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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
State Government shut-down could have been avoided
As a first-term legislator, I am just beginning to understand the roller coaster ride that comes with state government, especially surrounding the events of the last couple of days.
On Thursday, I was very pleased to see that two bills I authored were included in the Omnibus Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Bill. First, Mower County Soil and Water Conservation Board was awarded a $15,000 grant to use for a small pond demonstration project in the Cedar River Watershed, aimed at helping with water retention and flood control. Secondly, the community of Nicolville will benefit under a change in the Best Management Practices Ag loan program that can be used to improve their sewage treatment system.
It's very rewarding to be able to bring assistance such as this back to our communities. I have worked hard and been fortunate to see many of my efforts pay off, first in bonding bill funding for the Shooting Star Trail system, the Riverland Community College Science labs, flood mitigation funds, the regional CREP funding and now the Agriculture/Environment bill.
This bill was also very satisfying to pass as it meant our state parks could stay open, just in time for the Fourth of July week-end, and 6,700 Minnesotans would not be laid off as part of what was then a potential partial state shut-down. I know this is what I am here to do, pass legislation that will improve the lives of my constituents and all Minnesotans.
Later that night, as I sat on the House floor and watched the clock move towards midnight, the earlier sense of satisfaction I felt was replaced with frustration and discouragement. Up until about 9:00 p.m., it had appeared as though we were close to having a deal, one that would adequately fund education and limit the cuts to health care. We were told that if a verbal agreement was reached, both the House and the Senate would pass a short-term "lights on" bill that would avoid a government shut-down, a bill that the Governor indicated he would sign. This would have sustained funding of state services for a few days until the Legislature was able to finalize the deal. Unfortunately, last minute behind-closed-doors negotiating proved fruitless; we were told no deal was possible at that time.
Despite that, the members of the House took up the Senate "lights on" bill. Even with the full support of the Democrats, however, we were not able to pass it. Government shut-down was inevitable, and as the minority party in the House, we were powerless to stop it.
Still, we made another attempt, offering our own "lights on" bill, which also did not pass. In the past three days, the DFL members voted together three times to avoid a government shut-down and each of those times, the majority prevailed.
As we move on today, we have to do the best we can to play the hand we've been dealt. There is no doubt that I am disappointed, but I do feel that we handled an extremely difficult situation as well as we could. As I sat on the House floor, flooded with feelings of disappointment, I also felt a strong sense of purpose. I believe in what we are fighting for, a high quality education for all of our students, affordable health care that is available to all, a strong transportation bill and a fair tax system. We have not wavered from our goal and I am optimistic that soon we will have a budget agreement that supports these values.
I remain committed to doing the best job I can to represent you and the issues of our communities. I share the pain and frustration of those who are affected by this government shut-down and I hope this time will be brief. Today is a new day, with new offers on the table and new resolve by all parties to satisfactorily finish our work. During the regular session, we passed positive and meaningful legislation, accomplished through thoughtful and deliberate discussion. At the end of our Special Session, I believe we have the potential to see the same level of meaningful accomplishments. I expect to be satisfied with the job we have done and know that we did our best for our students, our seniors, our families-for all Minnesotans.
Please continue to call or write if you have ideas or concerns you want to share about state or local issues. I can be reached by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, by mail at 231 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at the above address. If you are interested in receiving my e-newsletter, please email me at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn and your name will be added to our list.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
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