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.

In my new role as Chair of the SD 35 DFL (Andover, Anoka, Ramsey, part of Coon Rapids), I have been busy with conventions, meetings, fundraisers, candidate searching, and writing letters to the editor.  Here's a piece I've written for the ABC Newspapers, particularly the Anoka Union-Herald, that I hope runs later this month...

To the Editor –

As we move into the community parade and county fair season, many of you will begin meeting the candidates for office this fall.  In our Anoka area, I hope you take notice of two endorsed DFL candidates:  Joe Perske for Congress and Peter Perovich for State Representative, District 35A.

We were blessed in this area, in my younger days, by some really good representation – Jim Oberstar and Bill Luther in the US House, and in St. Paul by Republicans like Chuck, John and Charlie Weaver and Democrats like Gene Merriam, Darby Nelson and Leo Foley.  These were thoughtful, prudent leaders, who were elected to govern, to make government better, and to find solutions with their fellow legislators – on both sides of the aisle – to fix problems, take care of our environment, and care for the citizenry, within the State’s fiscal means.  We’ve seen this type of approach to government from Republican Jim Abeler for many years, and from our neighboring Democrats Jerry Newton and John Hoffman.

This is not the way Republicans Mark Kennedy and Michele Bachmann represented us in Congress the past dozen years.  It is not the way that Republicans Tom Emmer or Rhonda Sivarajah plan to represent us in Washington if elected this fall.  It is not the way that Republicans Abigail Whelan or Justin Boals plan to represent us in St. Paul if elected this fall.

My party has endorsed two thoughtful, prudent leaders to represent the Anoka/Ramsey area in Washington and St. Paul next year.  Elect Joe Perske to Congress this fall, whether he faces Emmer or Sivarajah.  Joe Perske has been the non-partisan, but bi-partisan Mayor of Sartell, and before that was a City Council member.  A long time Phy Ed teacher, coach and competitive marathoner, Joe has led his teacher’s union, has been a leader in his church, and has been a community leader in the St. Cloud-Sartell area.  This outdoorsman is a warm, genuine, thoughtful man, who is a fixer – a problem-solver.  Sartell faced economic ruin when its paper mill burned a few years ago.  Mayor Perske and his Council worked to keep Sartell economically viable, and today, as a “bedroom suburb” of St. Cloud – similar in many ways to Ramsey and Andover and Coon Rapids- Sartell is booming and growing quickly.  This is a man who will represent the traditional, conservative values he grew up with, but who has demonstrated purposefulness in using government to better his community, not to tear down the fabric of government.

Elect Peter Perovich to the State House for District 35A (Anoka and Ramsey), whether he faces Whelan or Boals.  Peter Perovich grew up here, the son of a District 11 High School Principal and Mayor of Anoka.  His family’s roots are in making our schools work better.  His own vocational interests lie in protecting the outdoor quality of life that we have grown to love – and depend on economically – over the past half century.  This is a Democrat in keeping with a Merriam or a Nelson or a Foley – moderates who find a positive way for government to work on behalf of all of us – not just the few.  Peter Perovich will not bring a hidden agenda, designed to eliminate the government, to St. Paul.  He will not use the State Capitol as a forum to advocate one’s own religious beliefs.  He will not use the State Capitol as a forum to take away your Constitutional rights – whether that’s your right to vote, your right to marry, your right to bear arms, your right to free speech, or your right to privacy.  He will not use the State Capitol to leverage the state budget against your schools, against programs to fix our infrastructure, or against the evolving health care system in order to score points for a social agenda or their anti-government, libertarian friends.

Joe Perske and Peter Perovich – these are good people who will make great representatives for our area!

 

Wes Volkenant

Chair, Senate District 35 DFL