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State Representative Ryan Winkler
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7026
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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WINKLER TAKES NEXT STEP TO PROVIDE SWIFT HELP FOR BRIDGE SURVIVORS
ST. PAUL – Following the emotional testimony of I35W Bridge collapse survivors at a legislative hearing last month, State Representative Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley & St. Louis Park) and the House State Government Finance Committee are moving forward with Winkler's proposal for a Minnesota Survivor Compensation Fund. A hearing held today intends to explore details and provide discussion regarding the legal and financial implications of Winkler's proposed legislation.
“There are nearly two hundred people suffering from the very real human consequences of this terrible tragedy," said Rep. Winkler. “In this time of disaster, when so much is at stake in the lives of so many people, we need to come together as leaders to do the right thing, and provide these survivors the immediate compensation they both need and deserve to rebuild their lives.”
Winkler and his colleagues are working with the Governor’s office, and members of the State Senate to determine what immediate steps the State of Minnesota must take to provide swift relief and support to the survivors of the I35W Bridge collapse.
State Representative Phyllis Kahn (DFL – Minneapolis), who chairs the State Government Finance Committee and represents a legislative district next to the site of the bridge collapse, stressed the importance of crafting an adequate and thorough state response with a sense of urgency. She is a strong proponent of Winkler’s proposed state compensation fund.
“The survivors of the I35W Bridge collapse are facing real and mounting needs. That’s why we need to have this bill ready now,” said Kahn. “Holding these hearings is a crucial step in ensuring that the state response to this horrible catastrophe is handled both quickly and properly. I strongly believe that Rep. Winkler’s proposal is the only way we can fully deliver on our responsibility as a state to alleviate the tremendous burdens these innocent people are facing every day.”
In his testimony to a joint House-Senate hearing last week, Ken Feinberg, Special Master of the U.S. Government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, stressed the need to work quickly for the benefit of survivors saying, "If there's a decision to help, I see no reason to wait on liability issues – no reason. The victims should not be held hostage." He went on to say that there are a number of ways to approach providing that much-needed help: "If you decide to do something, then there's a range of options, from the relatively simple to the complex and expensive."
Winkler and Kahn hold that a Minnesota Survivor Compensation Fund will be the most direct and effective means of adequately providing swift relief to survivors of the I35W Bridge collapse.
According to Winkler, "This system will save time, costly litigation, and further roadblocks for people who have already endured so much."
Winkler's plan would provide both adequate short-term and long-term relief to collapse survivors. It would accomplish both by providing immediate compensation up-front, while additional long-term individual compensation packages are being completed by the state.
"Establishing a Minnesota Survivor Compensation Fund is the right thing to do from both a legal and ethical standpoint," said Rep. Kahn. "The state failed to keep that bridge safe, and it is the state's responsibility to provide the relief these people need as soon as possible."
Testifying at today's hearing are the following:
Karen Kelley-Ariwoola – Minnesota Helps Fund and Vice President, Minneapolis Foundation
Tom Hanson – Commissioner of Finance
Chris Messerly – Robins, Kaplan, Miller, and Ciresi (attorney for bridge survivors)
James Schwebel – Schwebel, Goetz, and Sieben (attorney for bridge survivors)
News Items
- Statement on Budget Forecast - (Posted: 2012-12-05 00:00:00)
- Statement on Final I-35 W Bridge Settlement - (Posted: 2012-11-13 00:00:00)
- Rep. Winkler: Tea Party Activists Can’t Be Trusted to Reform Our Elections - (Posted: 2012-11-01 00:00:00)
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