House GOP getting early jump on 2012 session

Republicans in the Minnesota House are promising to push for additional state-government reforms during the 2012 Legislative session, which begins in five months.

They held a news conference today to announce their plan to gather input from Minnesotans during the State Fair and other venues in the coming weeks and months. The GOP list of potential improvements already includes lowering taxes and reducing government regulations. House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said there are mandates and duplicative government functions that have outlived their usefulness.

"We have a 1960s jalopy that practically has a crank where you have to turn the engine to get it going," Zellers said. "We put some new paint, we add some fancy mirrors on it, maybe some new rims. But it's still the same old chug along engine. We need to change the way government works."

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he too wants to enact smart reforms next year. But he said Republicans need to work across party lines and put people ahead of corporate special interests.

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