Mr. Dahle Goes to St. Paul

Door knocking in August.  A few more miles on the car….and a few more miles on the feet.  Hot and sweaty…plenty mosquitoes.  Another night away from the family.  Despite these and a few other inconveniences, I actually enjoy door knocking.  It is a great opportunity to meet my constituents.

They come in all shapes and sizes.  Answering the door, “Agnes” blushed and apologized because of the curlers in her hair.  “Doreen,” in her pajamas, is ready to turn in for the night.  After all, it’s 8:15 pm.  There are a lot of dog owners…and even more dogs, barking and clawing at the chance to meet the candidate, nervously standing on the stoop separated only by the flimsy screen door.  Nurses, teachers, grandfathers, single moms, plumbers, accountants, business owners, veterans, lawyers, farmers, and dads, and the rest of you.   Thank you for politely listening and taking my literature. Thank you for sharing your issues and concerns.  Thanks for asking a few questions.  Thanks for the Twins update.  Thanks for offering me a drink of water. “Have a good evening!”

Campaigns are too long.  Too many dollars are raised and spent.  But nothing beats a little face time with the voters.  Over the next 80 some days, we will see you at the doorstep.

This past week I spoke at a meeting of the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation along with Representative David Bly. A few days later I spoke at at a gathering of the New Prague Chamber of Commerce along with Representative Laura Brod. With a couple of dozen persons on hand, the topics focused on the recently completed legislative session and the outlook for the next session. Of course there were some concerns expressed about Local Government Aid cuts, rising property taxes, the next state budget, the overall economy, and the health of our downtown businesses.

The legislature did enact several enact several measures designed to improve our business climate. In addition to a $680 million capital investment bill, the House and Senate passed the Angel Investor Tax credit, equal to 25% of taxpayer’s investments in small Minnesota businesses involved in high-tech, bio science, and green manufacturing industries. The Historic structure rehabilitation tax credit (20% of the rehabilitation costs) designed to assist in upgrading historic buildings, was passed along with a Research and Development tax credit. This credit is designed to spur innovations within Minnesota companies by increasing the current 5% tax credit to a 10% tax credit. it also expands eligibility for the tax credit to partnerships and LLC’s, rather than just corporations.

The legislature also directed the Dept. of Employment and Economic development (DEED) to identify at risk businesses in the state and develop tools the state can use to retain and attract new businesses. It also creates a fast action economic response team that would work with at risk businesses to ensure they are utilizing state services and identify their needs to ensure they are being met. The response team would also assist out of state businesses looking to relocate in Minnesota. The Senate also passed a bill that was into law that prescribes DEED to raise private funds for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development and maintain a virtual network of resources that are available for new Minnesota business ventures and entrepreneurs.

Finally, the legislature passed a bill this session to fund a comparative study to look at the effects of state regulations on costs and delays in starting a small business in MN, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas as well as the typical costs that go along with businesses in retail, manufacturing, and services industries. The study will be conducted by a state higher education institution, and will serve as a guide for future lawmakers as they outline the state’s economic development strategy.

My mother passed away this past week. She was only 70 years old. I shared this message at her funeral. Friends and relatives asked that I share it on line.

Today we celebrate the life of Judy Ann Hiscocks Becker. She was our mother, aunt, sister, grandmother, and dear friend.
I want to start with a little story. It should be no surprise that this story comes from one of my favorite episodes of the Andy Griffith Show series, entitled “Opie the Birdman.´” If you were to ask me why it is my favorite, I am not sure I could tell you. There are funnier episodes, more touching episodes, and maybe even episodes that have a more powerful message. But this one is special. If you’ve seen it, you will probably agree.
The episode begins with Opie putting together a slingshot. Andy, Barney, and Opie are in the courthouse, and Barney is attempting to show Opie how to use the ancient weapon. Barney explains that such devices were used way back in biblical times, referring to David and Goliath, but Barney becomes confused when Opie asks where David got the rubber for the sling. Barney begins to say that David just cut up an old tire, but he stops himself in time. Andy, on the other hand, tells Opie to have fun with the slingshot but to be careful with it.
Opie promises his pa that he will be careful and goes on his way shooting at tin cans and other stuff. When he gets to his house, Opie hears a noise in the tree in the front yard and without hesitation, he shoots toward the noise. Opie watches in amazement as a little bird plunges to the ground. At first, he doesn’t’ want to believe what has happened. He begs for the bird to fly, pleads for it to fly, but all to no avail. Finally, he runs into the house sobbing. Later that evening, Andy confronts his son about the bird. Opie admits that he killed the bird but he didn’t mean to. He tells Andy that he is sorry. Andy responds by saying that being sorry is not the magic word that makes everything all right again. Actions bring consequences, and the bird that died was the mother. Three baby birds are now crying for their mother who is not coming back.
At this point Opie has a decision to make. He can wallow in his guilt, or he can do something to make the situation better. Although he cannot bring the mother bird back, he can do something for her babies. Opie takes it upon himself to care for the little birds and puts much effort into raising them the best he can. At the end of the show, Opie has to make the hard decision to let the birds go. He knows he has done everything he can to ensure that the birds will be all right, but he is still not sure he has done all the right things until he releases each bird. When the 3 birds are gone, Opie looks at the cage and comments how empty it looks. Andy agrees that the cage does seem empty, but he looks up, hears the birds singing, and with a big smile he points out how full the trees are. This tragic story had a wonderful ending.
We’ve lost our mother… And we need to find our way. We want everything to be right again. But that should be much easier, because mom taught us well.
She taught us independence…..and survival. When you are one of 11 children, raised on a farm with no indoor plumbing, you learn to survive.
She taught us about family. She loved her grandchildren. And she has the book, and at every Hiscocks picnic and golf tournament, she would write down the names and birthdates of all the new “branches” to the Hiscocks family tree.
She taught us how to laugh. There’s a quote next to her high school yearbook picture which says, “Laughing, giggling, smiling too. When you’re around Judy, you can’t be blue.” She had a wonderful sense of humor. I ran into a classmate at the Greenhouse yesterday. Offering her condolences, she said, “I liked your mother, she made me laugh.” She shared many a laugh with the Bonnie and the girls, the Peacocks, and each and every one of us.
She taught us how to cook. Well she taught Kim how to boil water. She taught us boys how to clean the house…….okay skip that.
She taught us how to relax, on a pontoon …on the deck…at Lake Jefferson…or at home in her chair watching the Young and the Restless, Survivor, or Dancing with the Stars…or over a cup of coffee with my sister Kim or whoever stopped by that morning.
She taught us patience…..necessary for a Game of Shang-Hai… and living with Mike.
She taught us how to work hard. That’s all she knew. She worked nearly all of her precious life. But she never complained. She actually liked her job. And she was a good employer. Some of her best friends were employees. They will miss her, too.
She taught us how to parent. Being a mom to a special needs child is not an easy task. But can you honestly think of 2 better people in all the world to raise our beloved Andy, than Mom and Mike? Raising Andy was truly her greatest accomplishment.
She taught us how to budget. She always said we don’t have a “pot to piss in” but when Tony went to the State tournament in Baseball she slipped $50 bucks in his luggage with a note saying “Hit a Home Run for Me” … and she found a way to send 3 kids to college.
She taught us to make good choices. Whenever we would leave the house or get into the car with someone else she would yell out the window, “Don’t be drinking and driving!” Which was her way of saying I love you.
She taught us how to dance… How to be humble…. How to cope… and how to forgive.
She taught us that it is okay to be a little ornery sometimes.
She taught us to be kind, to care for one another, and she taught us how to love.
And as we grow older, we begin to realize how we as humans have the ability to cope. Sometimes terrible things happen, and if we could foresee these events, we would say we could never handle them. However, they do happen, and we do handle them. We handle them by relying on our friends, our families, on God and on the fact that we are not permanent residents of this world. Sometimes the death of a loved one reminds us that this life is very short and that each day we are given should be treated as a great blessing. The realization that we are called to a higher standard and will answer for our lives one day. An opportunity to tell our loved ones how we feel about them. An adjustment of priorities. A realization of our destiny.
There is a rolodex of daily bible verses on my sister’s piano. I thought today’s verse (May 28) is especially fitting.
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31
That little brick house on North 9th street, no bigger than a bird cage, is empty now. But the trees and heaven seem much more alive. Thank you mom for teaching us all how to fly.

Mayberry excerpt by Joey Fann, “The Way Back to Mayberry, Lessons from a Simpler Time”

I was driving back to St. Paul yesterday afternoon heading to the Capitol, a place I had left only a few hours earlier, as the sun was rising in the east. The Twins game blared on the radio, our favorite nine well on their way to losing their third game in a row to the dreaded New York Yankees. Earlier in the morning, the Senate had just sent the Governor a 3rd balanced budget, uncertain if it would be the third rejected proposal in a row, for the Minnesota legislature.
Fast forward to Monday morning, just before 7am. The Senate will reconvene in about 30 minutes after an all night wait to get the final bill drafted ready to hand to the Governor. Surprisingly, a lot has changed in the last 24 hours. The Twins didn’t lose their 3rd game in a row. Jason Kubel hit a dramatic grand slam in the 8th inning sending them to a much needed win over the Bronx Bombers. And the Minnesota legislature avoided a strike out with another veto from Governor Pawlenty. The bill was crafted with some agreement on an early enrollment option for Medical Assistance, a few more cuts to health care and other areas, additional cost shifts including delayed aid payments to schools. The bill is not ideal. While there are no direct cuts to schools or nursing homes, it relies on too many budget balancing gimmicks, over use of borrowing, and direct and indirect cuts to essential services.
But the Governor’s signature on this bill will salvage the weekend; bring a close to the session, while essentially avoiding extra innings. Just as Twins fans found an unexpected glimmer of hope in the Big Apple, the Minnesota legislature found unexpected agreement with the Governor. It must be time for a break. Hey, I see the Yanks are in town next week.

The DFL convention came to a close last night shortly before midnight with Margaret Anderson-Kelliher securing the endorsement after a spirited battle for delegates. I returned home this morning, a bit weary but energized as well. The candidates were extremely passionate in speech after speech offering insight about what we could do as a state with new vision in the Governor’s office. When not working the crowd myself, I sat with friends and neighbors, District 25 delegates, for much of the day. One of those delegates, an eighteen year old and former student in my Civics class, experienced his first State party convention. Others had years and years of convention experience. Delegates had different ideas about who the next Minnesota Governor should be. Four of us sitting in close proximity, all cast different votes for different candidates: Rybak, Kelliher, Marty, and Thissen, eventually settling in on the two candidates left standing. When Rybak conceded at around 11:30pm we all shook hands, donned our Anderson-Kelliher buttons, headed into the Duluth evening knowing there would be much work left to do.

Growing up, the Public Library was always one of my favorite stops when headed downtown. It provided a lot of fond memories. I recall the joy in reading every one of the books in the Hardy Boys series. Having completed that goal, I even started reading the Nancy Drew mysteries (although I never shared that with the neighbor kids). Signing your name to the library card was always a source of pride and satisfaction. Seeing classmates, neighbors, town folks both young and old, gathered at the library was a comforting part of my childhood, an experience I will happily pass on to my own children.
Yesterday, I attended the grand opening of the Lonsdale Public library. Judging by the number of people in attendance, you knew that this brand new facility, with both library and a beautiful new community room, was a popular and welcome addition to their town. Neighbor to the Three Links Care facility, it provides a great space for citizens of all ages to come together to share not only the joy that books can bring, but a reason and opportunity to visit and share time with each other.
While the Northfield Carnegie Library will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this April, the brand new Lonsdale library becomes only the 2nd new library to be built in Minnesota in the past year. That is a great accomplishment. Whether brand new or a century old, the town library strengthens a community through literacy, providing access to information, intellectual freedom, and fostering lifelong learning and enrichment.
At a time when community budgets become strained due to economic realities, we need to do whatever we can to support these valuable community assets. The services, programs, and resources, and memories they provide are too valuable to take for granted.

Eminent domain is basically a situation where someone wants to take away the property you own and the law allows that entity to use a lawsuit against you to acquire it…even though a FOR SALE sign never existed.

SF1112 came to me over a year ago. I had heard the concerns of landowners and farmers at town meetings, scheduled appointments, emails, and phone calls. The Minnesota Pipeline had rolled through their farms and property a couple of years ago and with the CapX2020 transmission line seemingly on a similar path, these constituents wanted change.

In 2006, the Minnesota legislature overhauled the eminent domain laws. Tougher laws were passed as it relates to the condemning of private land. However, Public Service Corporations were given an exemption from the same laws that government entities were required to follow when exercising easements, right of ways, or the taking of land. The exemption became an issue when landowners were failing to get legitimate offers for their land and the exempt utility companies did not have to get appraisals for the land, negotiate in good faith, or pay attorney fees or damages when a business was negatively affected. Low ball offers were commonplace and property owners were paying thousands of dollars in appraisals, mediation, attorney fees to defend their property rights.

SF1112 puts transmission lines and pipelines under the same statute essentially ending their 3 year exemption. A version of that bill (as an amendment) passed the Minnesota Senate last week with a wide margin of support. A similar bill, authored by Representative David Bly, has passed the House.

While I am the chief author of the bill, this legislation really belongs to people like Russell and Judy Martin, Joyce Osborn, John Schmick, and others who have worked so hard and for so long to bring fairness back to a process that had none. This legislation is a real victory for Minnesota’s property owners.

Representative David Bly and I will be holding a town meeting this Monday, March 29 from 7:00-8:00pm at the Northfield Public Library. With the legislative session nearing the halfway point, we welcome the opportunity to hear your concerns and thoughts about the issues facing Minnesotans. If you are unable to attend, as always, please contact me to express your concerns about the economy, jobs, education, the environment, energy, or health care. I am always willing to listen. We’re in this together, and I’ll do my best for you.

This past Saturday, I received the endorsement of the DFL party at the Senate District 25 endorsing convention in Montgomery. Representative David Bly received the endorsement for House District 25B and the Mick McGuire, Mayor of Montgomery, received the House District 25A endorsement. There were no challengers to the three endorsed candidates. An excerpt from my acceptance speech:

While I reaffirm my commitment to the party, I also want to pledge to continue to do my best to represent all Minnesotans… Republicans and Democrats, Independents, and others. When we stop working together, our legislature becomes a haven for special interests and personal agendas.

I believe together we can meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities that lay before us. What will break the people of District 25 is not adversity – we’ve been here before. What will break our spirit is thinking that tomorrow is going to be just like yesterday. If we think that government cannot change that which is broken, we lose interest, we lose faith, we lose the people…but worst of all, we lose the future.

Yesterday, the Minnesota Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto of a bill that would basically eliminate General Assistance Medical Care. There are numerous reasons why the Senate feels this is the right thing to do. Among them:
• The Governor’s veto of the GAMC will take away health care for 85,000 poor and very sick Minnesotans.
• The legislature’s plan maintains coverage for 50,000 more people than the Governor’s plan also for a longer period of time – sixteen months (Legislature) vs. one to six (Governor).
• The Governor’s plan will cost $254 million to cover 21,000 GAMC recipients. Our proposal will cover 85,000 Minnesotans for $252 million.
• Our plan cuts costs through smart reforms and better cost sharing. The Governor offsets the cost of his plan by eliminating health care coverage for more than 20,000 working Minnesotans. This bill is cost neutral and does not raise taxes.
• The Governor’s veto will cost thousands of hospital jobs across the state and force hospitals to shut down programs or close their doors. Failure to provide prescription drugs and care for some of those suffering mental illness could lead to jails becoming the access point for health care.
• Those on the program make less than $8000/year. Thousands of those using GAMC are Veterans.
The House will take up the bill on Monday. They had bipartisan support on the bill’s first vote there a last week. An override would mean three Republicans would need to stick with their first vote. Simply put – this is the right thing to do for thousands of the poorest and sickest Minnesotans.