The Democrats’ legislative agenda for the 2000 Minnesota Legislature was unveiled today.

Tuesday, February 01, 2000

The Democrats’ legislative agenda for the 2000 Minnesota Legislature was unveiled today.

State Sens. Roger Moe and Pat Piper joined state Reps. Tom Pugh and Rob Leighton and Attorney General Michael Hatch at an Austin Municipal Airport news conference to unveil their blueprint for the session that begins next Tuesday.

Pugh, House Democratic leader, said the session will be exciting with an expected $1.6 billion revenue surplus and tax relief that he called "historic."

Pugh said, "No Republican, no Reform Party opposition will stand in the way" of the Minnesota 2000 DFL agenda.

Pugh said the DFL’s hearings last summer unveiled problems such as school districts using 423 trailers as classrooms and the sharing of outdated textbooks.

Double-digit tuition increases are "roadblocks to students," who need the education to become productive citizens.

In addition, rural Minnesotans’ frustrations are growing that they are being "left out" of the booming economy.

Hatch said Democrats sat down and asked themselves the question: What are our expectations?"

When they answered that question, "Never before has there been a more united Democratic Party over the core values and the core issues facing this state," Hatch said.

Hatch said the Democrats want to work for a criminal justice information system for everyone in law enforcement.

"A Minnesota state trooper stopping you for a traffic violation today has more information at his disposal than a judge sentencing someone in court," he said.

Another goal is personal empowerment in areas such as health care and privacy as well as personal safety.

Leighton, the Austin DFLer, said rural Minnesota is being ignored by Gov. Jesse Ventura’s administration.

"The governor’s bonding bill proposals totally ignore rural Minnesota and totally zero-out Mower County proposals specifically," he said.

Piper, the Austin DFLer, echoed Leighton’s words, but focused on senior citizens who are "truly struggling." She said, "We have to figure out a way to help these people" on issues such as prescription medicine.

Moe, the Senate majority leader, said the DFL’s wide-ranging legislative agenda will not ignore any Minnesotan as it addresses personal rights, tax relief, educational and investment in transportation needs, "prudent" bonding and rural development and farm relief needs as well as accessing technology.

Then, the Democrats boarded their plane for stops at Mankato, the state Capitol, Alexandria and Fargo.