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State Representative Leon Lillie
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-1188
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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MAPLEWOOD FIRE FACILITY GETS BURNED BY PAWLENTY’S VETO PEN
ST. PAUL, MN – Last week state lawmakers sent Governor Tim Pawlenty a jobs-focused bonding bill capable of putting more than 20,000 Minnesotans back to work.
Over the weekend the Governor went to work with his line-item veto pen, strategically cutting $319 million from the bill. Those cuts eliminated an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 jobs and slashed $3 million in funding for the proposed East Metro Regional Fire Training facility in Maplewood.
“If you didn’t read past the first page of the Governor’s veto letter, you’d think there was no way he would ever veto a project to help train Minnesota firefighters," said state Rep. Leon Lillie (DFL – North St. Paul). “But he did.”
In the Governor’s veto letter he explicitly states that public safety should be a key priority in the bill. Still, the Governor preserved funding for his own pet projects while eliminating funding for a fire training facility that would save local fire departments money, while training them to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
“This is the same thing we see over and over again from this Governor,” said state Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL –Maplewood). “He says one thing and does another. Public safety and jobs are a priority and the Governor is not backing up his priorities with this line item veto.”
“I am deeply disappointed that this high-priority public safety need will not be met this year,” said state Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL – Maplewood). “Still, I will continue working with local firefighters, and both parties here at the Capitol to make certain this project gets the attention and funding it deserves in the future.”
Governor Pawlenty’s veto of the Maplewood Fire Training Facility comes just weeks after his supplemental budget proposal laid out a plan to borrow $10 million from a firefighter training fund to help resolve the state deficit.
“Every year Minnesota homeowners pay a $5 fire safety surcharge on their insurance that goes into this fund to help give our firefighters the state-of-the art, modern training they need to keep our communities safe,” said Sen. Wiger. “Using that money to balance the budget is irresponsible, and detrimental to the safety of Minnesota neighborhoods.”
Slawik agreed saying, “Today’s veto of the fire training facility just adds insult to injury for the men and women who risk their lives to keep our homes, businesses, and communities safe.
“Even in these challenging times, public safety should be one of our highest priorities – and not by slogan alone,” said Rep. Lillie.
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