced size in government."

Valeriano is running against DFL Rep. Kim Norton, of Rochester, for the House District 25B seat. Quam is finishing up his first-term in the House. Running against him is Kasson DFLer John Vossen.

Only one other legislative candidate in southeast Minnesota has been endorsed by the group — Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa.

Local Republicans reject state employee contract

Two local lawmakers joined fellow Republicans on Thursday in rejected a state employee contract proposal negotiated by DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's administration and labor unions.

Rep. Mike Benson, of Rochester, and Rep. Steve Drazkowski, of Mazeppa, serve on the Subcommittee on Employee Relations and voted against the contract. The committee rejected the contract 6 to 4 on a straight party-line vote. That means the full Legislature will have to vote on the proposal when it reconvenes in January.

The contract covers more than 27,000 employees represented by two unions — the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees.

Republicans spoke out against the plan, which included a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase and tenure-based pay increases known as "steps."

“Wage increases based on seniority are a poor proxy for rewarding performance,” Drazkowsi said in a written statement “Minnesota can no longer afford to reward people based on how long they have been in state service. A 7 to 9 percent increase in salary is simply unsustainable, particularly looking into the next biennium.”

Under that agreement, individual state employees would not have to contribute anything toward their health insurance coverage. Republicans argue it's time these employees start chipping in.

Democrats on the committee said this is the latest example of union bashing at the hands of Republicans. State Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, issued the following statement after the vote:

"Today anti-union extremists chose to attack a fair and modest contract for our hard-working employees. Unlike the legislators who constantly attack them, state employes have sacrificed. State employees lost $65 million in wages — nearly 6 percent pay cut — during the Republican government shtudown last year."

State employees will continue to work under the terms of an existing contract that expired in June 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

The proposal included a 2 percent across-the-board pay raise for employees beginning next year. It also allowed for tenure-based pay increases known as "steps."

Anti-voter ID radio ads running in Rochester

Radio ads opposing a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo identification in order to cast a ballot are running in Rochester.

The 60-second spot features Iraq War veteran Alex Erickson speaking out against the amendment. With patriotic music playing the background, Erickson says, "I proudly served our country in the United States Army, witnessing the courage of the Iraqi people as they exercised their right to vote. I realized then that the right to vote is what makes America the greatest democracy in the world. But here in Minnesota, our right to vote is under attack."

The ad blasts the proposal for not allowing military identification to qualify as one of the accepted forms of photo identification. It goes on to say that the amendment would change how absentee balloting and same-day registration is done in the state and that will end up hurting not only veterans but "seniors, students and countless others."

The ad urges people to call Sen. Dave Senjem and "ask him not to use our constitution to take away our right to vote."

The ads are sponsored by TakeAction Minnesota, a liberal advocacy group. The spots are running on talk radio station KROC-AM and country radio station KWWK-FM. To hear the ad, go here.

Area Republican lawmakers who have co-sponsored legislation that would put the photo ID amendment on the November ballot are Rep. Mike Benson of Rochester, Rep. Greg Davids of Preston, Rep. Steve Drazkowski of Mazeppa and Rep. Duane Quam of Byron.

Quam blasts new political boundaries in Dodge County

Republican Rep. Duane Quam said the special redistricting panel did a poor job when it came to redrawing the boundaries in Dodge County. The county of just over 20,000 people to the west of Rochester has spent the past decade being represented by one senator and one representative. But the redistricting maps released yesterday show the county being carved up among five representatives and four senators.

"That doesn't serve them well," Quam said. "I think it's poor drawing. There is some identity to a county."

Of the House members whose districts will include Dodge County, three are Republicans and two are Democrats. Among senators, three are Republicans and one is a Democrat. So, here is a breakdown of how Dodge County's cities are divided up among incumbents.

— Hayfield and Blooming Prairie will be part of House District 27A with incumbent Rep. Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin.

— Claremont, Ashland Township and Ripley Township will be part of House District 24B with incumbent Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca (who, incidentally, is running for the 1st Congressional District seat).

— West Concord will be within House District 21B with incumbent Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa. The Senate incumbent is Sen. John Howe, R-Red Wing.

— Kasson, Mantorville and Dodge Center would be in House District 25A with incumbent Rep. Duane Quam, R-Byron. The Senate incumbent is Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester.

— Vernon Township will be part of House District 27 B with incumbent Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin. The Senate incumbent is Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin.

So could these new maps encourage a bunch of politicos in Dodge County to run for office? We'll have to wait and see. For now the only candidate to announce running for the legislature from the county — Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School Teacher John Vossen — will still be taking on Quam.

 

Dayton vows to no longer meet with Parry

A fundraising email sent out by GOP state Sen. Mike Parry for his 1st Congressional District campaign proved to be the final straw for DFL Gov. Mark Dayton. The governor promptly canceled a meeting scheduled for today with Parry and Mazeppa GOP Rep. Steve Drazkowski. In an email to the lawmakers, he blasted Parry calling his fundraising email "inaccurate and deeply offensive."

Parry's email has to do with Dayton's order that in-home daycare providers vote on unionization. A Ramsey County judge recently blocked that vote after some daycare providers and conservative groups filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the election. A hearing is set for mid-January and Dayton plans to contest the judge's decision.

In his email, Parry writes "It's no secret that the labor unions helped buy the Governor's Office for Mark Dayton. In the past few months, he began to return the favor, most recently by trying to help unionize some of Minnesota's in-home, private child care providers."

Dayton responded in his email saying it is one thing for Parry to criticize his position on the issue. But the governor wrote "It is entirely different, however, to make malicious, false accusations about someone, who is not even up for re-election, for your own crass political purposes. I will not meet with you and provide further fodder for your political activities. If you have questions of me, submit them in writing, and I will respond in writing to them."

It should be noted that Dayton apologized to Drazkowski and offered to reschedule a meeting with him.

Parry, chair of the Senate State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee, responded by writing a letter to Dayton saying he is "disappointed" by the governor's remarks. He added, "We must not let our political differences get in the way of the progress we have made and can continue to make."

He suggested they have coffee and "bury the hatchet."

This is not the first time Parry and Dayton have butted heads. The two fought over the impact of proposed budget cuts for veterans programs. Parry also called for Dayton to resign following the state government shutdown.

Local Republicans back bill requiring school levy referendums at general elections

Minnesota House Education Finance Committee Chairman Pat Garofalo announced at the Capitol this morning he is backing a proposal that would require school levy referendums be held during general elections in even-numbered years.

"Next Tuesday, over $900 million in tax-revenue increases will be on the ballot in Minnesota and the vast majority of Minnesotans in these districts will not be voting in these elections. This is not good for democracy. It is not good government for Minnesota," Garofalo said.

Byron Republican Rep. Duane Quam has agreed to carry the bill in the House. He was unable to attend the press conference, so I am trying to get a hold of him for comment. Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, did show up for the event. He said he has heard from constituents who argue it does not make sense for taxpayers to have to foot the bill for these elections in off years when they could just be included on the general election ballot.

Representatives with the Minnesota School Boards Association and the Association of Metropolitan School Districts quickly came out against the proposal arguing that it should be left up to local school board members to decide when and if to hold a levy referendum. Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers also made clear Garofalo's proposal is not backed by the Republican caucus as a whole. He wrote, "The caucus dones not take any formal positions on local referendums, and will continue to support the rights of local citizens to make these important decisions."

Not a big surprise — Drazkowski endorses Parry

 Rep. Steve Drazkowski officially announced yesterday he is endorsing GOP Sen. Mike Parry for congress. That's not a big surprise. When I talked with Drazkowski last month after Parry announced he would challenge 1st District Rep. Tim Walz, the Mazeppa Republican said he was not planning to run for the seat and had encouraged people to talk with Parry.

Before Parry got into the race, Drazkowski had said he was leaving the door open to a possible congressional run. So far, Parry is the only Republican to announce he is running for the seat. Former state Rep. Randy Demmer of Hayfield, who lost to Walz in 2010, has announced he will not run again. 

Below is a copy of the press release:

REP. STEVE DRAZKOWSKI ENDORSES MIKE PARRY FOR CONGRESS

 

 Waseca, Minn. - The Parry for Congress campaign announced today the endorsement of Representative Steve Drazkowski (R - Mazeppa).

"I'm proud to endorse Mike Parry's campaign for Congress.  After five years in Washington, Congressman Tim Walz has represented the values of Washington liberals like Nancy Pelosi and not the values of Southern Minnesota.

I'm convinced that Mike will build the grassroots campaign to defeat Congressman Walz. As a small business owner, he is best equipped to go to Washington and rein in wasteful government spending and jump start our economy," said Representative Drazkowski.

"Representative Drazkowski is a principled legislator who has earned a reputation for being a fiscal watchdog at the State Capitol. I am proud to be endorsed by such a dedicated public servant," said Mike Parry.