Kevin Dahle Goes To St Paul, Minnesota

Why attend my Precinct Caucus?

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:44:41 +0000

This coming Tuesday, February 7, both the Republican and Democratic parties hold important neighborhood political meetings. In other words, it’s time to caucus. These grassroots gatherings offer attendees a chance to cast a straw poll to gauge candidate preferences for state or federal elected offices. Republicans this year will be splitting their votes among the four Presidential candidates still vying for their party’s nomination. Four years ago, at the DFL caucus, there were an avalanche of people showing up to cast their preference ballot for President Obama or Hillary Clinton. Since the President is unchallenged this year, you may think your attendance at a Democratic caucus is not as important. Choosing a candidate to represent the party is but one of the agenda items. Delegates, nominated and elected at the caucus, will move on to represent the party at County and legislative conventions, and if elected again…eventually moving on to Congressional, State and National conventions. These delegates play an important role in deciding which candidates at all levels of government will be on the ballot in November. If you’ve ever wished you had a better choice of pro-public education candidates on the November ballot you can see why delegates are so important. Caucuses provide a forum for citizens to engage their neighbors in a conversation on a wide range of public policy and political issues. In addition, caucuses also give voters a chance to discuss the party platform, propose resolutions, and action agenda items. These serve to help set the legislative and political agenda for our elected officials. Caucus attendees also elect officers who will be responsible for organizing political activities within the precinct.
You can choose to attend the party of your choice but must not be an active member of any other political party. You must attend your assigned caucus meeting in order to participate. In addition you must affirm that you live in the precinct, you will be 18 by November 6, 2012, and are eligible to vote. You can attend if you are 16 and still participate in caucus business but you are unable to vote or run as a delegate.
In general, Northfield Republicans will be meeting at Northfield High School and Northfield Democrats will be meeting at the Northfield Middle School. For specific locations, log on to the Secretary of State’s Caucus finder at:
http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=886

2012 Legislative Session

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:55:55 +0000

Virtually all Minnesotans would agree that the last legislative session was a major disappointment and the historic shutdown we endured was an embarrassment to our state.
This session, it’s important that we work to rebuild the public’s trust in the legislature by setting aside things like divisive constitutional amendments and focusing on the things Minnesotans care most about: getting people back to work and fixing the state’s economy.
Despite welcome signs that our state’s economy is beginning to stabilize after a long and painful recession, Minnesota still faces a serious jobs deficit. That is why it is essential this legislature work with Gov. Dayton to pass a jobs plan to get Minnesotans back to work.
The DFL Jobs Plan will help businesses grow and retain good jobs in Minnesota by:
* Providing new incentives to companies that hire unemployed workers, veterans or recent graduates.
* Creating new opportunities for Minnesotans to get job training in high-demand fields.
* Putting new money into the Minnesota Investment Fund, which has a successful track record of attracting new businesses and helping existing Minnesota companies grow and expand.
* Making targeted and strategic investments in the state’s infrastructure, putting more than 20,000 Minnesotans back to work repairing and improving the state’s roads, bridges, waste water treatment facilities, and higher education research facilities.
This jobs plan includes good ideas to create jobs — but they aren’t the only good ones. Productive dialogue is needed to find other ways to get Minnesotans back to work. The important thing is that something gets done.

What we shouldn’t do is say jobs are the priority but then focus on something else. We already tried that last year. The Republican majorities proclaimed a “laser focus” on jobs, but instead focused on divisive constitutional amendments. For the sake of what most Minnesotans want and expect of their legislators, we hope the same won’t play out again this session.

Jobs should be our priority – not divisive constitutional amendments. Let’s work together, bring our good ideas to the table, and act quickly to pass a meaningful jobs bill that will get Minnesota working again.

Energy assistance funds available

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:33:52 +0000

Tonight we may see some of the coldest temperatures of the season. With many Minnesota families struggling, it is important that eligible low-income residents apply for energy assistance funds if they need help paying their heating bills this winter.
Minnesota has been notified by the federal government that our state will receive an initial grant of $73 million for home energy assistance. These funds are intended to help families pay their heating bills through grant money that is paid directly to utility or fuel vendors on behalf of customers.
Those interested in receiving the funds should apply to the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program (EAP) to determine eligibility to receive assistance. The grants are based on household size, income, fuel type, and energy usage. In 2010, this program helped more than 172,000 low-income households with $152.6 million in federal funds. This year, the average grant per household is expected to be $400. Households with seniors, children and the disabled are especially encouraged to apply.
To get information about eligibility and to receive an application, please contact your local energy assistance providers by county. In Rice County, contact Three Rivers Community Action, at (507) 732-7391, or 1-800-277-8418; the office is located in Zumbrota. In Sibley and LeSueur Counties, contact the Minnesota Valley Action Council at (507) 345-6822, or 1-800-767-7139, ext 4; the office is located in Mankato. In Scott County, contact Scott-Carver-Dakota Community Action, at (651) 322-3550; the office is located in Shakopee. An application can be downloaded at www.energy.mn.gov.

Budget Forecast

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:37:36 +0000

We’re relieved to see that Minnesota is showing signs of economic recovery, and it’s good to know that we don’t face another major deficit this year. But we need to be very cautious about calling this a “surplus.”

Today’s forecast shows that Minnesota will have enough revenue to backfill the budget reserves (“rainy day funds’) that were emptied last session. That’s welcome news. But we need to remember that this forecast will be updated in February, and there is still a very real chance some or all of this additional revenue could disappear in just a few months.

This forecast makes perfectly clear that this legislature has not solved our budget deficit. They’ve simply “kicked the can down the road” until after the next election.

Rather than working with Governor Dayton on a responsible budget solution, the Republican majorities borrowed billions from our schools and spent money the state didn’t have in order to avoid making the tough decisions. The result: a $3.4 billion budget deficit looming just a year away.

This reckless borrowing scheme has already cost our state dearly. Just yesterday, we learned Minnesota schools had to borrow nearly $400 million just to make up for the money the state took from them last year. Last week, we learned the state is going to have to pay almost $600 million in interest to pay for the Republican’s tobacco appropriation bonds.

If a corporation had $876 million in the bank but owed $3 billion in outstanding debt, they wouldn’t claim they had a surplus.

Calling this a surplus is like calling yourself rich when you have $100 in your wallet but just maxed out your credit cards to pay your mortgage and buy groceries.

So now the question is: will the Republican majorities choose to leave behind a $3 billion budget deficit, or will they get to work on fixing the problem and upholding their promise of “fiscal responsibility”?

Teacher of the Year

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:34:25 +0000

This past Wednesday at the American Education Week Northfield Staff Appreciation Breakfast, I was recognized as the 2011-12 Northfield Education Association Teacher of the Year. I am humbled and honored to receive such an award.
This award is not about being the best teacher. This district is full of outstanding teachers. This is about someone taking the time to say, “I appreciate what you do.”
True teacher appreciation begins with us. We don’t expect it. That’s exactly why we should pat ourselves on the back every once in awhile. We should appreciate our dedication. We should appreciate our professionalism. We should appreciate our diversity. We should appreciate ourselves for who we are and for what we bring to teaching.
We should appreciate our power. If knowledge is power, and we know that it is, we should all think of ourselves as super heroes. We should realize our potential power as spokespersons for the good that goes on each day in our classrooms and in public education. If we don’t tell it, who will?
While serving in the Minnesota legislature there was plenty of discussion about school budgets, school funding, curriculum, education policy, and the teaching profession ……a lot of voices from all kinds of people, politicians, experts, bureaucrats, lobbyists… but only one teacher. I was proud to be a voice for teachers.
This award is for all of us who choose to teach for a living. Thanks for what you do.