Lawmakers Prepare To Hear From The Public

A group called the The Minnesota Majority is describing legislative listening sessions as a sham. Spokesman Jeff Davis tells KLKS News, they are designed to give political cover to lawmakers who want to raise taxes. He says lawmakers are unwilling to make reasonable cuts in favor of keeping workers on the government dole. Davis suggests cuts in K-12 education and health and human services, as a means to balance the budget which could be facing a $7 billion revenue shortfall.
State Senator Mary Olson of Bemidji finds it hard to understand how getting public input could be construed as a sham. She says if they were to remove everyone from welfare type programs, it wouldn't make a blip in the size of the hole they have to fill.
There will be three listening sessions in the area Friday. The Brainerd session will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Washington Education Services building. The Little Falls gathering will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Morrison County Government Center. And, the Bemidji meeting will be held at Bemidji State University at 3:30 p.m.