Sunday, December 16, 2012
"The most recent surplus allows us to completely repay the K-12 funding which was shifted as part of the budget solution in 2011."
- OPINION
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Sunday, December 16, 2012
Dear Neighbor, The Stensrud family hopes you and yours are enjoying a blessed holiday season in the warm company of loved ones. Please use extra caution out on the roads. You may have seen Minnesota Management & Budget recently issued an updated economic forecast. It revealed two key things: The fiscal discipline we brought to St. Paul continues to produce results, yet key challenges remain. First, the good news. The MMB report shows a $1.3 billion surplus for the current biennium. This is the third-straight forecast which calls for revenue above and beyond previous projections. We had an $876 million surplus in November of 2011, followed by a $323 million surplus in February, for a total of $2.5 billion in surplus revenue for the biennium…
Friday, October 26, 2012
The most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments from around the west metro between Oct. 19 and Oct. 25.
Each week, Patch users contribute numerous insights, opinions and observations. The following is a collection of the most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments that appeared on Patch sites in Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield, Shakopee, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Click on the headline to read the full story and join in the conversation. (The comments below are not meant to reflect the opinions of Patch or its staff.) *** Who Won the Presidential Debate?: Twin Cities Patch Reacts The two candidates for President of the United States addressed issues of foreign policy. Who presented his case better, President Barack Obama or challenger Mitt Romney? You tell us. Scott …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
'In no way was (the Kirk Stensrud Senior Expo) a campaign activity.'
- ELECTIONS
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012
To the editor: A blog post recently falsely claimed that the Senior Expo put on by Rep. Kirk Stensrud was a campaign event. This is simply not true. The Senior Expo was a constituent service event coordinated by Rep Stensrud. We need more efforts like this to help link senior citizens in our communities to services and volunteer activities. Senior Expos present citizens of all ages the chance to discover ways to volunteer to help their neighbors and make our community stronger. No one before Rep. Stensrud took the time and effort to bring together seniors with services that can benefit them and where they can use their talents. In no way was this event a campaign activity. Other state representatives host senior expos for their …
Friday, October 19, 2012
"He is a small business owner who knows job creation and business growth can’t happen with over burdensome regulations and a rush to higher taxes without meaningful tax and spending reforms."
- OPINION
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Friday, October 19, 2012
To the Editor, This election is important if we are going to move our state forward. Our economy and job creation must be a top priority for our state. That’s why I am supporting Representative Kirk Stensrud for re-election. He is a small business owner who knows job creation and business growth can’t happen with over burdensome regulations and a rush to higher taxes without meaningful tax and spending reforms. He is a proven leader when it comes to supporting education reforms that put kids first and work to close the achievement gap for students in underperforming schools. Our children, our future workforce, need heroes who stand up against the status quo and stand strong for innovation and excellence in all classrooms. Stensrud …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
"We should all feel most proud of the contributions of Hann, Stensrud and Loon and grateful the result was not a tax increase."
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
To the Editor: Eden Prairie and Minnetonka are well represented in high places in the Minnesota Legislature. The near miraculous fiscal turn-around did not just happen. Inefficiencies were discovered in education, health care entitlements and many more major programs. The hardworking team of Rep. Jenifer Loon, Rep. Kirk Stensrud and Senator David Hann worked effectively, dealing with complex pieces of legislation designed to streamline and improve state government. It has been suggested that slight-of-hand accounting methods are largely responsible with erasing the multi-billion dollar deficit faced by our determined Republican team, but this was not the case. Rep. Loon and Rep. Stensrud sit on the House Commerce Committee and Senator…
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Simon: Aho, Duckstad, Loon, Stensrud and Hann 'serve the interests of all of the taxpayers.'
To the Editor: We are coming up to a truly major choice election. We will not simply be choosing candidates, but choosing the direction for our city, our state, and country. A look at the issues, positions and rhetoric of the two sides is very revealing. The general pattern is that conservatives such as Brad Aho and Jon Duckstad for the Eden Prairie City Council, Jenifer Loon and Kirk Stensrud for the Minnesota House, and David Hann for the Minnesota Senate all serve the interests of all of the taxpayers in their balanced approach to local government. I have had the privilege of getting to know each of these fine people and can vouch for their integrity, dedication and hard work. As all are in office or have been, I have seen what they …
Monday, October 8, 2012
"I hoped that we could make it thru the election year without false smears against local candidates."
- OPINION
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Monday, October 8, 2012
To the Editor: I’m writing in regards to an attack ad on Representative Kirk Stensrud. The ad repeats a lie this special interest group has used across Minnesota with claims that media outlets have investigated and found to be false. The fact is, as reported by WCCO television on September 17, 2012, that 32 percent of Minnesota homeowners saw reduced property taxes last year. Homeowners are expected to see another decrease this year according to a report by the nonpartisan House Fiscal Department. I hoped that we could make it thru the election year without false smears against local candidates. These ads against Kirk with “facts” so untrue that even WCCO had to call them out for lying mean my hopes are dashed. I would urge anyone who …
"One of his niches is in picking out waste wherever he sees it, even small programs that his fellow representatives often feel is a waste of time."
- OPINION
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Monday, October 8, 2012
To the Editor: I must address Yvonne Selcer's claims that she is making in her literature regarding being "bipartisan" and willing to "reach across the aisle." Earlier this summer Yvonne was making her way through our neighborhood dropping off literature and speaking to people. I was in the street with some neighbors when she came over and introduced herself. I introduced myself to her and extended my hand as I told her I was the vice chair of our precinct's Republican caucus. Her hands went up and she backed away as if I was offering her a dirty Kleenex. She said, "well, then you don't want to talk to me." I told her on the contrary that I'd be happy to talk with her. I told her I think it's important that we stay engaged with one another…
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
"I want to elect candidates who are skilled listeners, interested in collaborating with colleagues no matter what party s/he represents."
- OPINION
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012
To the Editor: Are you as disgusted as I by negative campaigning? Almost everyone I speak with is! Voters want to hear solutions from candidates, not negative comments about opponents. I have never registered with a party and am proud that in my long voting history, I have voted for candidates not parties. I do my homework and choose candidates who represent my beliefs. In this campaign season, I have been appalled by the negativity demonstrated in the state races. I have received 3-4 mailers sharing Representative Kirk Stensrud’s (48A incumbent) accomplishments; the reverse side of one of those included negative information about opponent, Yvonne Selcer. In addition, I have received 4 mailers specifically negatively representing …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
"The glossy mailers for Kirk Stensrud, however, claim Yvonne increased our property taxes and increased our school budget by 120 percent. What to do?"
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
To the Editor: Two weeks ago I was invited for coffee and a Q&A with Yvonne Selcer. Having students in the Hopkins School District, I knew that during her term as Board Treasurer and Chair, Yvonne improved the Districts’ finances, was recognized for the board’s excellence in fiscal management and reporting and helped put technology in students hands that will provide long-term financial benefits (reduced book, paper and reproduction costs) while also providing students and teachers access to digital learning content. The glossy mailers for Kirk Stensrud, however, claim Yvonne increased our property taxes and increased our school budget by 120%. What to do? I put the glossy down, reached across the table, checked facts, and debated my …
David
1:23 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Yep, that's him. Intimidator, agitator, harrasser and journalist pretender. Folks can see just who Tommy is in all his unhinged flakiness at the link below as he harasses a person trying to record a 2010 debate. Not the first time he's done this and had to be forcibly removed from an event for disrupting. He is the true face or Progressive liberalism in all its hatred and intolerance. http://www.… more ›