Energy: A Key Priority for Next State Legislative Session

08/26/2005

Paul Munnis

Early in the 2006 legislative session we pray that the legislature will set aside work aimed at salvaging Pawlenty’s political career, forget sports stadiums for awhile longer, and concentrate on an emergency plan for energy management for our State.

The rising cost of energy is going to effect heating costs for public buildings, our schools are going to be profoundly impacted by rising energy costs, the rising cost of electric and natural gas will also reflect in the cost of operating our state prisons, nursing homes, and even our reform schools. Gasoline costs for the public fleet of state owned vehicles will also go through the roof and the cost of welfare for children will rise. At this point we also need to see if the Counties and Municipalities are going to need State energy assistance. It may require an income tax surcharge or some sort of state sales tax to contain these rising costs and the sooner that the legislature addresses this subject then the better for the people of Minnesota.

Legislative Bills that craft energy cost containment and that encourage massive energy savings are going to be needed and that needs to be the first order of business in consideration of the cold northern winters that we are subjected to here in Minnesota.

Let’s get our priorities straight and get the people’s business tended to first. Save the politics for later.