(00:00:00) Twelve o'clock and welcome back to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten. We're just about ready for liftoff. Now the countdown is underway in just a few minutes Governor. Jesse Ventura will be delivering his first state of the state message to a joint session of the Minnesota Legislature and I sort of public radio's political editor Mike Mulcahy joins us from the capital Mike. Well, Gary your timing couldn't be better. The governor is about to enter the house Chambers hear that Applause you hear is for governor, Jesse Ventura, the nation's first-ever Reform Party Governor will be giving his first ever State of the State address is making his way to the front of the house chamber. Now the house is here. The Senate is here State constitutional officers the Supreme Court the court of appeals as well as former governors and other dignitaries. The governor is shaking hands as he moves to the front of the aisle. We expect this really to be a sort of a big picture speech what Jesse Ventura wants out of the legislature in terms of philosophy what he expects a budget to look like things like that. What his big priorities are for when his term is over the governor's embracing the state? Supreme Court Justice Ellen Page shaking hands with the other justices shaking hands with speaker Steve Swig. Mm and Senate President Allen spear with May Shunk the lieutenant governor. And now he's moving to the podium. He does have a teleprompter today and a written speech. This won't be off the cuff as he promised at one point early on. Now he's waving to the crowd pretty much as basking in this generous Applause. Here's the governor. (00:01:48) Members of The Joint convention and guess I present to you the governor of the great state of Minnesota The Honorable Jesse Ventura. Thank you. (00:02:06) Well in much like the State of the Union speech that the president when the Speaker of the House Steve's Whigham announced the governor everybody stood up again. It started (00:02:14) clapping. (00:02:25) So here is Governor Jesse Ventura? (00:02:27) Thank you very much. speakers Wiggum president spear chief justice Blatz members of the Supreme Court chief judge Toussaint And members of the Court of Appeals. former governors lieutenant governor shank fellow constitutional officers Commissioners legislators members of my family friends and most importantly minnesotans The State of the State is great. I come to the house chamber with great respect to deliver the 1999 State of the State address for the state of Minnesota 120 days after our general election. In an era marked by professional political Machinery that surrounds both candidates and elected officials. I began in a unique position. I went to the transition office in the basement of the Capitol alone the day after the election. I brought my convictions born of life experience the freedom of having made no promises on the campaign trail that I couldn't keep. I brought my commitment to learn and become an excellent governor. I brought a belief in my ability to build and lead the best executive branch of government. This state has ever seen the most honest the most service-minded the most accountable the most committed to results for the people of Minnesota. I also brought to the job three fundamental beliefs that are very very important to understanding how I will govern first said best by Abraham Lincoln. The role for government is to do only what the people cannot do for themselves. There is not a person who in Minnesota who does not wish to individually pursue the Constitutional entitlements to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Government should promote this type of self-sufficiency not stand in the way. There is after all a place for common sense and restraint. We can't legislate against every stupid thing people will do and yet and yet the Temptation is there to try time and time again every time government burdens the people with nonsense like rules that dictate how to butter bread in nursing homes and believe it or not. This is a real government regulation. We remove any incentive for doing good work. Second I believe in personal responsibility and self-sufficiency. The State of the State is jeopardized by this week notion. The taxpayers must step forward to provide nearly unlimited resources to anyone who faces adversity. Who lives with circumstances they brought about through their own decisions or who lives with consequences of choices to act illegally. I stand before you as Governor willing to say what too many politicians at all levels of government have been scared to say the Free Ride is over. The election debate was littered with Promises of tax cuts. But how in the world can we accomplish that if we don't reform an expectation for entitlements, you can't convince me that people value something they get for free more than something that they have earned. It's hard to say no, but we elected leaders must learn how if we intend to accomplish greater things for, Minnesota. Public funds spent on investments like education rather than direct entitlements will benefit everyone now and in the future and finally, I believe that greatness in this state can continue with an active involved citizenry after years and years of apathy and cynicism about this democracy. We minnesotans were desperate for a reason to care again. I felt it my wife felt it our friends felt it and we saw it standing in long lines at the polls on Election night. It was the thing that made me step up to take my turn running for governor Against All Odds. I felt that hunger on every street corner on the campaign Trail. The legacy of this Administration will be provoking people out of their apathy. It's not my job to make people feel comfortable. That's old promises politics. I'm here to provoke people into feeling what is honestly in their hearts and on their minds and taking some action. That's why I'm going to ask questions. And why I'm going to demand answers working real hard together. We will not fail. If you wonder where I'm getting my support for this candid approach to governing let me introduce you to some of the people who told me it was time for this new day in state government up in the gallery are two very important groups of advisors who gave this advice during the transition when we spent the first month listening and learning thanks are owed to the young people who came in during the second week of the transition and talked about their hopes for this new day. Thanks are also owed to the group of first-time voters randomly selected from the Secretary of State's voter registration lists, who spoke about what it will take to keep them involved legislature. Please join me. In welcoming these minnesotans here today. People this is your house. The House of Representatives and the Senate convened together for this address. We are your elected officials 201 of them and one of me we are your public servants. It is my intention that during these years you will be welcome here more welcome than I was when I visited this chamber floor as a citizen last year and was asked three times to sit down in a chair where I couldn't see anything. Let me tell you it's good to have you here today, and it's nice to be standing. To the first-time voters and to the young people I say again what I have said before we dare not lose you to the legislature. I uttered this challenge make this capital A welcoming Place Inspire the citizens in your home districts help your local elected officials run good open meetings that are responsive to Citizen input do the right things vote your conscience. Not your caucus. the State of the State is that people are very tired of business as usual one way or another there will be more than 70 percent voting at the polls in the next election and the one after that the people will either come out to keep their governor their legislators their Congressman their mayor's County Commissioners and school board members or oust us But they are awake and Minnesota will be greater for them exercising the right to vote generations of minnesotans have fought to protect that right on American soil and around the world. I want to see an active PTA in every school building not just the 270 that are left today. Chambers of Commerce with a room is full of private sector business people who are not outnumbered by public employees. Youth groups like 4-H and Scouts and after school clubs full of interested kids and their parents who want to make a difference for themselves and for others active veterans groups serving those who have served. And A Renewed interest in volunteering for service clubs local chapters of State organizations and neighborhood efforts. The state-of-the-state improves every time a citizen young or old gets involved. This is the State of the State as I see it at the end of the transition months regarding the state of Minnesota Government. I am well qualified to give this address today. In fact, I will venture that. I am more in touch with state government than any governor in recent times at this point in my term. I set foot in every department and major agency and met with the staff met with employees who do the real work of serving the people and laid hands on their budgets personally. I met employees who had worked 30 years for the state and had never met a governor. It should not be a shock the world event when the governor visits the State Department of Revenue ladies and gentlemen, the first job of the governor is to run the executive branch of government. We are working very hard to span a tragic disconnect between the Capitol building and the 35,000 full-time state employees her perform who perform the functions that are authorized by previous legislatures. How many of you were here newly elected this year raise your hands? Newly elected fully 15% of the house is newly elected like you I had eight short weeks to get ready for consideration of a thirty three billion expenditure of the people's money. How many of you all of you not just the newly elected legislators? Have taken time in the last year to personally visit every Department whose budget you will vote on. It took me one month to see all of this huge state government. We must reform how we do business. We must reform the tendency to vote first and learn later or worse yet. Never take the time to learn and simply fall in line behind a caucus position for bargaining purposes. The Constitutional separation between the executive and legislative branches of government is not intended to be of one born out of partisan adversarial politics. We each have a very distinct job to do in a healthy process of checks and balances within one week of my election. I set three top priorities budget budget budget. There was no other choice. The system requires that the budgetbooks be submitted by mid-February. I led that process. I don't care what the media decided your to focus your attention on. That's what I was doing. It started with budget principles that are clear and written down for everyone to see today. I am releasing mine to you in a handy wallet form and also putting them on the website for public use. I did stick him somewhere. I think anyway, there are small card. You can't remember everything they boil down to this be fiscally prudent never ever forget. It's the Public's money do what's necessary not what's nice to do prevent future costs where possible? Insist that projected budget has budgets are balanced for four years said a responsible budget live within it and settle up any actual surpluses with taxpayers at the end of the biennium. On this point, let me acknowledge the incredible large elephant standing with us in this room right now. As soon as you're ready to send me a sales tax rebate Bill. I'm ready to sign it. I'm ready to sign it and get on the permanent income tax cuts. Do the right thing and do them? Well. We must start evaluating programs for results. We can't ever hesitate to reform or eliminate programs. If they aren't producing results every new program should automatically have a sunset Clause that forces proper evaluation. And finally, we must create incentives not penalties for individuals and governments to do the right things competition works and is good, even in government. We need to put responsibility and accountability together at all levels of government. We must move decisions to the level closest to the people. No unfunded mandates from one unit of government to the next. we must creatively leverage private and nonprofit support no more 121 entitlement thinking we need to use investment thinking we're $1 begets three or five or nine or more just like the tourism industry is doing and my Administration will support fees over General taxes. Where users have a voice in the rates and the program results. When you when you bring your ideas to my Administration be you a citizen or a lobbyist or a legislator a state employee bear these beliefs and principles in mind for as long as I am Governor. There will be no surprises about why I am signing or vetoing legislation simply look at this list and my rationale should be abundantly clear. These are my beliefs and principles unless I am convinced through a visible public debate that they need to be changed. Already, I see the problems clearly first. The executive branch is the only one that enters the legislative session with a budget that reveals a whole picture of tax-and-spend. We base this on the November economic forecast. However, eight weeks into the session neither the house or Senate has yet to reveal its spending targets and choices in an accountable way to the people until we stop measuring the success of the legislative session by how many bills are heard or past there is no hope of controlling spending or the sprawl of government regulation. It is my job to set a vision not flood this place with pieces of legislation it all starts by staying honest to the beliefs and principles that I have presented in this State of the State address. The State of the State is in good hands, the governor's office has been restructured to support the works of these Commissioners and directors not the other way around they are here seated in the center section of the gallery public sector private sector Democrats Republicans Reform Party. Unaffiliated what binds us our beliefs in a new day where ideas not money govern how we work? Who speaks for me? They do with years of experience good judgment and a strong sense of what needs to be done to serve the people that is my leadership commitment to the people of Minnesota to hire the best and the brightest and Lead as every good CEO leads by articulating The Vision by stating clear expectations and by holding people personally accountable through good management practices. Since the State of the State is great. Where do we go from here? Any good competitor knows that when you're ahead you don't rest on your laurels don't get nervous or defensive you continue to do what you do best and hold the lead. It's time to focus on staying competitive and positive the state to keep competitive and positive position this and position the state to keep winning. Even when challenges get tougher three years from now. I want my State of the State speech to start out the same way. This one did that the State of the State is indeed great and got greater during the Venter Administration. I didn't come here to Tinker around the edges of things that need fixing and I'm willing to tackle the big questions question 1 do we have the courage to end this era of cynicism and Tackle? Honestly, the things that have caused too many people not to trust government the first time voters in young people's focus groups were the start of listening learning and leading our way into a new day with meaningful reforms and a new positive attitude toward Public Service not Politics as Lincoln said With public trust. Everything is possible without it. Nothing is possible. That's why I tell my staff in the cabinet consider each issue on its own merits no deals tell the truth so you don't need a good memory. Question 2 who is responsible for urgently helping the children who aren't going to pass the Minnesota graduation standards tests in June of the year 2000. the goal of this Administration is to build the strongest public education system in the world, but it is only as effective as the resolve of every parent to step up and be the first and most important teacher a child will have I'm that I will not give an inch. It's so easy to blame the governor the legislature teachers the school board when in reality nothing is successful without every parent making good decisions every day in the best interest of each child last month. I recommended nearly 600 million in new investments in K through 12 education, including a very important incentive fund of 150 million for reducing class sizes kindergarten through grade 3. It is my goal to erase the word voucher from the vocabulary by investing in public education and expecting local school boards to deliver results. Now the biggest questions lie ahead. How can we create a performance-based funding system for Minnesota schools? Which ends this complicated funding shell game that nobody can understand anymore. How can the state give incentives for schools and teachers and students to do their best without micromanaging from the capital? What will local leaders do in every school district to make their Public Schools the strongest they can be into the 21st century. To get a jump on these tough questions were turning to experts we do things a little differently in the Ventura Administration. We're going to start by listening to get this kids. Education commissioner Christine Jax is planning a conference just for students to take the politics out and listen to very powerful voices of the little people who know schools better than probably most of us do lieutenant governor shank is traveling Minnesota visiting and listening to students parents and teachers by this time next year. I will offer this legislature a plan for funding and policy reforms. Next question if there are six people left in the state who can explain the property tax formula. And none of them think it's fair. Why don't we start over? Let's face it we've lost any logic to this system property taxes. No longer are tied to the services that are delivered. We have created a so-called progressive tax based on the value of property. It punishes people for doing the right thing. If I keep my property my value and taxes if I keep my property up my value in taxes go up, even though I don't need as many local Services as the property that has been allowed to deteriorate and needs inspections fire protection or police patrols. It's time to quit taxing senior citizens out of the homes that they own. And force them into nursing homes or Assisted Living it's time to confront the inequities of how we fund public schools and how unfair that is two children and taxpayers in communities all over Minnesota. Every well-intentioned fixes end up making the system more complicated and one taxpayers fix becomes another taxpayers problem reforming the property tax system is one of my administration's highest priorities. Here's another question what other tax reforms are need consideration? We need good reforms that are actually put in place rather than sit on a shelf somewhere. Revenue Commissioner Matt Smith has the job of untangling this complicated question through a combination of research and public involvement. We need to pay careful attention to defend our economy against competition from neighboring states and World Markets. It doesn't take much for Minnesota consumers to migrate over the borders where sales tax or motor vehicle license fees are lower. Our taxpayers are also calling for income tax relief and that demands both immediate and long-term response from government. We will follow through by tough discipline on spending and action on tax reforms. Question, how do we prepare our economy for the future? Under Trade and economic development commissioner. Jarry Carlson. There is a new strategy to Market Minnesota. The vision is as big as the world and my Administration intends to work with interested businesses and communities to expand exports and increase investments in Minnesota. The strategy is about selling tourism and Business Development developing export markets attracting films licensing technology and creating opportunities as Governor. I am not an ambassador out there to make people feel good. I'm a Salesman. I'm out to sell results when I travel abroad it will be with a serious economic plan. Well thought through the trip plan for fall to Japan is the first effort some of you may know the Japanese television carried my inauguration on An old television with such interest in Minnesota, I would be foolish not to explore that interest for the betterment of our entire States economy. The urgency of the administration strategy for New Market development is seen most in the agricultural part of the economy. Short-term money relief will not solve long-term agricultural problems the commissioners of Agriculture trade and economic development Commerce finance and revenue are working side by side to invest state tax dollars in projects and programs that truly achieve economic self-sufficiency. Yes, it is right to step forward and he's a crisis that affects a specific group of farmers. I have recommended 10 million dollars in targeted relief for that purpose. My cabinets recommendation is to provide relief over the next few years because this is not a one-year problem. Commissioner Jean hyuga sin is entrusted to address the long-term needs with a vision that goes beyond the current crisis and gets results. I am willing to invest in additional 50 million dollars for a total of 60 million dollars in relief over the next three years to help Farm families who are truly in need another big question. Why don't we have a transportation system that works after 25 years of investing in planning. I want to stop planning to do something about Transit and urban sprawl and get something done. Our roads have grown more congested and the Twin Cities region has become one of the most sprawling in the country in Minnesota everyday an area the size of the Mall of America gets paved over and were still planning. to do something about Transit sprawl I want to transit system that gives people choices so they can get where they want to go when they need to get there. I'll know we're successful when I can ride light rail from Downtown Minneapolis to the mega mall and take computer rail commuter rail from st. Cloud to the Twin Cities. It's time for action on transportation and it's in the hands of Metropolitan Council chair Ted Mondale and transportation commissioner L. Tinkling Berg to develop an action plan. That makes sense for the whole state of, Minnesota. And the last question is what do we do with the one-time? Tobacco money my commitment to endowing the tobacco settlement money is tied to my belief in self sufficiency my resolve to endow the money has grown even stronger since last week when I joined all the nation's governors in a meeting with President Clinton. He made it abundantly clear that the federal government will demand reimbursement for Medicare from the proceeds of the settlement. If it is not used for Human Services and Healthcare purposes these payments totaling 1.3 billion over five years are a windfall to the state of Minnesota. Not an over collection of taxes. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in ourselves and our future I am proposing for endowments. Protect the principal entirely the interest earnings would be spent just the earnings in four areas of self-sufficiency the Minnesota families Foundation to help individuals and families reduce their dependency on government a public health endowment to support local public health networks an endowment for health professionals education and medical research to support the programs of the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic and finally a medical endowment to support teaching Hospitals and Clinics around the state and ensure that important medical research is conducted on serious health issues. It is my hope and expectation that this legislature will consider in agree to invest these resources for the betterment of all Humanity what price tag goes on your health? In summary here is my vision as your new governor one. I want the best public education system in the world including higher education to I want smaller more efficient government. I Envision a more simple tax system a more strategic and successful state government working in partnership not against local units of government and a unicameral legislature. That spends at least That's spends at least one year out of for cleaning old and intrusive laws off the books 3. I want trade and economic development to be the engine of my Administration for I want to ride a train by the year 2002. Five, I want every person hearing this speech to invest what you can do for yourself. This notion of self sufficiency is far from a new idea. It's a Minnesota idea. It's in our roots and in our character of our people. Most of this address is focused on providing first impressions of a Centrist reform Governor 120 days after election, but I wish to close today by honoring five people. I met during these past months who are also reformers. What struck me is that they are people who cut a path of their own they are reforming the world immediately around them by doing what they do and how they do it today as we celebrate. The State of the State is great. Let us celebrate five people who are reforming Minnesota for the better every day through their good works one for each of the months since I've been elected. They are here today to receive the first Governors awards for a better Minnesota seated in the gallery, and I would ask that you rise to be recognized as I call your name. Last month, I had the privilege of presenting the Minnesota Health and housing Alliance caregiver of the Year award to Johnny Penrod for 27 years as a nurse's aide at the Masonic Nursing Home in Bloomington. Any of us who has ever put a parent into a nursing home hopes that someone who is as compassionate as Johnny was there when we could not be every caring word spent in these years of service has made Minnesota a better place. Joe Lynch 14 years old is an eighth grader at Saint Bernards School in st. Paul Joe not yet. You will Joe was one of the students who believed in and built a playground last summer Against All Odds when the adults backed out worried that a playground would attract gangs and violence four teams of young believers stepped up to work on fundraising a location equipment and safety issues with help from the Humphrey institute's public achievement project and many businesses. And st. Paul leaders. There is now a better place on the corner of geranium Street. Lloyd haraldson of Boyd, Minnesota Organize the Prairie Farmers Cooperative with other pork producers who want to become self-sufficient with prices at crisis lows Lyle helped 80 Minnesota farm families rally under a vision of building a hog processing facility near Dawson. The major emphasis will be on value added items that satisfy a consumer Market when this project is done. There will be 45 new jobs and a great promise for a better future for 80 Farm families. Twice during the transition. I was invited to see research projects at the University of Minnesota. One of those trips was to the cancer center where I met a dedicated where I met dedicated researchers seeking new ways to prevent and cure disease while this Capitol building preoccupies itself with talk of tobacco settlements. Dr. Dorothy hats economy is unlocking mysteries about nicotine addiction how and why do people become addicted these and other answers from her fellow researchers are making Minnesota a better place. Maybe she's doing research. Minneapolis is a better place because of Sam Kosta in January. I was invited to attend a celebration at Powderhorn School honoring Sam's role in the life of that neighborhood a teacher a choreographer. Sam has touched the lives of many young and old in ways that will never ever be forgotten we honor you today for making your corner of the world a better place. Please join me in recognizing these outstanding minnesotans. first-time voters young people and honored minnesotans I offer you these thoughts with great respect that the future is much more in your hands than in mind or this legislators You and the other people must speak to tell us whether you will participate to make this new this a new day truly work in Minnesota. It's been said that the world belongs to those who show up. Thank you for showing up today. I too am very happy to be here. Thank you. (00:48:27) Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura giving his first ever State of the State address here at the Minnesota Capitol the house Chambers. Ventura hit some big themes in this address Gary eichten. Yes, indeed. He talked about addressing some of the tough questions facing the state things like education funding property tax reform Transportation. Some of the things we should probably mention that aren't really in his first budget. He hasn't proposed major reform in any of those areas yet and we can assume that he means to do that two years from now. He also laid out some of the some of his principles was guiding principles. He said that would determine whether he signs are vetoes bills and there was kind of a revealing moment here of this new tripartite government when he did that he said there's an incredibly large elephant standing with us in the room as soon as the legislature is ready to send me a tax rebate Bill a sales tax rebate Bill. He's ready to sign it when he said that all the Democrats stood up and clapped. All the Republicans stayed down in their chairs. And then he said as soon as we get done with that you can send me some permanent income tax reductions, then all the Republicans stood up and it took the Democrats just a fraction of a second to realize. Hey, we want that too and they stood up to in general. I can just from the feel of the room pretty good reception for the governor. Well, it always is at something like this. It's kind of a kind of hard to come out and say you didn't like the Governors State of the State speech. But you know, he did take some pretty Barb shots there early on at the legislature and it was interesting to see former Governor Carlson sitting there when when the governor said he was going to do all these new things some of which Governor Carlson talked about over the past few years, but we'll have to ask some legislators about that. We do have our political reporters Martin cos T and Laura McCullum roaming the house floor looking for some reaction-time. The speech and we'll we'll have some of that on Gary just as soon as they get in place to talk to folks. Okay? Well that gives us a good opportunity in the meanwhile to hear from our political analyst Tom Horner and Sarah stays Terry Anderson with from the Reform Party was with us earlier had to leave but Tom any quick reaction to what you heard. Well, you know, it's what got Ventura elected. I mean, it's great Roderick it terrific principles. I think he lays out themes that most minnesotans would be hard-pressed to argue with I think now what people are expecting of of Jesse Ventura is can you deliver the the reforms that are going to match the rhetoric we talked about transportation that we have to have more choices. We have to have more options and everybody would agree with that but we're going to do it by limiting development by laying more concrete by raising taxes. Let's see the specifics and then use his enormous popularity to build consensus around those specifics and get With the future. So I guess I thought it was a good speech and contain more specifics actually than I was expecting to see so I was very pleased in that regard in keeping with his practice of pushing responsibility for legislation and policy to the commissioner level. He mentioned by name a number of his Commissioners and specifically said that they would be carrying the ball and making sure that his proposals were enacted. So that was consistent with his practice so far. It will be interesting to see now how involved he actually gets it making sure that some of his ideas actually become reality. Let me break in here Gary if I can that's Martin cos T is down on the house floor with house Republican speaker. Steve Swig. Mm. Let's see what they have to say Martin speaker Steve Swig. Mm. And Mike Mulcahy just told our listeners about the little scene. We encountered a little while ago here when the governor called for his his sales tax rebate plan to be passed so you can get on to other kinds of tax cuts the left side of the chamber I guess you Call it the Democrat side rows and gave them a standing ovation. The your side the Republican side sat on his hands. So is the rift that deep right? But then of course we Rose when he talked about permanent necessary significant tax cuts for all work in Minnesota families, but it sounds like it's one before the other that he does not really want to talk about permanent tax cuts until he gets this rebate question settled is this thing gonna turn into a roadblock. Well, I don't think so. I think what we need to do and we certainly encourage Governor Ventura to help us is to Bodyslam high taxes. We need to address the permanent significant tax reductions and working families in the (00:53:10) state. Now. The first bill is the out the door tax cut and a compromise is very very close and we're from the house. We're very willing to compromise and we have been willing to compromise occasionally the bar becomes a little higher as you probably know in negotiations, but we're more than willing to compromise, but we want to look forward to the key prize in this is significantly reducing the tax burdens on all working people permanently (00:53:34) during the legislative. Session do you see any inherent contradiction in sort of the general principle of the government doing only what citizens can't do for themselves? I think that's a tried and true Republican (00:53:44) principle the image of enjoyed his (00:53:45) principles month, but then he talks about things like light rail to to the mega mall and all that. I guess it's arguable whether or not maybe that is role of government or not. But is there a is there a disconnect there between those the you know, the things he has in mind that he liked to get done and his principles as far as you can see, I think so, you know the principles. I just enjoyed you know, when you (00:54:04) listen to the principles of the governor brings forward about more self-sufficiency more individual responsibility less government. I thoroughly agree with the governor and those principles but then obviously he goes on further and talks about more government spending creating endowments of over a billion dollars seems to be a little bit ironic that we talked about spending more money to help people become more self-sufficient or self, you know individually responsible. It seems to be a little bit (00:54:34) contradictory. Well, I guess we'll see how those Principles play out in the course of this session. Thanks for your time. Mr. Speaker that thank you and thank you Minnesota public radio's Martin. Kosti mpr's Laura McCullum is standing by now with Tom Pew. He's the dfl majority leader of the House. Hi Mike Tom. Give me your initial reaction to the Governors State of the State. We were very favorably impressed with his comments certainly the call to the people of Minnesota to become involved and remain involved in their government. I think was a good message and one that we certainly agree with more importantly though. I think he the governor talked about issues that are important to him that will be high priority that fall right in line with the themes of the dfl caucus in the house. He talked about being making public education's highest Target and investing money in our in our public education education system right now online. And with what would be hoping to do the tax rebate. He talked about an elephant sitting in the room blocking the tax. Bait for minnesotans and what we've what we've done with with that is the sales tax proposal which we have pushed for we've urged the conferees to adopt for the past several weeks. The governor was online in pushing for that to get that relief up to minnesotans as soon as possible and he's ready to sign that bill and return that money to minnesotans. So we're very impressed with with those positions as well as others transit. For example, another issue that we worked on for some years as Democrats in the house. So when you asked if why the Democrats and seem to be standing up a bit more than our colleagues across the aisle it was because he's on theme with us and we're very encouraged by those comments critical of voting as a caucus. Did you get a sense of a different sense of vision here than he's or clearer sense of vision and he's articulated so far there was I think a sense of that and mentioned cynicism with government a cynicism that perhaps in talk radio and his job in a prior life. He helped Foster. Our and with minnesotans, but as he assumes this role, I think he has to take an active role in overcoming that I think it was a reminder to us to vote for our districts and for the people of Minnesota rather than for any caucus positions. I don't know that the themes he's mentioned certainly seems that have gotten General and widespread support by democrats within the state and I'm hoping he's not to take us off the those prior themes that stomp you he's the minority leader of the Minnesota house. We're joined now by the majority leader of the Minnesota Senate Senator Roger mole, Senator. What did you think of the speech? I thought the speech was all right can't disagree with his basic five principles. I think his principles where he wants the best public education in the nation. He wants a government that works with a simplified tax system more trade and economic development. He wants to be able to ride a train in 2002 and he wants greater citizen involvement. Those are not issues that anybody can Take issue with what about sort of the tone of it when he talked about legislators, not really understanding the budget voting anyway, and he spent a month over at the Department's does. How does that play here in this room? Well, I don't think that plays very well. I think some of the people who know the state budget the best are sitting in those chairs in the House and Senate chambers. Again, the governor has a little bit of a problem transitioning out of campaign rhetoric into the rhetoric of a governor and that was evidence today. But you know, he obviously enjoys that right I guess but eventually he's going to have to start to govern and he talked about the property tax system sort of scrapping that getting at these kids who aren't going to pass the basic skills test. None of that is really in this this budget this time. No as a matter of fact, he acknowledged a citizen for an outstanding idea dealing with helping hog Farmers for my producer Coop again. There's no funding in the bill for things. That so he's he spelled out some good goals will certainly work with them on it. But as I said, you know the devils in the details, he talked about having them a simplified property tax system and I and a more Equitable education funding system. So we'll be waiting with anticipation for those suggestions from the administration and very quickly. He added an extra 50 million dollars into the agriculture relief. Is that enough? No, that's far, you know, keep in mind the 50 million. He added to the 10 million doesn't come to what the house and the Senate are going to do in one year and he's suggesting over three years. So that's again woefully inadequate where he can really help is to (00:59:21) he could have put in his speech how he's going to (00:59:23) provide for property tax relief for Farmers on a long-term basis long-term permanent property tax relief, that would have been much more meaningful to farmers in the state. So but that's okay. The legislature is going to do that. All right Senator, thank you. That's dfl Senator Roger Mo the majority leader the Minnesota Senate and Gary eichten will go back to you. All right. Thank you very much. Mike and time to wrap up here, but we'd like to thank all of you who've been with us. If our live coverage of the State of the State if you missed part of it will be rebroadcasting the speech at nine o'clock tonight here in Minnesota Public Radio. We have an invitation to the end of the governor. Hope he can come by the program tomorrow. We'll see so make sure you tune in programming an MPR is supported by the anchor Livingstone system a way to build a distinctive custom home in concrete masonry now showing at the spring Home and Garden Show.