REP. STEVE GOTTWALT RESIGNS TO BE A LOBBYIST

Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud) decided to leave Minnesota House of Representatives after serving 4 terms and second member to resign after Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter). He have taken job with Center for Diagnostic Imaging, a healthcare company in continuing its leadership in providing high quality, cost-effective diagnostic imaging services as a Lobbyist. He cannot stay as State Representative and being a Lobbyist due to conflict of interest and it was very tough decision for him.

Here is his resignation letter to fellow House Members:

Dear Colleagues:

At the beginning of December, I announced the great news that I had joined Center for Diagnostic Imaging as Director of State Legislative Policy, in a national role assisting this healthcare company in continuing its leadership in providing high quality, cost-effective diagnostic imaging services.  My role at the CDI Quality Institute is to understand and translate the complex state healthcare regulatory environment in more than 25 states in which the company sees patients, and I am proud to be working with a healthcare company actively seeking solutions at a critical time for health care across the country.

As I’ve settled in at CDI, I see the states are once again the laboratory of democracy, and each is finding its own approach to implementing the new federal healthcare law.  It’s a huge set of changes, and it makes this position one to which I must fully commit as much time and focus as possible.  It quite simply is more than a full time job, and one that will not allow me the time I need to represent the people of District 14A as their State Representative.

That is why I have made the difficult decision to resign my seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives before the end of the month. I thank you, my colleagues, for our years of service together, and my constituents for their confidence in electing me to represent them. I will always appreciate the deep honor and privilege of serving the residents of St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Augusta and Rockville.

Sincerely in service,

Rep. Steve Gottwalt

House District 14A

Gov. Mark Dayton has not called on special election. Stay tuned for updates on special election. 

Major Building Renovations Needed At State Capitol

SOURCE: WCCO

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — The roof is leaking, and the furnace needs replacing. It’s a common lament for thousands of Minnesota homeowners.

But it’s happening at Minnesota’s biggest house, the State Capitol. At more than a century old, Minnesota’s most visible landmark has seen better days.

Several years of patch-up repairs won’t work anymore.

That’s why there’s a plan in the works for a massive overhaul that could actually force everyone to move out and close the Capitol for years.

There’s a leaky dome, heavy water damage and pieces of the building are literally falling off.

“Last session we had canopies over the doorways,” said Rep. Dean Urdahl, (R) Litchfield. “So that if rocks fell down they wouldn’t hit us on the head.”

Urdahl is helping lead a massive renovation of the 105 year-old Capitol, which he said is at a tipping point.

“We have leaky roofs, leaky pipes, our beautiful murals and paintings are water-stained. What does that say about us as a state?” he asks.

When it was completed in 1905, Minnesota’s Capitol was a classic of modern design. But nowadays, miles of wires are exposed in open ceilings.

The hallways are cramped, there are accessibility problems and fire safety concerns. Even the historic chandelier is down for cleaning and repair.

A high-level Capitol renovation committee is making far reaching plans for the outdated ventilation and heating systems, wiring and plumbing.

It’s an extreme makeover that will force the governor and legislature to vacate the building for years.

“It’s going to be a major, major disruption,” said Mark Dayton, the first-year Democratic governor. “You liken it to maybe an interstate highway project that takes three four five years. It’s major disruption and dysfunction.”

Built for $4.5 million, the price tag to build the same State Capitol today would be $1 billion. The renovation would cost up to $300 million, staged over 10 years.

Much of the work that is planned is out of public view: Heating and ventilation systems, extensive wiring updates and plumbing.

It would be by far the most extensive renovation in more than a century. The people behind it will say when the renovation iscomplete it will last for 100 years.

“This is the people’s building,” said Urdahl. “This is the most important building that the people own in the state of Minnesota. And if we can’t maintain the people’s building as a symbol of the state, then I think we are in a pretty sad state of affairs.”

Crew cut official governor's Christmas tree

SOURCE: KARE 11

PINE CITY, Minn. - A crew has cut down a 50-foot balsam fir in the Chengwatana State Forest that will grace the Governor's Residence in St. Paul this holiday season.

The Department of Natural Resources harvested the tree on Thursday. Members of Conservation Corps Minnesota assisted with the cutting and loading of the tree.

The tree will be set up at the governor's official residence on Summit Avenue on Monday morning.

MINNESOTA DFL FIRST TV AD SUPPORTING MARK DAYTON

Here it is: Minnesota DFL Party's first TV commerical on Mark Dayton, their endrosee.

Mark Dayton to consider run for Governor in 2010

Mark Dayton is in news again...

This time he is deciding to run for Governor in 2010. He has already filed papers last Friday with the state.

Dayton, who served as DFL Party State Chair in 1980's, served one term as State Auditor and US Senator. He didn't seek re-election in 2006 because his popularity went down due to the closing of his office in 2004 after anthrax and terrorist threat that made him to shut his office for awhile. He did ran for Governor in 1998 but failed to secure DFL Endorsement.

He plan to join crowded race. Who has already filed paperwork: Sen. John Marty of Roseville; Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook; Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner; Rep. Paul Thissen of Minneapolis, and frequent candidate Ole Savior.

Others mentioned as possible DFL candidates include House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher of Minneapolis; Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak; St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman; former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza of St. Paul, and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud.

Dayton is going to tour the state and talk with citizens of Minnesota. He is not happy with Pawlenty's current plan and how budget are right now.

This time he won't self finance his own campaign like in the past and he is going to seek contributions from various of sources.

Pawlenty who is in his second term as Governor haven't decided what to do next.