Capitol View: April 1, 2009 Archive

MDH: STD rate highest ever in Minnesota

Posted at 10:11 AM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

The Minnesota Department of Health says the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in Minnesota continued to rise in 2008. In fact, the report says it's the highest ever (emphasis mine):

"The number of reported bacterial STDs reached their highest level ever with 17,650 cases reported. This represents an overall increase of 3.5% from the previous year and is part of a continued trend observed over the past ten years. The change in incidence rates varied by disease, with chlamydia increasing by 7%, primary/secondary syphilis doubling, and gonorrhea decreasing by 12%"

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Pawlenty bounced from bracket!

Posted at 12:15 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty got bounced from NPR's 2012 GOP bracket. Freshman Sen. Jim Demint of South Carolina doubled Pawlenty's vote total. You can view the Final Four and the entire bracket here.

Mitch McConnell: Keep fighting

Posted at 1:00 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement that calls on Republican Norm Coleman to keep appealing the recount in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race. Here's the statement:

"The court's decision in Minnesota leaves no other choice but to continue the process to ensure that every legal vote is counted. Minnesotans deserve a final ruling that applies consistent ballot standards and addresses serious unresolved questions in order to have any confidence in the accuracy of the result. Although we all want finality to this historically close election, patience must outweigh partisanship as Minnesotans continue the process to attain the accurate results from Election Day."

-Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

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Duck and cover

Posted at 1:57 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

Attorney General Lori Swanson pulled a little "duck and cover" before the State Pardons Board hearing this afternoon. A few reporters were waiting to talk to Gov. Pawlenty about a few subjects before the meeting. We were interested in getting Swanson's take on WCCO's fantastic story on the $400 thousand worth of renovations Swanson did to her office (including $15,000 soundproof doors).

Swanson and her communications person, Ben Wogsland, hit the airbrakes when they spotted reporters, stalled in the hall, went to another room and then waited for Gov. Pawlenty to arrive. When Pawlenty walked up to talk with the press, Wogsland and Swanson slipped behind them. I called Wogsland to ask why they were reluctant to talk to the press but haven't received a call back.

Update: Wogsland called back to say they weren't avoiding us.

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Federal money eases school cuts in Senate bill

Posted at 3:43 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

A Minnesota Senate committee has unveiled a school funding bill that follows through on a 7 percent spending cut.

DFL Senate leaders have proposed across-the-board cuts of 7 percent as part of their plan to solve the state's $4.6 billion budget deficit. The reduction in K-12 education spending would actually be softened to 3.2 percent with the inclusion of the one-time federal stimulus money. Still, school districts would lose $273 per student each of the next two years. Sen. Leroy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, the chair of the Senate E-12 Education Budget and Policy Division, says he's pleased with the bill given the circumstances. But Stumpf says he knows it will be tough to vote for.

"Generally this committee funds education, Stumpf said. "And generally we try to make improvements in that funding. This time we're going in the other direction. We're making reductions."

The Senate education plan contrasts sharply with the budget plans from Governor Pawlenty and House Democrats. Those proposals protect schools from direct funding cuts, but they both delay some state payments to school districts until the next fiscal year.

Swanson comments on office renovations

Posted at 3:52 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Attorney General Lori Swanson commented on the WCCO report that detailed $400 thousand worth of renovations done to her office (including $15,000 soundproof doors). Swanson said the doors were recommended as a part of a security measure. You can listen to what she told reporters here:

Listen

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Coleman vows to appeal...

Posted at 4:11 PM on April 1, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

MPR has a look at why Republican Norm Coleman continues to fight to win his old seat.

Coleman would not speak with Minnesota Public Radio News about his political future but did talk today with Fox News Radio. You can listen to the interview here (Note: This interview cuts off so I'm linking to this YouTube interview here).

Coleman said he'll work to get uniform standards for the counting of votes and will "push to the Minnesota Supreme Court to make that happen." He said his appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court in "quicker than ten days."

Question of the Day: What do you think of Coleman's argument?

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