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(Editor's note: Below is the e-mail newsletter received by two Republican activists who participated in a nonpartisan civic engagement program sponsored by the Secretary of State's office. They filed a complaint, objecting to their e-mail addresses being transferred to a campaign committee.)
Dear Friend,
September 12th was a momentous day in the state of Minnesota. A number of cities and suburbs held primary elections - including some hotly contested mayoral and city council races. These were my first elections as Secretary of State and my first opportunity to see all of the astounding work that goes into making sure elections in our state run smoothly, fairly, and securely.
Sept. 12th also happened to be the day our governor called a special session of the legislature. Although the session was supposed to consider only flood relief, we passed a small but important elections bill that will save townships a lot of money. I went home knowing that both the elections and the special session had been incredibly successful and feeling very proud to be Minnesota's Chief Elections Officer.
As always, local elections will play a critical role in Minnesota's
future. The most important items on the November ballots, however, may
be the requests by nearly 100 school districts for property tax
increases to cover the basic operating costs of schools. The governor's
veto of K-12 education funding last year has created a fiscal crisis for
schools statewide and the short-term solution is to raise local taxes.
There have been vicious campaigns by extreme right groups trying to use
these votes as a way to attack the very idea of public education,
prompting me to respond in the media. For one example check here
As I visit with my neighbors across the state, I am awed at the level of commitment to civic engagement I see at town meetings, regional chambers of commerce, and citizen organizations of all kinds. One of the most inspiring evenings was the dinner at the annual convention for MENSA in our region, where I gave the keynote speech. It was an honor to meet so many dedicated folks working to counter the anti-intellectualism and anti-science bias that has crept into US politics and culture.
In addition to speaking at many local events, I accepted an invitation to address the opening plenary session at the National Conference on Citizenship, hosted at the National Archive in Washington, DC, along with Supreme Court Justice Breyer. While there I got word that we will be able to bring one of the surviving original versions of the Declaration of Independence to Minnesota next May as part of our celebration of the 150th anniversary of the creation of our office. This sesquicentennial is an incredible opportunity to promote the founding principles of our democracy -- liberty, and justice for all.
Here are two upcoming events, I invite you to join me:
On Oct. 25th I will be speaking at a remembrance service to mark the fifth anniversary of the deaths of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, Marcia Markuson Wellstone, Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the service begins at 7:30 at the Coeur de St. Catherine Student Center, 2004 Randolph Ave. in St. Paul.
Also, please join me for a NOVEMBER 2 Anniversary Party and Fundraiser,
featuring author and radio commentator Jim Hightower, Friday, November
2, 5-7 p.m. at the home of Jeff and Emily Blodgett, 1437 Chelmsford in
St. Paul. Check here
Thank you again for all your help and support. I hope to see you very
soon.
Mark
________________________________
Paid for and produced by Mark Ritchie for Secretary of State
www.markritchie2010.net
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