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With an insider’s eye, Hot Dish tracks the tastiest bits of Minnesota’s political scene and keep you up-to-date on those elected to serve you.

Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.

Posts about Gov. Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton recovering from surgery

Posted by: Jennifer Brooks Updated: December 27, 2012 - 3:14 PM

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Gov. Mark Dayton is awake and recovering from spinal surgery Thursday, his staff reports.

Surgeons at the Mayo Clinic operated on the 65-year-old governor's lower back to repair a painful condition known as stenosis.

"Governor Dayton is now out of surgery and awake," spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said in a brief statement. "Dr. Jeremy Fogelson, the surgeon who performed the procedure, reports that the surgery went as planned, without any complications to report."

The governor is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Monday but will likely be sidelined for the next several weeks, just as the Legislature prepares to head back to work for its new session. He plans to work from the Governor's Residence as he recuperates.

Republican leaders oppose new social studies standards

Posted by: Jim Ragsdale Updated: December 20, 2012 - 5:24 PM

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GOP leaders of the Minnesota House say new proposed social studies academic standards de-emphasize American successes and American patriotism and should be rejected by Gov. Mark Dayton.

"Among the several deficiencies in these proposed standards is the overall de-emphasis on the contributions of the United States and our economic and political ideals," said a letter from Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, the incoming House Minority Leader, and Rep. Kelby Woodard, R-Belle Plaine, who will be the party's lead on the Education Finance Committee.

The leaders asked Dayton to veto the proposed standards, adding, "We do not believe these reflect what Minnesotans expect our students to learn and comprehend in the subject areas of history, government and economics."

Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said it is important to the governor that the standards were developed by and for social studies teachers. "The big question is if social studies teachers support the recommendations -- and they do," she said.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said an administrative law judge heard testimony on the proposed standards Thursday and will allow for both sides to submit critiques and defenses before the judge makes a decision. Dayton will have a final opportunity to review the standards before they take effect.

Daudt's letter said "there is no mention of Osama Bin Laden, the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the global war on terrorism, or even the events of Sept. 11, 2001."

According to the website, the current standards, written in 2004, remain in effect until new standards are approved.

Social Studies Standards

Both sides prepare for marriage battle at Minnesota Capitol

Posted by: Baird Helgeson Updated: December 20, 2012 - 1:59 PM

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The group that defeated the marriage amendment last month is reforming to persuade legislators to legalize same-sex marriage.

“Our intention is to make sure gay and lesbian couples have the freedom to marry after the 2013 legislative session,” said Richard Carlbom, campaign manager for Minnesotans United for All Families.

Minnesotans United, which raised millions of dollars and united tens of thousands of volunteers, is in the early stages of converting from a statewide campaign into a Capitol lobbying effort. The group plans to continue to urge supporters to have conversations around the state about the need to legalize same-sex marriage.

“It’s going to continue to be a massive grassroots campaign,” Carlbom said.

Minnesota for Marriage, the group that unsuccessfully pushed the amendment, plans to work just has hard to persuade legislators to not redefine marriage. They note that a majority of voters in most counties voted to pass the measure, which would have added a same-sex marriage ban into the state Constitution.

Minnesota for Marriage met with supporters this week to plan their effort and have already embarked on a massive fundraising effort.

“We anticipate that the Legislature will move to redefine marriage, most likely this year, which is one principal reason why Minnesota needed a marriage amendment,” said Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.

Adkins and other same-sex marriage opponents warn that new Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate risk alienating Minnesota voters if they press the marriage issue.

“The new DFL majorities will burn enormous political capital ending the conversation and imposing same-sex marriage,” Adkins said. “It could undermine the rest of their legislative goals.”

Democratic legislative leaders have so far not embraced plans to change the definition of marriage this session. They say the focus will be on wiping out a $1.1 billion budget deficit, overhauling the tax system and stabilizing education funding.
 

Rep. Franson offers proposal to limit unionization

Posted by: Baird Helgeson Updated: December 19, 2012 - 8:52 PM

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State Rep. Mary Franson is trying to head off new unionization efforts with a proposal to block groups from forcing independent contractors to join a union.

The Alexandria Republican said DFL Gov. Mark Dayton wants to allow labor leaders to unionize home childcare providers and in-home health assistants as payback for political support.

“Dayton is helping his union allies at the expense of family care providers,” Franson said. “His efforts are nothing but a raw political and financial power grab, and I won’t stand for it.”

The governor does not believe anybody should be forced to unionize, a spokeswoman said.

“Governor Dayton believes it is the right of individuals to vote on whether or not to form a union—holding an election is the American way of resolving differences in a group,” said Katharine Tinucci, a Dayton spokeswoman.

Dayton signed an executive order last year calling for a unionization vote for state-subsidized home childcare providers, which a judge threw out after union opponents filed a lawsuit.

Tinucci noted that even if child care workers had voted to form a union, no individual would have been forced to join.

Franson called the unionization effort a “money laundering scheme” to divert taxpayer money through at-home daycares and home healthcare providers back to unions, which typically support Democrats.

The children, the sick and the elderly “don’t deserve to be caught up in a money laundering scheme,” Franson said.

Union leaders said legislators like Franson have spent years cutting their wages and making it harder for them to make a fair living.

“We need to join together as a union to protect ourselves from politicians like Mary Franson," said Lisa Thompson, president of Child Care Providers Together/AFSCME. "They’ve cut our pay. They’ve eliminated quality improvement grants for our profession. And they’ve ignored the 7,000 parents who are waiting for child care so they can go to work.”

To see the proposal or sign a petition supporting the idea, check here.

Franson’s proposal is not likely to get far in the Legislature. Starting in January, Democrats take over control the House and Senate and are not expected to embrace proposals to limit unions. It's also not clear whether Franson's proposal has broader support among GOP members.

 

Rep. Terry Morrow of St. Peter will step down to take new job

Posted by: Jim Ragsdale Updated: December 19, 2012 - 4:44 PM

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He was just re-elected without opposition, but Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, announced Wednesday that he will be leaving the Legislature instead of serving a fourth term.

Morrow announced that he has decided to take a job in Chicago with the Uniform Law Commission, a nonpartisan organization that works with states and foreign nations in drafting uniform statutes. Morrow said the opportunity arose after he was re-elected on Nov. 6.

He said he plans to step down at the end of his current term in early January.  A special election will have to be called by Gov. Mark Dayton to choose a successor.

"It's been a fantastic six years," Morrow said. "Getting to know the people in my district, people from all political persuasions, getting work done together. These six years have not only restored but confirmed my faith that Americans can govern, and can govern themselves, despite what we may sometimes see in the media."

Morrow said Republican Rep. Morrie Lanning of Moorhead was among his closest friends. The two worked together to help pass a Vikings stadium bill last session. He said he is also proud of working to improve Highway 14 in his district.

Morrow is a lawyer and professor who teaches at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, where he directed the college's pre-law program.

He said the Uniform Law Commission works to develop uniform statutes among states and nations in such areas as wills, trusts and estates, and developed the uniform commercial code to standardize sales and transactions. The commission also works with nations on such issues as human trafficking.
 

 

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