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State Representative Ryan Winkler
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7026
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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Biggest Indictment of GOP their Own Broken Promises
Saint Paul, Minnesota – With a budget deficit unresolved and a special session likely, State Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley) said the biggest indictment of the GOP failed leadership comes directly from their own broken promises. Winkler drew attention to an MPR interview with Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch before session began. Zellers and Koch promised to make education and protecting vulnerable Minnesotans their top priority, said they would put the budget ahead of social issues, and assured Minnesotans they would finish their work on time.
“They told Minnesotans they would balance the budget, but failed. They told Minnesotans they would create jobs, but failed. They said they would leave social issues on the sidelines, but made them their priorities," said Winkler. “If you don’t believe me the GOP failed, just listen to what they told Minnesotans before session. It’s not just that they over promised and under-delivered. They broke promises and delivered nothing.”
Transcript from MPR interview with Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch on November 8, 2010.
Q: I hear the budget needs to be reduced by 20 percent and that schools and Medicaid will take a big cut without an increase in taxes. How will you reduce spending on seniors and nursing homes? Is it possible?
A: (Koch) The budget projection for the next two years is going to have an increase of about 7 percent. Spending is projected to increase by 18 percent. Education, and protecting vulnerable Minnesotans, is a top priority. Are there some reforms? I'd like to look for them.
Q: But aren't you talking about big cuts?
A: (Zellers) If folks in Minnesota want an example what it's going to be like, how did things go in the last couple of years? Did you see something in your local government that made you think the government was going to shut down? That's at $30 billion. We're at $33 billion next year. When you get to $37 or $39 billion, that's where you see the increases. A lot of things government pays for have actually dropped in cost.
We are committed to education, nursing homes, developmentally disabled; that's our top priority. Yeah, there's going to be tough decisions, but there's also the other side where we can redesign how we deliver things.
Q: What about social issues?
A: (Zellers) If it doesn't have anything to do with business and jobs, it shouldn't be our first priority. If you don't have a job, it's hard to be involved in an abortion rally.
(Koch) There's a lot of important issues and we will get to them. But the priority now is the budget, jobs, and the economy.
Q: Will the Legislature finish the work on time?
A: (Koch) Absolutely.
(Zellers) Yes.
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