A bipartisan House Jobs Task Force held its first meeting today at the State Capitol, hearing from economists, experts and business leaders how to create jobs and help speed Minnesota’s economic recovery. State Economist Tom Stinson, State Demographer Tom Gillaspy, and Art Rolnick from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and others, described Minnesota’s economic situation and the challenges ahead. The new task force will use what it learns to develop a jobs plan for the 2010 legislative session.
State Rep. Terry Morrow, St. Peter, serves on the House task force and spent the day at the Capitol.
We heard again today that Minnesota and our nation are experiencing the largest, deepest, broadest recession ever. While we are almost certainly emerging from that recession, our state economist said the recovery will be slow and may take until 2012 for our economy to be fully back. We cannot sit idly by and wait for that to happen, but must instead look for every possible tool to create jobs and help put Minnesota on the path to economic recovery.
Morrow said testimony given today reaffirmed his belief that an educated, well-trained workforce is the key to recovery.
Looking to Minnesota’s long-term economic strength, it is essential that we preserve our tradition of highly productive workers. Investing in education - especially early childhood education - job training and re-training, and research and development are necessary steps for Minnesota’s future.
Morrow said he also heard several times today that Minnesota needs good infrastructure – roads, bridges, rail and more.
The evidence is clear that in order to sustain and grow private business, our state needs to protect and strengthen our infrastructure.
Morrow asked the panel of experts to comment specifically on Minnesota’s farms and the economic harm our farm families are suffering. While no specific answers were provided, the panel did agree to look more deeply into agriculture’s impact on a wide range of businesses and workers.
Last session, the Legislature made jobs a top priority, according to Morrow. Legislation was passed designed to generate new jobs, retrain workers for new skills and educate workers for a new economy.
With 240,000 Minnesotans out of work, much more needs to be done, however. We heard from the experts today that the state has a limited range of possible responses it can take. That being said, we need to focus on the things we can do – prioritizing labor-intensive, capital investment projects that preserve and maintain our public assets is one key step we should take in 2010.
The Jobs Task Force will meet at least two more times before the 2010 legislative session. It is anticipated that as a result of the Task Force’s work this fall and winter, the legislature will be equipped to move quickly to put in place programs and policies that will create jobs and have a lasting impact on our state economy.
“You can’t get there from here.” This refrain, a mainstay of small talk in New England, has migrated to Minnesota. For anyone familiar with public transit in Greater Minnesota, it’s a complaint that is far too common. As commuters, college students, and the car-less all know, you often can’t get there from here.
This worsening problem is critically important in Greater Minnesota. One reason is that Greater Minnesota’s population is aging faster than in the Cities or suburbs. Senior citizens who no longer drive find it challenging, if not impossible, to remain in their homes and still get to church, the store or the doctor. Additionally, workers, students and others are deeply concerned, especially when gas prices rose and transit was not a viable option. (more…)
State Representative Terry Morrow is pleased that the federal government has responded to the call for help for America’s pork producers that he and others issued last month. Secretary of Agricuture Tom Vilsack announced that he will use an additional $30 million by September 30 to purchase pork for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program.
After visiting with Minnesota pork producers and the Bode family at their Nicollet farm on August 19, I wrote to Minnesota’s Congressional delegation the next morning to request its help in using these federal funds to help our hog farmers. Our farmers are suffering greatly from a ‘perfect storm’ of trade barriers and rising costs. Public misconceptions about the current flu strain also hurt. I reminded our representatives and senators that pork remains safe to eat and that people cannot get the flu from eating pork.
Representative Morrow’s August 20 letter asked Minnesota’s delegation to request that Secretary Vilsack use existing federal funds to help pork producers by purchasing pork. These Section 32 funds come from fees collected on imported food products. The same day, Congressman Tim Walz contacted Secretary Vilsack to make this request.
It’s gratifying to see the system work. The Bodes shared their time and expertise with us. We immediately contacted our federal partners. They responded right away. The entire effort started with local hog farmers—whose farms help support our economy here in Minnesota—and their hard work has brought about a sensible solution. (more…)
Terry Morrow is taking teachers to the state Capitol
The St. Peter Democrat, who is himself an instructor of speech communications at Gustavus Adolphus College, has started a teacher fellowship program that will begin with the 2010 legislative session.
The program will bring in several teachers throughout the session to have a first-person look at the inner workings of state government. Morrow said each selected teacher will have the chance to spend a day or two at the state Capitol and will be able to interact with policy makers, state officials and advocacy groups. In addition, Morrow will make a visit to the teacher’s class and continue a dialogue with students throughout the school year.
“I want to connect my role as a representative with the students in our area,” Morrow said. “And I want to bring the Capitol back to my home district.”
In preparation, Morrow said he has sent a letter to each school in his legislative district, which covers almost all of Nicollet County and parts of Sibley County. He also purchased a web cam—with personal funds, he reminded—and is planning to use the camera for live, face-to-face interaction with classrooms.
Morrow said the program is available to teachers in all grades and disciplines. And the ultimate goal, he said, is to make government accessible to the youngsters who will be casting ballots in future elections.
“An important part of a representative’s job is to make government understandable,” Morrow said before adding later: “This should be a lot of fun.”
Morrow said no state funds were used to create the program which, to his knowledge, is unique among state legislators.
For more information or to apply to be involved in the program, email Rep. Morrow at: rep.terry.morrow@house.mn
Mankato Free Press, Sept. 2, 2009
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