To the editor,
Misconceptions have a strange way of becoming “truth” in the minds of people who hear them. For that reason, I must clarify something.
Honoring the request of my constituents, I authored H.F. 2330 to provide Central Lakes College in Staples $4.2 million for important projects. It was included in final passage of this year’s capital investment bill. This was no simple feat, considering $3 billion in proposals was whittled down to $846 million. Democrat Reps. Alice Hausman and John Ward even, at one point removed it, apparently for partisan gain.
Rep. Hausman even had the gall to write letters to our local editors saying I did not “lift a finger” on this matter. I authored a bill. What more do you want, Rep. Hausman? This appears to be just another metro liberal trying to shame us rural folks.
Meanwhile, politically hyped rumors and emails were spread around the district in an attempt to drum up fear that, without this funding, Staples CLC potentially would close.
If you want to continue to follow that line of reasoning, then it would also have be further proclaimed that Rep. Mark Anderson saved Staples CLC by initiating the funding request bill.
Mission accomplished.
When the proverbial bonding dust settled, Staples CLC got its money. How did that happen? Because I, as the representative from District 9A, authored a bill to provide the funding. That is my duty and responsibility as a legislator.
Again, mission accomplished.
What saddens me is that too many folks remain unconcerned about the additional $846 million in state borrowing – and another $200 million in cash spent on capital investments – at the expense of all hardworking Minnesota taxpayers. I do not subscribe to the attitude that the overall price tag is irrelevant as long as we get “our” project.
I care, because it is the Minnesota taxpayers who will have to pay back the money we have borrowed.
I care, because it is the current Staples CLC students, as well as future students who will have to pay back the money we borrowed – with interest.
Side note: Did you know Democrats have increased total state spending by $8 billion this biennium? The state spent $62 billion in the last biennium. This biennium? Democrats will spend a total of $70 billion, including the bonding bill.
I ask, are there no limits on how much money the government can take from us? If Democrats had any integrity and fiscal responsibility, they would have used their so-called $1.2 billion surplus – which meant that they over-taxed us again last year – to pay cash to cover all of the bonding projects. They did not have to borrow one cent. Instead, they spent much of our surplus on more Democrat political paybacks.
With the best financial interests in mind for everyone in Wadena, Todd and Cass counties, I could not ethically vote on an omnibus bonding bill of this magnitude.
Yes, I support and always will defend Staples CLC. Yes, I authored the bill to fund its project. Yes, I will accept credit for doing so on behalf of my constituents.
And, yes, in the end, Staples CLC is getting its money, even if some people tried to fool local citizens by skewing the facts along the way.
Sincerely,
Rep. Mark Anderson