Sen. Kiscaden: Legislative Update #15
11/07/2005
GREETINGS! It is already November 7th and we are still enjoying good weather! Here are the topics for this week’s Update.
1. Coffee and Conversation: IS THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ABOUT POLITICS AND PUBLIC LIFE DEAD WRONG?
2. VETERANS DAY: Time to Say Thanks
3. SUPPORT OUR TROOPS LICENSE PLATES COMING SOON
4. VETERANS’ DAY CELEBRATION THIS FRIDAY
5. ROCHESTER HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
6. LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER?
1- Coffee and Conversation, Tuesday November 8 at 7 PM:
IS THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ABOUT POLITICS AND PUBLIC LIFE DEAD WRONG? We have been told that we are a nation divided along the lines of red and blue, religious and secular, urban and rural. But Richard Harwood, author of Hope Unraveled, sees things differently. This Tuesday, November 8th, Rich Harwood will be in Rochester to share the message of Hope Unraveled and how citizens can step forward to reverse the people’s retreat and forge an alternate path for politics and public life. Rich will be speaking at a public forum and signing books at 7 p.m. at the Heintz Center. The event is being co-sponsored by a coalition of eight community organizations: the Rochester Public Schools, League of Women Voters, Rochester Post-Bulletin, Rochester Area PTSA, Rochester Area Foundation, Rochester Community & Technical College, Rochester Neighborhood Resource Center, and the University of Minnesota-Rochester. For more information, call Ann Lynch at (507) 281- 9297 or e-mail her at . I will have the honor of introducing Rich Harwood and those attending will have the chance to ask him questions and participate in small group discussions about how his ideas apply in our communities. Please consider coming. It is free and open to everyone.
2- VETERANS DAY:
Time to Say Thanks My father was a WWII and Korea Veteran who spent 30 years in the military. It impacted every aspect of his life and had a big impact on our family. Thus, for me Veterans’ Day has always had special meaning, and perhaps even more meaning this year. This fall, we said good-bye to our nephew Bob Kiscaden, who is leaving for his second tour of duty in Iraq as a member of the Minnesota National Guard. He previously served in Kosovo during his service in the Army. The consequences to families and to those men and women who serve us in the military are very real to me. In Minnesota we can be proud that arguably we have the best National Guard in the nation, and they are serving in Iraq and elsewhere in large numbers. Veterans Day on November 11, offers us a chance to stop and honor those who have fought and served to protect the freedom we enjoy. Hundreds of thousands of men and women from communities like ours across the nation have died in our country’s wars, and we owe them much more than we can ever repay. As the war in Iraq continues we are reminded daily of the sacrifices our men and women, as well as their families, are making for our country.
Please allow me to offer my personal thanks to our area veterans and active duty military and their families. We can never take for granted that we live in a land where liberty and freedom prevail, and we should never take for granted the service of those who make our peace and freedom possible.
This Veteran’s Day please take a moment to talk with or write to a family member, co-worker, friend or neighbor who has or is serving in the military and thank him or her for their service. There are two other opportunities to show your appreciation. Attend the Veterans Day Program and purchase one of the new “Support Our Troops” license plates. More on both of these options below.
3- SUPPORT OUR TROOPS LICENSE PLATES COMING SOON Minnesotans will soon be able show their support for our troops, our veterans and their families by purchasing a new “Support Our Troops” license plate that was approved by the legislature this year in a bill I sponsored. The Department of Public Safety is in the final stages of designing the plate.
The funds collected from the sales of the license plates will go into a special fund and can only be used for two purposes. Half of the funds will be used to alleviate financial hardships faced by members of the Minnesota National Guard or their families when they are called to active duty. The other half will be used to expand outreach and services to veterans, particularly underserved veterans or those in need of special services.
Harriet, a rescued eagle who lives at the Wabasha Eagle Center, was used as a model for the plate. The plates will go on sale as soon as the Governor approves the design. Like other specialized plates, there is a one-time $10 charge for the plates and a $30 surcharge that will go into the fund each time the plates are renewed. “Support Our Troops” plates will soon be available where you renew your license plates. It is a visible and direct way to show our troops, our veterans, and their families that we care and are grateful for their service. Watch for the announcement, which may be made this week.
4- VETERAN’S DAY CELEBRATION THIS FRIDAY A Veterans Day program will be held this Friday, November 11 at 11:00 AM at New Life Worship Center (The church is located on 65th Street, just behind Kelly’s Orchard on North Highway 52.) There will be a free breakfast, courtesy of Canadian Honker, from 9:00 to 11:00. The program features entertainment and a short talk from Mark Larsen, a Persian Gulf and Iraq War veteran. Hope to see you there.
5- ROCHESTER HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE This is the Committee that was recommended by the Governor and established by the Legislature to develop an overall plan for creating a university in Rochester. I have been attending some of the committee meetings to stay abreast of the group’s discussions. You might be interested in the committee’s draft vision statement, which they approved on September 30th: “A world class signature research and education institution focusing on programs that complement and capitalize on the region’s existing leadership roles in health sciences, bio-sciences, engineering and technology.”
The following two sentences were removed from a previous draft of the vision statement, but will be incorporated into the overall strategy or business plan: “Educational programs would be built on an economic model, providing application to economic activities via innovative, translational research and clinical experiences. This institution would have a distinct identity and one governing entity.”
These statements are consistent with what the Committee heard from the President of the University of Minnesota, Bob Bruininks, who told the Committee at their October 28th meeting that the University stands ready to develop such a defined institution in Rochester. Earlier, Dr. Hugh Smith of Rochester Mayo, and Walt Ling of IBM told the committee, that the University of Minnesota as the only research university in the state, is the institution needed to expand to enhance educational opportunities and fuel the area’s economy.
This vision of a specialized university is different than what most people think of when they hear the Governor and others speak of a four year university in Rochester. It is also different than the current University Center Rochester partnership between Rochester Community and Technical College, Winona State University, and the University of Minnesota. It appears that there is agreement that each of these institutions plays an important role, but that increased presence, offerings, and ties to the University of Minnesota are the missing element. Some describe this model as a “south bank” of the Twin Cities campus rather than a fully independent four year institution.
The Committee is continuing to meet with the goal of having their full report ready by the end of the year. For more information you can check the committee’s website:
6- LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER? I am always happy to meet with groups to discuss specific issues or to provide you with an in-person legislative overview. You can contact me via email or by cell phone: 287-6845.
Have a great week! Sheila
Senator Sheila Kiscaden District 30
325 Capitol St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4848