Politics/Government

What do you want to see happen in the Legislature this year?

Eric Ringham Nov 8, 2010
21

For the first time in modern history, Republicans soon will control both houses of the Minnesota Legislature. Today’s Question: What do you want to see happen in the Legislature this year?

  • Hiram

    I would like to see the legislature take a balanced approach to the elimination of the deficit by both cutting expenditures, and raising taxes.

  • Dianne

    I want to see the Legislature set goals for this session, e.g. balance the budget, improve K-12 education. Once the goals are defined, brainstorm solutions; then choose the best ideas and put them into effect.

  • Steve the Cynic

    I want to see Minnesota adopt ranked choice voting for all elections. Since both major parties benefit from the current polarized state of politics and have no incentive to do what’s right on this matter, the chances of that are two: slim and fat.

  • jsee@umn.edu

    Adult behavior; less payback and more giveback.

  • I would like to see the Legislature take steps to end homelessness in Minnesota. Not only is this a moral issue, it fiscal one. The hidden costs of homelessness are greater than what it would take to end it.

  • Daniel

    >> Adult behavior; less payback and more giveback.

    I second that.

  • Virginia

    I would like to see the gas tax be put back on the ballott so we can vote for it again. Get that money back in the General Fund. Also Cap or even lower Property Taxes.

  • Alan

    I want the Republicans to think carefully before they force their extreme right-wing agenda on the mostly moderate, left-leaning citizens of Minnesota.

  • Dr. Doom

    Does it matter what we want? We have a six billion dollar projected deficit for the next biennium and a Republican legislature that is committed to tax cuts and a smaller state government. What we’ll probably see is a bitter conflict over the size of cuts to the big ticket items in the budget – education, Aid to Local Government, and especially Health and Human Services. And even though state government employment is not THAT big an item, we’ll see a lot of pressure to cut said employment, limit or eliminate salary increases, and cut benefits, including pension benefits.

  • Peg

    The voting public is obviously scared and confused and are swinging back and forth in their party affiliations, and many voters voted both ways.

    The needs of the people of MN. should be first and foremost, not the political parties extreme agendas.

    Work together (without rancor) to close the budget gap and provide decent resources to the people-like adequate school funding,

    Help provide the people with boot straps!

    Too long we have been hampered by gridlock, get to work!! People, hold their feet to the fire!

  • Annie

    I would love to see the legislature adopt a policy on doing what is just and right, not what is just “Right” & popular. For example, the right to a civil marriage for all LGBT people. Take religious arguments and personal fear-mongering aside and perhaps it is difficult to miss just how unequal our laws are regarding marriage. Seek out and eliminate injustice.

  • steve

    i would like more funding for education and improve the transit system!

  • Kathy

    The first order of business should be for our newly elected, cost-cutting Republican legislature to shrink itself! We don’t need this many legislators—the size of our legislature is too large based upon our state’s population. The idea of a unicameral legislature needs to be brought back and seriously considered, and there couldn’t be a more opportune time for this discussion now that the state is facing a $6 billion deficit.

  • Laurie

    Listen to each other, work together, compromise from both sides – everyone needs to go halfway.

  • Chris

    Higher ed should be our top concern. The only way to be a leader in the global economy is to be a leader in knowledge.

  • Bring It On

    I’d like to see Tom Emmer win the recount and fulfill his campaign promise to balance the budget through spending cuts alone. I’d like to see the republican controlled house and senate propose even more reductions to fund tax cuts intended to “stimulate” our economy. I’d like to see Governor Emmer sign those tax cuts into law.

    I want to see and hear the reactions of tea party voters when former middle class people laid off from their jobs are denied food stamps, health care, and anything resembling a safety net, just before being evicted from their homes to live off the kindness of strangers.

    And mostly, I want to see the reactions of middle and lower income voters who thought Obama didn’t care enough about people like them and either voted republican or didn’t vote at all.

    Divided government more often than not just provides both parties an excuse for not getting anything done. When a single party has control of the legislative and executive branches, voters get to see what it really stands for.

    If Emmer wins, we’ll all get to experience the benefits of “starving the beast” and voters will have memories of the after effects seared into their brains for decades to come.

  • Bruce

    There are many things that need to be addressed, education, balancing the state budget, and creating more jobs in Minnesota. But as seen in the past nothing will be completed so it will be the same course for Minnesota

  • Lawrence

    I’d like to see the Legislature pass tax increases and spending cuts, but these Minnesotan Republicans have practically said they are not compromising with Dayton, so we’re right back where we were before, only instead of Pawlenty saying no, it is the Republican Party in the Legislature saying no. It seems the Republican Party both nationally and in this state has lost the will for compromise and are going to force their edicts on the American people. Hopefully, the voters will grow weary of this and make appropriate changes.

  • Joanne

    I would like to see MN become a leader on implementing health care reform, education, and transportation.

  • Sue de Nim

    I’d like to see Minnesota stop drifting toward being the Alabama of the North.

  • SK Johnston

    Minnesota is ranked 43rd in the nation for business friendly taxes. We’re losing businesses and jobs to other states because we are so unfriendly and uncompetitive. I’d like to see legislation that puts our state in the top 10 in the nation for business friendly taxes so we can get more jobs here for minnesota residents and keep the businesses we have. Another thing I’d like to see implemented is a repeal of the fiscal disparities fund bill that is having 37% of the metropolitan commercial industrial property taxes redistributed out of the jurisdiction in which the property is located. This property tax has gone up about 30% since 1975 and is making Minnesota an unfriendly place to conduct business. In addition it is taking property tax money out of the metropolitan area which could be used to support the schools in the jurisdiction in which the property is located. Residential property in the metropolitan area has also seen an increase in this form of property tax as well. Please refer to fiscal disparities on the web by the metropolitan council.