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State Representative Gene Pelowski Jr.
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8637
For more information contact: Ben Schweigert 651-296-5809
Column/LTE
To the Editor:
On Sunday, May 8th, the Winona Shopper Post published an editorial by Frances Edstrom (“How Rumors Get Started") accusing me of starting rumors against the Winona Chamber of Commerce. She also insinuates that the proposal to allow the city to hold a referendum to raise local money for local projects is undemocratic. I feel that it’s important for me to lay out the facts.
Fact: Fran Edstrom has not contacted me about the Chamber memo on the Winona Local Option Sales Tax that includes infrastructure improvements for transportation, cultural activities, and the library. Mrs. Edstrom has not asked me about any comments that I made in my office on this or any issue. She only repeats second-hand information.
Fact: On February 22nd, I received the memo saying that the Chamber would support the proposal “provided item 11 in the resolution (calling for ‘cultural and library projects’) is eliminated or amended.” The Chamber had never expressed this concern to me before that time. This was more than three weeks after the bill was introduced on January 31st.
Fact: Also on February 22nd, the Winona Area Arts advocates visited my office. I read them the memo from the Winona Chamber of Commerce and showed it to them.
Fact: On February 24th, I contacted the Winona Chamber of Commerce Board Chair, Rachelle Schultz, to confirm whether the Chamber would now testify against the bill if the arts language were not removed. In a series of emails and phone calls, she stated that the Chamber would not testify against the bill. I was glad to hear this, and in my reply email to Ms. Schultz, also dated February 24th, I stated, “I was hoping this would be the answer and that the city and the Chamber would continue to work together for the greater good of our community.”
Fact: Mrs. Edstrom says, “How ‘the people’ would have any control on the spending was not explained.” In reality, the Winona Local Option Sales Tax legislation has a referendum requirement in the bill. The people have to approve any sales tax increase. If Mrs. Edstrom had read the bill or if she had contacted the city of Winona or me, she would have found that out.
Fact: Mrs. Edstrom says, “The last time [Rep. Pelowski] pulled strings for us, we got the Rollingstone School…an albatross around the neck of Dist. 861.” In reality, the Rollingstone School legislation came at the request of the people of Rollingstone and Winona Area Public Schools. The people of Rollingstone raised a significant amount of money to support the school and wanted the Rollingstone City Hall and the Senior Center to be part of the unique building. No strings were pulled as Mrs. Edstrom stated; there was recorded public testimony in committees. If Mrs. Edstrom wanted to testify against the bill she had plenty of opportunity.
Finally, when I had a conversation with Winona Chamber Board Chair, Rachelle Schultz on Friday, February 25th, she stated that Cynthya Porter at the Winona Shopper Post was doing a story on the Local Option Sales Tax and the memo. I called Cynthya Porter and asked if she wanted comments from me about the legislative issue. Ms. Porter stated that she did not.
Sincerely,
Rep. Gene Pelowski
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