The Notables from the Transportation BIll Vote
The final vote on the bloated Transportation Funding went as follows - 83 Democrats and 6 Republicans voted FOR the Transportation bill and 42 Republicans and 2 Democrats voted against it. The 6 Republicans who voted for the bill were:
Rep. Jim Abler (48B)
Rep. Ron Erhardt (41A)
Rep. Rod Hamilton (22B)
Rep. Bud Heidgerken (13A)
Rep Neil Peterson (41A)
Rep Kathy Tinglestad (49B)
Word has it that Rep. Peterson was bought out by a pork project for his district.
The 2 Democrats who voted against the pork fest were:
Rep. John Lesch (66A) and Mary Ellen Otremba (11B).
For those of you who are so inclined, a phone call or two (politely of course) to between now and next Tuesday (when the House is tenatively scheduled to take up the over-ride vote) reminding the 6 "Republican" legislators that the citizens of Minnesota ARE overtaxed enough as it is thank you very much might be in order. Furthermore, a reminder that Section 1 of the Republican Party of Minnesota standing platform (which starts off as follows):
Republicans believe that limited government is the best government and that free enterprise is the best path to prosperity for all Minnesotans. We support reducing taxes, spending and regulation to create business opportunities for our hard-working families and businesses. Therefore, we support:
A. Reducing the burden of existing taxation on our economy, supporting President Bush's tax cuts and making those cuts permanent; abolishing federal and state capital gains taxes as well as taxes on marriage, sickness, death, or inheritance; and keeping Internet access and sales free of taxation.
B. Limiting the ability of Congress and the Legislature to use tax increases as the first solution to every problem by requiring a supermajority vote in Congress or the Minnesota Legislature to enact such increases; by a state Constitutional amendment limiting growth in state spending to inflation plus population growth; by requiring that all state surpluses be returned to the taxpayers in proportion to the taxes paid; and adopting a United States Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget.
might be in order. Emphasis above is mine, but you get the point! Until the Legislature gets their spending priorities in order (roads and bridges, roads and bridges, ROADS AND BRIDGES) then we the people should not support any new taxes or any legislators who support raising taxes on an already over-burdened populace.
Cross posted at Ladies Logic where your comments are always welcome.
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