Capitol View: February 22, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 2-22-08

Posted at 9:20 AM on February 22, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

A transportation funding bill is now headed to Gov. Pawlenty, who just said on his radio show that he'll veto the bill:

"This bill is too large. We have families and individuals who are struggling to pay for fuel costs, to pay for health care costs, to pay for food costs and the economy is flat and declining in many ways nationally and yet we have a $7 billion tax increase."

It's not clear whether the governor will veto the bill today or when he's in Washington for this weekend's National Governors Association Winter meetings.

The governor just said on his show that he'll veto the bill today.

MPR, the Star Tribune, the Pi Press, KARE, the St. Cloud Times and AP have stories on yesterday's transportation debate.

Here's a breakdown of the bill.

KSTP has a story questioning the number of jobs created by the transportation funding package.

Gov. Pawlenty, GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar attended a memorial service for the children who died in the Cottonwood bus crash.

Illegal immigration may also be popping up as an issue if a Fox9 report is true that the driver in the crash was an illegal immigrant.

Reuters says Northwest and Delta are getting pressure from Minnesota.

A gun bill seeks to close a so-called loophole and require background checks. The Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

The Health Department says more flu cases don't match the vaccine.

The state fines a company that lost workers in a St. Paul sewer flood.

Whitewater State Park is set to reopen.

Gov. Pawlenty will attend a roundtable at Wasau Paper in Brainerd in March.

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman will hold a forum on the economy in Moorhead.

GOP Rep. John Kline is mentioned in this Washington Post story on potential "irregularities" in the NRCC's financial audit process.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is calling for a congressional hearing on the NWA/Delta merger.

2008 Race for President
The Star Tribune says Barack Obama raked in the dough in Minnesota.

2008 Race for the U.S. Senate

Democrat Al Franken visits International Falls.

2008 Race for Congress

The MNGOP will hold an endorsement signing ceremony in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Randy Demmer and Brian Davis will sign it. Dick Day said earlier this week that he's running in the primary.

2008 RNC
GOP Convention hosts are seeking more businesses for an incentive program.

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