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It was a family experience at the Dairy Breakfast
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To the Editor:
The Houston County American Dairy Association’s Breakfast last Saturday at the farm of John and Karyl Diersen was a “family” experience whether you went by yourself or brought the extended family. The gloomy, financial prospects of dairy farmers were set aside so that everyone could have an enjoyable day. Breakfast was great with sausage and pancakes, orange juice or Yo-J, coffee, chocolate or white milk, and cheese curds of nearly every flavor. Soft serve ice cream was available on the grounds. But the event was far more than breakfast on the farm. The morning was crammed full of scheduled activities for every age from the little farmer dress up contest (complete with bib overalls and rubber boots) to baking and feats of athletic prowess (tape measures checking the length to which hay bales could be pitched). Children could be introduced to the fine show animals of the Diersen herd. They could pet the baby calves, goat kids, lambs, and baby chicks. They could milk a “training cow” or ride the farm on the hay wagons. I heard people wish they and their children could live “on the farm” again.
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Hunger doesn’t take vacations
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To the Editor:
It is critical to the well being of many, especially many children, that the food shelf receives many donations of food or money during the summer season. During the school year schools are able to provide hot breakfasts and lunches to all the children. The federal government pays, in part or total, for the lunches of children coming from economically disadvantaged families during the school year. It is during the summer that the food shelf becomes extremely important to the well being of these children as they no longer can obtain these free or low cost meals.
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Season for partisan potshots
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To the Editor:
With the 2009 Legislative session now in the books, it must be time for the heavily partisan folks in our district to step up and bash those belonging to the party opposite. Last week, it was the Houston County DFL Chair’s turn, criticizing me for not approving mammoth tax increases on all Minnesotans.
Before sitting down to write this, I visited the Winona Daily News and the Austin Daily Herald websites to see if Mr. Kemp had submitted a similar letter chastising my Democratic colleagues Gene Pelowski and Jeanne Poppe for their opposition to the very same bill. Surprisingly, I did not find anything from Mr. Kemp. Those letters must have been lost in the mail and I can only imagine they’ll be printed in those newspapers shortly…
Here are some facts regarding various pieces of legislation that were voted on at the Capitol this year.
Fact: The $1.5 billion tax increase bill Mr. Kemp supports was so bad that it received bipartisan opposition.
Fact: That same bill did more than raise taxes on the wealthy. It also would have raised regressive taxes, such as those on consumer goods and alcohol, which would have affected everyone - including the poorest of the poor.
Fact: When separate legislation was proposed on the House floor that would have increased funding for rural nursing homes and rural schools, and prevented more financial damage from being leveled on the disabled community, I voted yes.
Fact: The majority party crafted and approved funding legislation, which the Governor signed, that did not increase education funding over the next two years and cut funding for segments within our medical community. I voted no on both bills.
Protecting the poorest of the poor - and all financially struggling Minnesotans - from tax increases. Increasing funding for our nursing homes and local classrooms. Yes Mr. Kemp, I do believe these are values that many folks in Houston and Fillmore counties support.
State Rep Greg Davids
Preston
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They are no Hubert Humphreys
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To the Editor:
One of Minnesota’s most respected leaders, Hubert Humphrey once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life; the children; those who are in the twilight of life; the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy, the handicapped.
Unfortunately empathy doesn’t seem to be a value to Governor Tim Pawlenty or our own state legislature (sic), Greg Davids.
Instead of balancing the state budget in a fair and balanced manner the governor and his allies in the House and Senate are going to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class. The DFL leadership in the legislature proposed an income tax increase for the top two percent of the wealthiest Minnesotan’s. Raising one billion dollars in revenue to help balance the budget in a fair and balanced manner.
The cuts to state programs are regressive, the poor and middle class are disproportionately affected by these cuts, and the wealthy are not. Cuts to health and human services, local hospitals, nursing homes, cities and county governments. The stagnant or reduced funding for schools are going to severely affect those of us in Houston and Fillmore county as well as the rest of Minnesota.
Increasing the income tax to the top two percent of income earners is a progressive tax. Those same top income earners pay a smaller percentage in state taxes than the poor or middle class.
Pawlenty and Mr. Davids seem to be protecting the wealthiest citizens of this state by promoting Minnesota as a low tax state, with little services. I would suspect that some of the richest Minnesotan’s would not agree with that ideology. These are not my values, nor do I believe they are the values of a majority of Minnesotans.
Greg Davids can spin the outcome of the 2009 legislative session to his own benefit. But the question needs to be asked Mr. Davids, are your values a true representation of the people of this district? Ask those who are unemployed, those without health care, and other vital government services. Governor Pawlenty and Representative Davids, you are no Hubert Humphrey.
Stephen Kemp
Houston County DFL Chair
Spring Grove
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Kindergarten teachers are very special individuals
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To the Editor:
I wanted to thank you for recently publishing my memories of a Memorial Day that occurred so many years ago. I was flattered to receive many kind comments directly from your readers. None, however, were as touching as hearing from a six-year-old’s “first love”—his kindergarten teacher.
Mrs. Rusert wrote me a beautiful note and commented that she remembered me...that in itself is flattering, since she taught a large share of Caledonia’s 30-50 year old crowd!
I want everyone to know, however, that my memory is cloudy as well, and the fateful Memorial Day when no flags were handed out was probably a result of my own fantasy world! Then—just as I still tend to do—I probably heard what I wanted to hear. In all likelihood, Mrs. Rusert did not “leave the kids hanging” on Memorial Day, but rather, I misinterpreted her announcement and assumed our class was going to march in the parade.
But that was many years ago. What I do wish to add to the story is that Mrs. Rusert was a splendid kindergarten teacher, and instead of ignoring a precocious little boy, she nurtured his curiosity and encouraged him to explore his young passion for military history.
I can honestly say, if it were not for my Mrs. Rusert, I would not have followed the path in life that has carried me to countless museums, battlefields and books.
Any child is blessed who receives the attention of a caring teacher. Caledonia is fortunate to have a teacher like Mrs. Rusert. I know I was.
John F. Graf
Caledonia Kindergarten
Class of 1969
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Supporting healthcare important
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To the Editor:
The 2009 legislative session was particularly difficult for hospitals because of proposals for massive cuts to hospital reimbursement as well as elimination of the General Assistance Medical Care program which funds health care for the poor and disabled.
Throughout this entire session, Sen. Erickson-Ropes has been helpful to hospitals by resisting these massive cuts and working with her colleagues in the Senate to support hospitals. She spoke up vigorously in committee and on the Senate floor to support not only the hospital in Winona, but all hospitals in the state.
Sen. Erickson-Ropes effectively advocated for the preservation of the MinnesotaCare program. Saving this program from cuts was one of the important outcomes of this legislative session. On behalf of the Minnesota Hospital Association, we thank her for her efforts to keep Minnesota hospitals viable and fully supported.
Lawrence Massa
President
Minnesota Hospital Association
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