The Daily Digest: 11-30-06

Posted at 10:26 AM on November 30, 2006 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

MPR's Laura McCallum leads the digest today. Laura spent yesterday cleaning off her desk at MPR's Capitol Bureau. She's headed back downtown to cover education for MPR. Laura has been covering politics, the Legislature and state government since 1999 and became bureau chief in 2000. She has always been a tough but fair reporter who kept an even tone when some of her colleagues (ahem, um, me) sometimes got a little bit intense.

Her institutional knowledge, passion for reporting and humor will be missed by those of us who cover the Legislature on a daily basis. You'll still see her around the Capitol since she'll be covering education matters at the Legislature. Imagine how much more fun she'll have covering education funding debates instead of tax policy debates. Lucky duck.

But does anyone find it ironic that Laura leaves the beat and there's a $2 billion surplus?

MPR has a write through featuring the surplus and the scrum for the dough.

The Star Tribune focuses on the big 'ol number and who's in line.

Why is this a big deal, you ask? Check out this timeline.

The Pi Press focuses on Pawlenty's reversal on a tax rebate. He now says it should come in the form of a property tax rebate and an unspecified business tax rebate.

AP and Forum Communications focus on the rebate as well

ECM Publishers say state lawmakers were surprised by the size of the surplus

DFL Representative Tom Rukavina says bad math was used and that the budget surplus is much smaller.

A Pi Press editorial warns about boom and bust budgeting.

A Star Tribune editorial also urges restraint.

The Pulse of the Twin Cities says the push for LGA increases is on.

The Minnesota Daily has a profile on DFL Senator Linda Berglin, the top health policy expert in that body.

Congress

Keith Ellison is mentioned in a Washington Post story that says Muslims are gaining ground.

There's also a bunch of conservatives who are outraged that Ellison intends to swear on a Koran when he takes the oath of office. Here's one link to that issue. The Wall Street Journal also writes about it in its blog. They quote someone saying a Congressman can take the oath on any book.

Ellison is also mentioned in a Minnesota Daily story on the minimum wage.

DFL Congressman-elect Tim Walz and the DFL Party's executive director will be speaking at the Democratic National Committee's Executive Committee meeting this weekend.

KQAD-FM says Gutknecht doesn't take his loss personally.

DFL Congressman Jim Oberstar is mentioned in this story over a battle looming over airline investors.

He also intends to meet with area realtors in Brainerd.

Collin Peterson is headed to the Dominican Republic.

Peterson is also mentioned in this story on a last minute push by the U.S. Senate for disaster aide.

Peterson is also mentioned in this story on a greater emphasis on ag by the new Democratically controlled Congress.

2008

The Transportation Secretary is coming to Rochester next week to discuss D,M and E. GOP Senator Norm Coleman announced the visit in a news release.

Coleman also wants a man to the moon commitment to renewable energy says the Brainerd Post Dispatch.

Coleman will also speak at the Hormel Foods Hunger Summit.

Coleman also made Shooter's column because he attended a gathering for Zygi Wilf that was hosted by the Wild and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.

Here's a q and a with Garrison Keillor who says (GASP!) he sometimes listens to Al Franken on the radio. Sacre Bleu!

RSVP for those '08 parties.

Other
It appears that Emily's List is not doing so well in competitive races. Emily's List endorsed Amy Klobuchar for Senate (won), Patty Wetterling in the 6th (lost) and Ember Reichgott Junge in the 5th (lost in the primary).

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