A Gov in Action Opportunity

How do you feel about the Transportation Law that was just passed? Want to voice your opinion to a representative? You can earn gov in action points for doing so.

You can find your Rep at
http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp

Send a written letter-give the letter to me and I will send it--or send an email, but send me a copy.

BE appropriate in your letter and comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANOTHER STIMULUS PACKAGE??

As you know, the stimulus package proposed by President Bush passed a few weeks ago. States are now asking for another package. Governors are asking for money to build infrastructure throughout the US. They are asking for a new stimulus bill that provides $25 billion to $30 billion for improving the country's roads, waterways and bridges. The package would not only repair the nation's infrastructure, it would provide jobs and stimulate the economy.

"We are gathering here for one reason in Washington and that is to ask the federal government, to inspire the federal government... or to actually force Washington to build our nation's infrastructure and take this subject seriously," said Arnold Schwarzenegger, California governor, Republican and action movie star, at a press conference during the National Governors Association's annual meeting.

President Bush has been cool to the idea and the governors did not receive a response to their request.

What do you think? Where will this money come from?

OVERRIDE!!!!!!!

Late Monday the Minnesota Legislature voted Monday to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a $6.6 billion bill, paving the way for higher gas taxes and other fees to bring in more money for roads, bridges and transit.

The critical vote came in the House, where six Republicans broke ranks to defy the governor and provide the two-thirds majority needed to override. The final vote was 91-41. The Senate vote later in the day, 47-20, was assured since Democrats have a veto-proof majority.

The state's first gas tax hike since 1988 hits on April 1, and by fall it will have climbed slightly more than a nickel overall to 25.5 cents per gallon. It will rise in stages another 3 cents by 2012 to pay off road bonds.

Overrides are rare in Minnesota, with only 14 occurring since 1939. None of Pawlenty's 36 previous vetoes had been overturned, including two before on transportation proposals.

The governor reacted coolly, "The DFL majority has done what it does best, which is to raise taxes on Minnesota families," he said. "I'm more than happy to say this is a DFL product and a DFL result with a few Republicans who helped them because I wouldn't want to take any credit for this piece of work."

So gas, registration and sales taxes will increase soon!

Canada Budget Surplus

The Canadian government will disclose that it has at least $1 billion on hand more in spending money than it had anticipated when it tables its budget Tuesday.

When Finance Minister Jim Flaherty closes the books on March 31, the surplus for the past fiscal-year will be about $13 billion, according to a government official with knowledge of the budget.


And while more than two-thirds of that money is committed to debt reduction, the remainder is expected to go into job-creating projects such as roads and bridges to rebuild Canada's infrastructure. They are also planning to put money into higher education and post-graduate studies.

Canada has a budget surplus--which means they have more money than they have budgeted. (extra money)

Thoughts.......

Transportation Bill

Minnesota Republican governor Tim Pawlenty struck down the transportation bill within hours of its passage last week because he opposed increases in the gas tax, sales tax and car registration fees. The gas tax would go up for the first time since 1988. The money would fuel a decade-long spurt of road-and-bridge construction and expand routes for bus and train riders.

If the bill fails to get 90 votes in the House, the veto stands. It got 89 votes on passage last week, with all but two Democrats opposing it and six Republicans crossing over to support it. The Senate can't act before the House, although the bill's standing is better there.

Republican Rep. Kathy Tinglestad of Andover said she was facing "probably the hardest decision of my career" as she entered the House chamber.

Another GOP member who voted for the bill, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, said he just wanted it over with.

"I'm ready, I'm anxious. I'm eager," he said without tipping his hand on how he would go.

None of Pawlenty's 36 previous vetoes has been overturned.

When he blocked the bill Friday, Pawlenty called it "an overreaching, massive tax increase."

Rep. Dan Severson, R-Sauk Rapids, urged his colleagues to stand with Pawlenty.

"If you reach forward on this bill and you punch the green button," Severson said, "what you are saying to the taxpayers is, `I'm reaching deep into your pocket and pulling out all the green you got in your wallet and I'll leave you the change."'

By fall, the gas tax would climb a nickel, to 25 cents per gallon. It could go up an additional 3-1/2 cents to pay off road bonds, though those increases would be spread out over the next five years and eventually roll back as debt is satisfied.

People with new-model vehicles face higher registration fees for a longer period than they would under the current license tab schedule. State rental car fees would go from 3 percent to 5 percent.

And shoppers in the seven-county metropolitan area would see the sales tax rise by 0.25 percentage point, with the money raised through that tax going for mass transit projects.

The deadly Interstate 35W bridge collapse put fresh attention on Minnesota's infrastructure problems, so lawmakers put $600 million into the bill to fix the state's worst bridges.


Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey on Monday reminded GOP lawmakers who defect that they might not be endorsed for re-election.

"It's going to make every Republican pause before giving the endorsement to these representatives if they vote to override the governor's veto," Carey said.

What do you think?? Should the bill be passed with an veto override? What do you think about the threat that Republicans may not be endorsed by the party in the next election if they vote against the governor?

Stimulating Package...Passed

On Thursday the House and Senate approved the economic stimulus package. President Bush plans to sign it into law early in the week. "We are in a period of economic uncertainty and we've acted again," Bush told a conservative conference in Washington. "I want to thank the members (of Congress) for passing a good piece of legislation, which I will sign into law next week." "This bill reflects our principles. It is robust, it is pro-growth, it stimulates business investment and it puts money into the hands of American consumers," he added. The legislation will provide one-time rebates of up to $600 for individuals or $1,200 for couples, plus $300 for each child. Low-income people, including retirees on Social Security and disabled veterans who pay no income taxes, would receive checks of $300. The Senate added language to ensure illegal immigrants did not receive rebate checks. With the latest economic date suggesting the U.S. economy is stalling, the bill will inject nearly $152 billion into the economy this year and more than $16 billion next year. Some economists have said, however, that while the measures will buy time, they may not be enough to avert recession. Money...possibly coming your way. But from where? Will the gov be borrowing to give us the $$? Some say this is an advance on next year's tax return and not free money at all. What do you think?

Constitutional Convention

This week we talked about the Constitutional Convention. I gave you some info about it...what else can you find? Look for trivia/stories about the convention and post something here.

I'll get you started:
Benjamin Franklin, age 81 at the time of convention, was so ill he had to be carried to the convention sessions in a sedan chair. He was also too ill to read the speeches he wrote or debate much. He died on April 17, 1790, a little over a month before Rhode Island ratified the Constitution.

Too Fat to Eat in a Mississippi Restaurant????

A state lawmaker wants to ban restaurants from serving food to obese customers. Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier introduced a bill that would require that people who are obese, as defined by the state, be banned from being served in restaurants.

House Bill No. 282, which was introduced this month, says: Any food establishment to which this section applies shall not be allowed to serve food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health after consultation with the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management established under Section 41-101-1 or its successor. The State Department of Health shall prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese, and shall provide those materials to all food establishments to which this section applies. A food establishment shall be entitled to rely on the criteria for obesity in those written materials when determining whether or not it is allowed to serve food to any person.

"I was trying to shed a little light on the number one problem in Mississippi," said Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier, who does not expect his plan to become law.

More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi are considered it obese.

What do you think???

Budget Proposal

n the nation's first-ever $3 trillion budget proposal, President Bush seeks to seal his legacy of promoting a strong defense to fight terrorism and tax cuts to spur the economy. Democrats, who control Congress, are pledging fierce opposition to Bush's final spending plan — perhaps even until the next president takes office.

This budget would lead to huge budget deficits, around $400 billion for this year and next. But even those estimates could prove too low given the rapidly weakening economy and the total costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Bush does not include in his request for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

$$9,242,812,017,629.17 is the current national debt. This is $30,377.70 for each citizen. How do you feel about adding 400 billion more to it this year and next year?