Capitol View: May 26, 2006 Archive

Dorman out

Posted at 11:59 AM on May 26, 2006 by Bob Collins

Add him to the list (below). Here's his press release.

ST. PAUL * Rep. Dan Dorman (R-Albert Lea) today announced that he is retiring from office, and will not run for reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 27A, representing Freeborn County. Dorman was first elected to the seat in 1998 and has served four terms.

"Eight years is a long time, "Dorman said. "And even though I'm not a fan of term limits, I sensed it was a good time to step away from the capitol and politics to spend a little more quality time with my family and run my business.

"There is never a bad time to re-tire," added Dorman, a Goodyear Tire dealer.

Dorman, 43, was an early advocate for continuing state support for the state's ethanol industry, helping to ensure a plant was built in nearby Glenville, and backing requirements that ethanol be blended in all gasoline sold in the state. As a result, farmers have had a profitable new market for their corn and the air got cleaner in the Twins Cities.

One byproduct of Dorman's early advocacy is that ethanol is in demand worldwide in response to rising oil prices.

"I'm not smart enough to have been a visionary to see that ethanol and biodiesel would be filling major gaps in fuel supplies," Dorman said. "But I sure do feel proud that Minnesota was well positioned to be a leader in ethanol production."

Into his second term, Dorman was focused on economic development in Greater Minnesota, advocating incentives for businesses to grow and expand. He said he is still concerned that Greater Minnesota is losing influence at the State Capitol.

He also became an influential spokesman on the House Tax Committee, decrying inequities in the property tax system that often disadvantage Greater Minnesota communities. And when the state was faced with a budget crisis in 2003, Dorman often bucked members of his own party in opposing reductions in Local Government Aid which hit many rural cities hard.

"We're still trying to remedy many of the missteps we took in fixing that budget crisis," Dorman said.

Over his last term, Dorman served as chair of the House Capital Investment Committee, successfully brokering two $1 billion bonding bills between the House & Senate, and amid political in-fights between Republicans and DFLers.

"The secret is talking with people," Dorman said. "If you understand their needs, there's more room for compromise. That was a missing ingredient, I think, during the legislative gridlock in 2005."

Dorman and his wife, Mary Jo, have two children, Christopher and Matthew.

-0-

Republicans
Sen. Bob Kierlin - Winona
Sen Michele Bachmann
Rep. Jeff Johnson - Plymouth
Rep. Jerry Dempsey
Rep.Barb Sykora
Rep.Fran Bradley
Rep. Ron Abrams
Rep. Scott Newman
Rep. Char Samuelson
Rep. Jim Knoblach
Rep. Andy Westerberg
Rep. Ray Vandeveer
Rep. Dan Dorman

Democrats
Sen. Becky Lourey
Sen. John Hottinger
Sen. Sharon Marko
Sen. Jane Ranum
Sen. Wes Skoglund
Sen. Sheila Kiscaden
Rep. Ruth Johnson
Rep. Barb Goodwin
Rep. Keith Ellison
Rep. Katie Sieben
Rep. Dan Larson
Rep. Matt Entenza - St. Paul

Goodbye, Jayne

Posted at 12:41 PM on May 26, 2006 by Bob Collins

This isn't about politics, per se, but sometimes you just have to indulge me or hit the BACK button on the old browser. But I think you'll find this interesting.

Jayne Solinger, the producer of MPR's All Things Considered, is about to embark on her last few days at Minnesota Public Radio before she moves to Atlanta to do...well... I'm not really sure what it is she's going to do , but whatever it is, she'll be the best person doing it.

I've always enjoyed the behind-the-scenes anonymity of the radio business (which I recognize has disappeared for me since I started Polinaut and was asked to do Current newscasts). I think the behind-the-scenes people are fabulous, partly because they really are often the "straw that stirs the drink." That's not to say the on-air folks aren't great; they are. But they're all you hear and while they tell you the whole story, you can't really get the whole story -- if you know what I mean.

What's happening behind the scenes in this business is usually controlled chaos. Sure, it sounds easy when you're sitting in the car listening, and that's a testament to the job they do. What you don't see is the last-minute breaking story that just eliminated an entire day of planning. You don't see the reporter coming out of a production booth at 5:18 p.m., shouting "DCART (the digital audio system) just crashed and ate my story," a story that you were scheduled to hear at 5:20 p.m., the premier spot on All Things Considered. You don't hear the give-and-take between a boss who thinks you should hear a story about national elections in East Nowhereyoucareabout, and a producer who says, "you know, I'm sure East Nowhereyoucareabout is important, but the Minnesota House just passed a bill prohibiting the sale of certain video games to kids under 17 and that might have some impact locally, doncha think?" in a way that doesn't get the producer fired, but gets the story she's convinced is more important on the air.

There are a lot of people in the business who wilt under that. Not only does Jayne thrive in it, she does so while smiling and telling jokes.

You don't see the people staying here late because there's something you should hear; the missed anniversaries, or birthdays. You don't hear the one word a producer takes out of a lead to a story that is the difference between music to the ear and a verbal assault.

More often that not, you might hear perfection (or what comes close to it), but you don't hear the person behind the scenes demanding it of herself, and -- because of that -- the dozens of people who respect her so much, that they demand it of themselves too.

We had a little party for her in the newsroom a week or so ago, and reporter Annie Baxter told the story of when she moved down from Collegeville a year or so ago and Jayne took her in to her home (which apparently she renovated with her own two hands and a butter knife). On Annie's birthday, a bouquet of flowers waited for her at the top of her stairs. They were, of course, from Jayne.

There's lots of people who make the engine go at MPR. Jayne not only is the best of this lot, she's the best of any lot. In all the usual hubub about public radio and the money thing that, let's face it, we hear all the time... let me tell you, MPR members, you got your money's worth with Jayne.

This is a transient business and for all the benefits of being in it, one of the parts of it that wears thin, is the part where you're always saying goodbye to good people.

You probably never met Jayne Solinger before. But now you have. And if you're like us here at MPR, you miss her already.

She's got a few days to go, but I'm posting this today becaue Polinaut will be off the grid for a week or so.

One more

Posted at 4:52 PM on May 26, 2006 by Bob Collins (11 Comments)

As rumored, Rep. Irv. Anderson is calling it quits. So, updating the list:

Republicans
Sen. Bob Kierlin - Winona
Sen Michele Bachmann
Rep. Jeff Johnson - Plymouth
Rep. Jerry Dempsey
Rep.Barb Sykora
Rep.Fran Bradley
Rep. Ron Abrams
Rep. Scott Newman
Rep. Char Samuelson
Rep. Jim Knoblach
Rep. Andy Westerberg
Rep. Ray Vandeveer
Rep. Dan Dorman

Democrats
Sen. Becky Lourey
Sen. John Hottinger
Sen. Sharon Marko
Sen. Jane Ranum
Sen. Wes Skoglund
Sen. Sheila Kiscaden
Rep. Ruth Johnson
Rep. Barb Goodwin
Rep. Keith Ellison
Rep. Katie Sieben
Rep. Dan Larson
Rep. Matt Entenza
Rep. Irv Anderson

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