Almanac: At the Capitol

After a scathing story in the Strib today, word hit that MnDOT's Emergency Manger who didn't return for 10 days after the bridge collapse has been fired.

Here's press release.

Lt. Governor/Commissioner Carol Molnau issues the following statement regarding a personnel action taken today:

"The Minnesota Department of Transportation discharged from employment Sonia Morphew Pitt, Mn/DOT's director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, effective noon today, Nov. 9, 2007. This action was taken because an investigation uncovered serious employee misconduct pertaining to out of state travel, misuse of state resources and conduct unbecoming to Mn/DOT. The investigation was conducted in a deliberate and thorough manner in accordance with state law and agency policy. The discharged employee has been advised of certain rights under state law and employment contracts."

DFL legislative leaders and the Transportation Contingent Appropriations Group (TCAG) have shot down MnDOT's request for $135 to complete the 35W bridge. Now MnDOT officials testified that they did have enough money to keep the 35W bridge project on track until February when lawmakers return to session. But afterwards Commissioner Carol Molnau said, "that's politics and poor judgment because the people of the state are not served very well." What's more she said her staff will start to look at delaying and cutting some projects because she didn't get the money. DFLers said there needs to be more oversight and the whole legislature should be making these decisions, not a small group of leaders.  The Speaker of the House issued this terse statement:

Another bit a news for Capitol insiders: Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller promised a short session (and early) session because he says Gov. Pawlenty won't invest (tax) so there's not much progress to be made so they'll go home quickly. He told Finance Commissioner Tom Hanson to get the governor's budget bills to the Senate in January and that February would be too late (when the session legally starts). I'm sure this will further anger some of the lawmakers, mostly Republicans, who feel like the new Democratic leadership is turning the citizen-legislature into a full-time legislature. Dems accuse GOPers of not wanting to work hard. Oh, it does feel like the games have already begun!

It's true, former political foes Moe and Pawlenty unite, here's the release:

MOE NAMED TO MINNESOTA JOB SKILLS PARTNERSHIP BOARD

~Appointment Signals Return to Program He Helped Found~

St. Paul - Former Minnesota State Senator and Erskine resident Roger Moe has been appointed to the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced.

Moe's appointment by the Minnesota Senate began October 29. He will serve a four-year term.

The longest serving Senate Majority Leader in Minnesota state history, Moe was elected to the Legislature in 1970 and represented Northwestern Minnesota's 2nd Senate District. Under his guidance, the Senate developed the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Program in 1983.

"As a founder of the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board, we welcome his unique historical perspective. As a former math teacher, Roger realizes the necessity of focusing on science, technology, engineering and math in our schools," said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. "His knowledge of workforce development and higher education in Minnesota will serve our business and education partners and the board immeasurably."

Moe serves on the board of directors of the Norwegian American Foundation; Debate Minnesota; Policy Consensus Initiative; Minnesota Twins Community Fund; Nobel Peace Prize Forum; and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation.

Moe replaces outgoing MJSP board member David Johnson of Best & Flanagan LLP. Johnson was also a State Senator from 1997 to 2002.

The MJSP offers technical, financial and job training assistance to businesses, communities, educational institutions and workers. Each year, the board awards 60 to 70 grants to educational institutions to design and deliver customized training to businesses with specific training needs. Businesses and the partnering educational institutions are required to contribute matching funds.

For more information about the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, see: www.positivelyminnesota.com/mjsp/

Minority Leader Marty Seifert held a press conference pointing out the many new subcommittees and meetings that are happening. The Republican caucus made a big chart filled with all these new committees and sub committees and working groups he said the "chart makes Eric Eskola's office look immaculate." (If you've never seen Eric's Capitol office it's filled, and I mean filled, with decades of wonderful political memorabilia and a large moose head). Seifert said the committee budgets under DFL leadership have doubled while education and nursing homes only received increases of a couple percent. He called it "grandstanding and trying to prop up politically vulnerable members." Take the Drinking Water Source Protection Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Paul Gardner, a freshman who beat a Republican. But it has also been an unusual year, where lawmakers are dealing with the 35W bridge collapse. The Speaker of the House told my colleague at ECM next session the off session meetings should die down because people will need to be in their districts campaigning. Now I think this brings up the whole conversation of whether people want a citizen legislature or a fulltime legislature. It seems our state is in 'tweener land, lawmakers meet increasingly off session, they make an odd 'tween salary where many members can squeak by as fulltime lawmakers, but technically we still have a citizen legislature, but fewer and fewer members really work outside jobs. It's a question lawmakers don't often like to tackle.

A group of parents and school supporters just held a press conference at the Capitol about the results of last night's bond and levy vote. About 67% of the ballot questions passed, some with mixed results. Rolf Parsons from White Bear Lake said the voters send two strong and not necessarily contradictory messages: they're willing to pay for schools but also are overwhelmed by skyrocketing property taxes. The other common theme was that bond and levy referendums are no way to fund schools. They all called for a new way to pay for education. They said it creates a system of have and have nots where cities like Edina and Minnetonka voted yes overwhelmingly. Bev Petrie, a parent from Stillwater, said "what a crazy insane system to fund our education." When pressed, Mary Cecconi from Parents United for Public Schools, would not say where the money should come from. A reporter asked about property taxes, but received no response. Lynne Osterman a former Republican lawmaker from Robbinsdale who credited a dishonest outside organization for defeating her ballot question said, "I'm tired, we cannot give up." Lawmakers and the governor's education commissioner will explore a new funding model this session, but it's a huge issue to chew on when the bridge and transportation not to mention health care reform are all also on their plate in what's supposed to be a short session. Sen. Kathy Saltzman, who may win the award for most active off-session lawmaker, minutes later announced a hearing to "address dysfunction in K-12 funding" on Nov. 27.

It's just hours after Terri Bonoff officially announced her campaign for the 3rd Congressional District to replace Congressman Jim Ramstad and the war of words has begun. In this district where a Democrat hasn't won in decades, but now appears in play, Bonoff will try to cast herself as a moderate.

“This is a critical time for us as Minnesotans and Americans: an unending war, a healthcare crisis and a transportation system that has been starved of the necessary resources for even the most basic construction and repairs. We need strong voices in Washington. But we also need people who are willing to listen and bring people together to create a common vision,” said Bonoff.

But minutes after that statement arrived the Republican Party fired off this press release:

No matter how extreme the makeover she attempts during this campaign, Terri Bonoff won’t be able to convince voters that she is a bipartisan problem solver and moderate in the tradition of Jim Ramstad. All of the out of state big money in the world she is raising can’t obscure the fact that Bonoff is too partisan and too liberal for the Third.