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Runaway spending in Washington, D.C., has to stop, says Lee Byberg, who wants to be the generation that stops it. Increasing tax revenue and reducing costs are the only two ways to reach a balanced federal budget, Byberg said Saturday morning at a Beltrami Republicans pancake breakfast rally. And the way to increase revenue is "by reducing individual and corporate taxes," he said.
In an apparent move to satisfy State Department terrorist concerns, some Beltrami County licensing services will be transferred to the state. In a decision between processing passport applications or issuing state identification cards and first-time driver's licenses, the passports won out. "Between the customer service and the revenue to the county, the decision to keep passports and transfer the identification cards to the state was a win-win decision for the county," County Auditor-Treasurer Kay Mack said in a memo to commissioners as they take up the issue during their regular meeting 5
Annette Meeks, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer's running mate, would redesign state government. While the race for lieutenant governor isn't as visible as it is for their bosses, each has been tasked with a duty if the team is elected. Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, Democrat Mark Dayton's running mate, would establish an office of senior services within the lieutenant governor's office.
Even though he voted against federal health care reform, the legislation must move forward, with changes, says U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, DFL-7th District. "The bad things outweighed the good things," Peterson said Wednesday while meeting with a handful of Bemidji State University Democrats and Beltrami County legislators.
Minnesotans will travel more next year, says John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota, the state's tourism agency. "There's a pent-up demand," Edman said Thursday in an interview.
Services for the elderly would be elevated to a spot in the lieutenant governor's office under a Mark Dayton administration, says his running mate. "The senior population is going to increase by 40 percent in the next 10 years," Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, DFL-Duluth, said Tuesday in an interview.
Closure of a trail near Blackduck and an appeal from a logger being denied work in Beltrami County highlight commissioners' work on Tuesday. Larry Zea of Blackduck is protesting the closure of Pimushe Trail by the U.S.
When an online newspaper labeled the 7th District U.S. House race as "tight," Rep. Collin Peterson decided to release polling showing him 34 points up on Republican Lee Byberg. "I haven't really done much polling, but this MinnPost.com story got a few people stirred up and they wanted me to release the numbers," Democrat Peterson said in a telephone interview Friday. "I don't want to hear any more stories about winning by a razor-thin margin," he said. "Thirty-four points is not razor-thin." Polling done between Sept.
With much hoopla after years of anticipation, the first puck dropped Friday night at the Bemidji Regional Event Center, signaling a new era for Bemidji State men's hockey. Three lawmakers responsible for gaining the $25 million in state bonding for the nearly $50 million project - Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, Sen. Dave Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, and former House Speaker Steve Sviggum - dropped the ceremonial first puck at the BREC. Olson and Tomassoni steered the bill through the Senate to be included in the 2008 bonding bill.
Republicans want government out of business' way so it can grow jobs, while Democrats want a return to tax fairness -- taxing the wealthy -- that will create new jobs. Both ways, they say, will help solve a $6 billion state budget deficit. Local House and Senate candidates debated the issue Thursday night at Bemidji City Hall in a forum sponsored by Citizens for an Informed Electorate, a committee of community members interested in bringing candidate views to the public through forums. Answering questions from the audience were Senate 2 Sen.