10/26/04
Study candidates' stands on issues concerning you
Voters in suburban communities hold the key to any major change in the Minnesota House of Representatives for the next legislative session. In the first, second and third tier suburban communities, there are 39 Republican and 14 Democratic House members, a total of 53 or 39 percent of the House membership.
Last session, the Republican Party held 81 seats compared to the Democratic Party's 53 seats.With such a majority, the Republicans in the House trimmed $4.1 billion from the state's budget, without raising state taxes.
The legislators cut $1.1 billion from the Health and Human Services, $5 million from early childhood education, $185 million for each of two years from the University of Minnesota budget and pushed back 160 highway projects.
This same Legislature met this year and could not pass a bonding bill. All 187 House members are up for election and reelection this year. While the Republican Party is expected to keep its majority, the Democratic Party optimistically believes it can hold and elect 12 to 15 seats, possibly five more in the suburban communities.
Since this is a presidential election year in which a heavy turnout is predicted, this should be a good referendum on the performance of legislators elected in 2002. Suburban communities votes cannot be taken for granted, although they have a moderate conservative profile. They want the best services for their tax dollars, but are willing to pay more for education, solving the traffic congestion problem and helping those in dire need.
What is uppermost in the minds of suburban residents? All the feedback suggests that the priorities in suburban communities are transportation, transportation and transportation, followed by taxes, public education funding and quality and access to health care and nursing home care.
In the face of those needs is a projected budget deficit ranging from $400 million to $1 billion.
If there is one common denominator among suburban community residents, it is household debt, a high mortgage and two-earner families. There is a reluctance to pay higher taxes at all levels, particularly on property. Property taxes go up locally when state tax aid to counties, school districts and cities is cut.
Republican lawmakers prefer to cut aid from the state and let local units of government decide how to balance the budget. Local units, however, have few options to cut the budget: restrain or cut spending, raise fees of all kinds or raise the property tax rate.
This is the time to study the record of legislators running for office, rather than just voting for a name or a political party.
Taxes is a good place to start. Some suburban Republican legislators are proud of their no-tax pledge and would renew it, while others and Democratic candidates have not taken the pledge.
One tax to examine is the gas tax, where the proceeds would go to build roads, bridges and transit. Another is the motor vehicle excise tax which now goes into the general fund. Funds from casinos to support state services will be debated and no doubt decided in the next legislative session.
A voter concerned about state services should know the candidate's position on cutting spending, and examining just what services they would cut.
The candidate's position on transportation funding deserves voter scrutiny. In the suburban communities, there is no greater concern than the congestion on cities highways and streets. Some say the rush hour congestion now starts at 2 p.m. and lasts until 7 p.m.
This calls into question the candidate's position on raising the gas tax and support for a transit system, which includes light rail, commuter rail, toll charges and upgraded roads and highways.
The bottom line is to study the candidates' positions on issues important to you and cast a thoughtful vote, rather than complain later about those who affect you and your pocketbook. -- Don Heinzman
HometownSource.com
ECM Publishers, Inc.
4095 Coon Rapids Blvd.
Coon Rapids, MN 55433
