Next Letter to the Editor - Transportation Issues - Vote Perovich & DFL vs GOP's Whelan in 35A

I've sent the following Letter to the Editor of the ABC Newspapers, hoping it will be printed this month, although I've checked, and it will not be in the September 19th print editions...   As the letter notes, expect next year at the Legislature to be focused on our transportation issues - this means infrastructure concerns, movement of people and goods, long-term sustainability of a late-20th Century transportation system....  Over in Anoka & Ramsey, I think Peter Perovich has long-focused on these issues in his campaigns.  I see Abigail Whelan has adopted a position on this issue, as she attempts to move her focus away from just the evangelical Christian Right issues that she first announced her campaign would fight for when she announced last winter.  The rare Republicans who chose to vote for forward thinking and overrode the Pawlenty veto, suffered the repercussions in their party, just as the few who supported same-sex marriage have suffered in 2014.  Last session, Abeler, Scott and Petersen all marched in lock-step against the DFL majority's transportation bill.  Why should we expect any differently of young Whelan - does anything about her convey an independent streak that would vote against her party leadership on such matters?  Here's my letter...

To the Editor –

 

2015 is going to be the year of transportation.  Governor Mark Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and House Speaker Paul Thissen have all declared transportation funding to be the top priority next year.

 

Minnesota needs to expand its transit options, make better connections for bicycling and walking, repair its aging roads, and replace its 100-plus deficient bridges.

 

Fixing the transportation deficit will create jobs, and improve our safety, our health and our environment.

 

Peter Perovich, the DFL candidate for the State House in District 35A, writes (http://peterperovich.org), “Our transportation must be safe and reliable for families and businesses; we need to improve our roadways.  I will continue to invest in roadways and Anoka County’s transportation.  I will work to make Highway 10 a freeway, not a highway that slows commuters.  I will also work to address the public concern with Highway 47.”

 

To be fair, Peter Perovich’s Republican opponent has also put forth a strong pro-road safety and Highway 10 improvement package among her key issues.  But, that’s meaningless when her party votes against responsible transportation bills, simply to oppose the DFL majority.  In 2013, HF 1444, the Transportation Finance Bill Conference Committee Report, was opposed by conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity, and sure enough, area Republicans Abeler, Scott and Petersen each voted against it.  Why would we expect differently from Abigail Whelan?  The last time a Transportation Bill had helped our area, in 2008, both Republicans Abeler and Tinglestad became notorious members of the “Override Six” for voting against Governor Pawlenty’s veto – and Tinglestad was later forced out.

 

The DFL-led legislature accomplished much for Minnesota in 2013-2014.  By electing Peter Perovich on November 4th, voters can expect support for these DFL platform positions in the 2015-2016 legislative session:

·         Support a comprehensive transportation-funding package that will generate new economic development opportunities throughout the state;

·         Support strong public investment in transportation infrastructure to address structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges and roads;

·         Support healthy urban growth through regional light rail and other mass transportation systems.