Weeks of September 23 & 30, 2007

Schedule: On Tuesday, September 25th, I attended a field hearing of the House Transportation Finance Committee in Anoka and met with the Chair of the Environmental Finance Committee about the drinking water subcommittee that I will be chairing. On Wednesday, September 26th, I met with the Mayor of North Oaks about the Highway 96 landfill issue. On Thursday, September 27th, as vice-chair of the Solid Waste, Recycling, and Resource Conservation Working Group, I toured a composting site in Chanhassen, where Carver County is mixing food waste with yard waste with great success. On Friday, September 28th, I attended a meeting of the Parker Hughes Advocacy Council Foundation in Roseville at the request of two constituents. On Monday, October 1st, I attended a press conference where Elwyn Tinklenberg announced his candidacy for Congress. On Wednesday, October 3rd, I attended an all-day hearing of the Environmental Finance Committee on DNR enforcement issues, a DFL House Caucus meeting at a gastroenterology clinic, and a meeting of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance. On Thursday, October 4th, in my capacity of vice-chair of the Heritage Finance Committee, I toured the Traverse des Sioux historic site in St. Peter (where the committee provided 2007 funding) and Farm America in Waseca at the request of Rep. Tony Cornish (R-Good Thunder). On Friday, October 5, I attended a meeting of the East Metro PFC Oversight Working Group. (This group is monitoring the Health Department's work on the 3M groundwater contamination issue.)

Visitors: DNR Waters staff on drinking water issues; representatives of SKB Environmental about construction and demolition debris disposal at landfills

Constituent contacts: Lexington City Manager seeking details of manufactured home legislation; Circle Pines resident and Shoreview resident questioning MnDOT's process for managing bid for 35W bridge; Shoreview resident about parks and trails funding; Circle Pines resident asking questions about proposed Lino Lakes library (and not wanting to close the Circle Pines library); Shoreview resident about alleged North American Union and alternative theory about 9-11 attacks; Circle Pines resident about veteran's health issue; Shoreview resident updating me on bus service issues; Shoreview resident upset about Iranian President's visit to Columbia University; Shoreview resident opposed to removing the MnDOT Commissioner; Shoreview resident about issues with Board of Medical Practice

Appointment to Chair Drinking Water Subcommittee

On Monday, September 18th, Speaker Kelliher appointed me to chair a subcommittee for drinking water source protection. Here is a link to the press release. You may have read articles from the Star Tribune on groundwater pollution called Battling Tainted Water, Hunting the Invisible, and A Toxic Well A Life Changed, and It's Amazing What We Don't Know, plus an editorial on the problem. The appointment was in the works before the Sunday article came out, so the articles were a coincidence.

Weeks of September 9 and September 16

We met in special session on the evening of September 11th and into the early hours of September 12th. According to an agreement with the Governor, we only discussed the issue of flood relief for southeastern Minnesota. (Interesting note: My wife's great-grandmother grew up within the confines of what is now Whitewater State Park, which was heavily damaged in the flooding.) There was a lot of "hurry-up-and-wait" to the session. The Governor asked us to convene at 5:00 p.m., which we did, but the bill was not in complete form until a few hours later. I also met in caucus twice with my DFL colleagues while all this was going on.

The Shoreview Press printed a letter to the editor from a Shoreview resident who felt that opposing points of view should be printed in the paper other than just letters to the editor. I think that is a good idea! I'm happy that the SV Press has done the "ask an official" feature to get detailed answers on certain policy issues. I would welcome the chance to hear from constituents who offer alternative ideas and expressed my support for the idea to the paper.

The Shoreview Press also printed "Ask an Official" that had questions from readers and the Press plus my answers on the legislative process, electronic waste recycling, and transportation.

Visitors: On September 10th, I met with the director of the Anoka County library system to better understand the details of a proposed Lino Lakes library, and I met with a Shoreview constituent about 2007 property tax relief proposals. On September 12th, I met with Ramsey County Commissioner Bennett about transportation funding proposals. On September 13th, I drove to Grand Rapids with another member to speak to the annual meeting of the Solid Waste Administrators Association (all the county solid waste officers) about solid waste issues. On September 17th, I met with a staffer about solid waste issues and met with two staffers from Ramsey County about transportation proposals. On September 19, I met with representatives of four scrap metal dealers and the Minneapolis Police plus Sen. Linda Higgins to discuss progress on the bill that we passed to combat metal theft. It was a good two-hour discussion about how we can improve the process. On September 20, I attended a training session for legislators on how to help veterans who are in the process of returning home. On September 21, I attended a meeting of the MN Resource Recovery Association on the effect of municipal waste processing (aka burning garbage in high-tech incinerators) on climate change.

Constituent contacts: three Shoreview residents pressing for the U of M to settle the clerical workers' strike; Shoreview resident supporting my vote for the Freedom to Breathe Act; Lino Lakes resident supporting constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage; Lino Lakes resident supporting raising taxes for transportation; Shoreview resident asking who paid for my recent end-of-session mailing (my campaign committee did-not printed at taxpayer expense); Shoreview resident disagreeing with points in my recent constituent mailing; Shoreview resident asking for help with understanding what the cable company can charge for phone service; Shoreview resident supporting gas tax increase for transportation; Shoreview resident concerned about application of chemical herbicides on lawns; Circle Pines resident disagreeing with issues in my recent mailing; Shoreview resident supporting flood relief legislation that will rehabilitate trails in SE MN; Circle Pines resident asking about bid process for 35W bridge reconstruction; Shoreview resident interested in distribution of revenues from gas tax and license tab fees; Shoreview resident giving input on my new subcommittee assignment; Lexington resident asking about potential state action to limit carbon emissions from cars;
Blaine resident preferring that homestead tax credits favor homeowners rather than renters; Shoreview resident supporting gas tax and income tax increase but supporting cut in property taxes; Shoreview resident concerned about county tax assessment process; Lino Lakes resident disagreeing with points in my recent constituent mailing