Governor Leaving Middle Class Behind as State Sheds Jobs

11/15/2007

With 6,600 More Jobs Lost, DFL Party Calls on Governor to Get to Work with Democrats for Minnesota Families, Pass Transportation, Tax Bills


St. Paul, MN (November 14, 2007) One day after news that Minnesota lost another 6,600 jobs in October, the Minnesota DFL Party joined members of IBEW Local 292 today to call on Governor Pawlenty to get to work with Democrats to get Minnesota’s economy working again for the middle class. In particular, the Party called on Pawlenty to cooperate with DFLers to pass transportation funding and tax bills that create jobs, improve our roads and bridges, prevent school closings and bring class size back to manageable levels, and provide much-needed property-tax relief for Minnesota homeowners.

“In light of the state’s continued job losses and stalled economy, Governor Pawlenty needs to put grandstanding and empty slogans aside and start making sure that this economy works for everyone, especially working Minnesotans. And one way is right in front of him: work with Democrats to pass comprehensive and fair transportation and tax bills,” said DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Minnesotans need principled leadership now more than ever to move our state forward, but vetoes aren’t leadership — they’re cop-outs.”

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) said yesterday that Minnesota lost 6,600 jobs in October, after losing 9,200 jobs in September. The state economy lost 26,900 jobs in four months. And for the first time in 31 years, the state’s unemployment rate jumped above the national rate in May. A recent Minnesota Poll found that 70 percent of Minnesotans are worried about the impact of the mortgage crisis on the economy.

“We work hard and play by the rules, but this economy doesn’t work for us anymore,” said John Torrance, an electrician and member of IBEW Local 292 who has been laid off since December 2006. “More and more families feel like they’re two paychecks away from disaster while special interests continue to get all the breaks. Governor Pawlenty needs to stop looking out for special interests and start focusing on the working people of Minnesota.”

“The governor had a clear shot to create jobs in this state, but he said no,” said Todd Tvrdik, a single father and member of IBEW Local 292 whose been laid off since February. “We don’t live in a mansion on Summit Avenue. We live in the real world and it seems like the governor played politics with issues that affect my kid and me, and that’s just wrong.”