(00:00:10) Good morning, and welcome to midday of Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten glad you could join us Governor. Jesse Ventura is agenda for this Spring's legislative session was really pretty simple. When you think about it pass what he calls a sensible smallish bonding Bill cut license tab fees set aside some money for transportation projects and a rebate check back to taxpayers and put the unicameral issue on the November election ballot, but legislators have other ideas faced with another huge Surplus projected to be about 1.8 billion dollars. They're talking about permanent tax cuts and increased spending on a range of programs unicameral is in trouble in the governor's choice to head the public service and commerce Department's is already been rejected. Well Governor Ventura has come by today to discuss what's been happening at the state capitol and take your questions. We invite you. Give us a call here with your questions for Governor Ventura 6512276 thousand 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-222-8477. 6,000 or 1-800 to for to to 82810 Governor. Good morning Gary. How are you today? Just fine. Maybe I can learn how to tell time here before yeah, or is over with your jobs getting like mine. I rarely look at my watch because I'm so busy going from meeting to meeting to meeting. And before I know it is 11 minutes after 6:00 in the evening. I thought you pulled one on me here. I thought she's a day went fast at a time doing this and the evening. Well, it does seem like the the experiment with try partisan governments a little rockier this year than it was last year. Am I right about that? Yeah, because you know, you have to remember it's probably and first thing I want to comment on. Did you notice all the Press here today? I mean all the They're just hanging around here like vultures. They're waiting for that waiting for that story to happen. I want to make that clear. So when they write it tomorrow, they know they heard it here first, you know that they were here listening than it wasn't part of any breaking news conference. They're all here today. It's amazing cameras and writers and all that but is it you have to remember that? I'm fearful. You know, I mean, there's a fear about me because if I'm successful there could be more Jesse Ventura is on the horizon of politics and that that creates fear in the two-party system because you know, they they definitely work very hard to ensure that third parties are never successful and so they will continue to do so, you know to Mattoon to make sure the third parties aren't successful. So it's really not surprising and I sit on an island, you know, I have no one elected with Mia myself and Governor Angus King of Maine are the two independent governors in the United States of American. Angus told me. It would go. You know Angus is in his second term. Now I might add he was elected initially with about the same amount Iowa's and then his second term. He was overwhelmingly elected for re-election against I think six candidates Democrats and Republicans and Angus is an independent, but Angus warned me that it would happen. He said one week the Republicans will be your friend and the Democrats will hate you and then the next week it'll switch. His record is 48 Hours of having him do the complete 360. So I'm hoping I can break that record and see if I can do it in 24 now unicameral you sent out a call on your radio program on Friday two people suggesting that if they actually want to see a vote on the unicameral legislature. They should contact their legislators and best anybody can tell hardly anyone's called. Does anybody actually care about this issue? Well, they should they should because if they if they continue to complain about government complain about high taxation complain about you know, Ribbed lock government in the things in the way. It operates. It's the system that's bad. It's not the individual legislator. You know, I take a bad rap often but people say I criticize legislators know I don't I've rarely criticized legislators. I criticize the system that we're all operating under I think the system is can be so much better. I think a unicameral is a better way to go. It's far more people-friendly the bicameral system with the with the conference committees is very much lobbyists and special interest in Insider friendly and if the people choose not to respond to this because they have to remember that that legislators generally, you know, they're in a two-year election cycle many of them so they only look two years out. That's all the farther they look out is what do I have to do before my next election? And so they respond very mightily to the public in what public sentiment is and if if people decide that they don't want this opportunity. Unity to choose which I don't believe because everywhere I've gone it's been 80 to 90 to 100 percent people sing our we'd like the opportunity to choose on this and we'd all be winners in the end because it's very simple Gary. We have a presidential election coming this fall which is going to create interest and creates higher voting voter. Turnout. We in Minnesota can be proud that the 98 election. We had the highest voter turnout in the United States slightly over 60% Now put that in the perspective of your high school sports team if you went six and four, do you think you'd win the conference title? No, so six people vote in Minnesota for people don't and to me we have to do things to bring those four people back into the system and I think in light of a presidential election this fall if unicameral gets put on the ballot and education will take place because then both the bicameral and the unicameral supporters will To go very strong on educating the public about how both systems work. And then I think you'll get intrigued from voters to come out and make a choice on which system they would prefer but you have to remember there's a lot of people in government that enjoy apathy. They Thrive upon apathy. They don't want High voter turnouts. It's much easier to win an election with a low voter turnout with your core special interest groups rather than these 40 percent that have been turned off by our system. So this is bigger than simply putting unicameral on the ballot. This is an opportunity for people to take an active role and be re-engaged in government again, and if the people of Minnesota don't want that opportunity, then they shouldn't be crying or whining a year from now to me now some of the opponents to the Light Rail Project over in Hennepin County say that Hennepin County voters should have an opportunity to vote on that to take a second. Look at that. Would you support a referendum? No, not at not a bit and I'll tell you why it's only a hundred million dollars a week and a half. Referendum on every hundred million dollar project that we have in this state. You can hold a referendum for all at hundred million dollar projects. If we're going to start doing that. Then there's no reason to have a representative government will just put everything a hundred million dollars because that's all I Trails going to cost us I'll cost the state there. But the total cost is substantially sure but that's well. Let me ask you this Gary if you and I were going to buy something were 600 bucks and if I put 500 in and you put 100 in would you buy in? If I put 500 up and you only had to put 100 up would you buy into that? I would and that's essentially what light rail is. We the state of Minnesota are only having to put in a hundred million dollars for something that's going to be worth 500 and some million. If we don't get it rest assured. I was out to Denver Denver will be happy to take that money Denver's already expanding their Light Rail to five lines. It's going to be when they're all done. They just passed a billion-dollar bonding bill for highways and rail system because their way in front of us when it comes to transportation and believe me, this is not a liberal or conservative issue. This is an economic issue if we fall farther behind on Transportation economically, it's going to hurt the state of Minnesota because it's going to be that much more difficult. Look at the polls in the Star Tribune the this weekend over 60 62 percent are in favor a rail. And and well over that's the lowest of all of them and what people need to understand is that just because we get rail doesn't mean we're not going to support Highway funding Maya total proposal is multimodal that will handle both highways improving getting rid of the bottlenecks. It'll handle put bringing in mass transportation. I mean people ought to jump on board right now and they look at the price of gas. You've got a group of legislators that want to force you into cars and then they won't reduce license tab. So if they force you into a car, they don't give you the opportunity to use any type of mass transit. Then you got to pay these exorbitant license tabs, which they don't support lowering them. Isn't that a kind of strange they want to make you drive a car and then they want to make you make an extra car payment the price of a license Tab and not give you the opportunity to make a choice on your transportation. So interesting, but in terms of people voting and so on you'd like to see him vote on the unicameral. It's also different unicameral is a constitutional issue. It's changing what governmental be it's not simply voting on saw a spending issue. That's why we have representative government. You elect people to represent you and then you if you don't like how they represent you. Hopefully you'll vote them out of office. That's how it works unicameral is the Constitution. What will our government be there's quite a bit of difference between what our government will be and simply a spending issue their apples and oranges. They don't even belong in the same crate on the license tab thing. Will you accept something less than the $75 cap that you proposed? Well, I'd have to see it, you know to me it's you know, there's another issue where we cut off our nose in spite of our face because we have a lot of people go register their cars and other states so they can get their car lot cheaper. We're right on the border. Girl, Wisconsin and you can register your car in Wisconsin will you know what else we lose then we lose the sales tax on that car. If it gets registered in Wisconsin that sales tax then goes to Wisconsin, you know and so show you got to look at the broad picture the whole thing and philosophically you have to look at it Gary when you get your driver's license, do they make you bring in your tax return to show how much money you make and is your driver's license based upon your income know if you go out and get a fishing license. Is it based upon how expensive your fishing equipment is know if you go out hunting is it based upon how expensive your shotgun is? No, you're simply going out and purchasing a licensed right to use our lakes rivers and Fields to hunt and fish in while driving should be the same way. You shouldn't be based upon how expensive your car is you've already been penalized for that. You've been penalized by the sales. When you purchase the car, why should your license be based on how expensive the automobile is and you always hear the Democratic philosophy the ability to pay. Well, I'm tired of that because that's simply penalizing people for being successful and who's to say someone doesn't live very modestly, but their dream is to have a beautiful car. Well, then they're to be penalized for that. They should have to pay more simply because they buy a new car. It's ridiculous. It should be a flat rate Governor. Jesse Ventura is our guest this hour and let me give you the number here. Don't call though because all our lines are busy. We'll work our way through some callers and then we'll take your call as well because we'd like to get your question on 6512276 Thousand or 1-800 to for 228286512276 thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight Tammy. Go ahead please. (00:12:13) Hi, mr. Venture. Hi Tammy. How are you? Okay. I'm going to tell you who my legislator is first, the don't laugh too hard Philistines and she's sitting on the committee and I called her regularly. I not only I vote in primaries. I'm a freak. Okay? Well, you're not sure (00:12:30) if you're a citizen that's doing their Duty. (00:12:33) My grandma would have wanted me to vote whenever I could vote. So I always thought they have good for you kid. She couldn't vote when she was a young girl. That's right. And I called his woman all the time and she doesn't care. So it doesn't work. I have no representation. When as well. You know, I'm in favor of we I don't know why we can't at least discuss this and cut then we have as many as California. (00:12:57) We have more than California Tami we have we have about 60 to 70 more legislators than California does right now. Our population is slightly over 4 million California's is over 33 million and we have 60 to 70 more legislators than California does and how would unicameral Make legislators more or less responsive to the people because there won't be the hidden conference committees. Every vote will be taken out on the open floor every vote an amendment to A bill must be voted on by the full body not voted on by a committee not done in the back room all amendments. Like right now you may have a great amount of great bill that is supportive that you want to support it comes out of conference committee. It could have four amendments on that bill that you don't like you have to Simply vote it up or down your then put in a position. Well do I vote for the original bill which I support and allow these other for things to go into law with it or do I vote against it because of these other four things when it comes out of that final conference committee You're simply a vote of up or down you get nothing on the Amendments that go into that bill or all the things attached and that's with a deal making takes place. That's where you get things put on two bills that have really nothing to do with the bill many times. You know unicameral everything is voted out, you know, what will happen that the big difference it's like what happened in commissioner men's case. I was offered a deal. I was told that if commissioner men would resign they would quietly give him 45 days to find another job and that and that we could find a replacement that 45 days. I could have taken that deal quietly both the commissioner and I said no we're going to make them do this like the unicameral legislature. We're going to make them go out on the floor and pull the lever so that they're all on the record those that voted for him and those that voted against him. So the public will see clearly where they stood on the issue and the commissioner and I are the former commissioner and I were both on the same table with that. We said, nope. We're going to make them we're not going to do a deal like the conference committee in the back room where he quietly leaves and and like one quote. I was given Gary was this is going to cause the governor a big headache. Well, let me assure you a something. I'll give you a good quality. Here's a quote for all the media here. I don't get headaches I give them. You still still pretty bitter about that deal. I'm not bitter at all. I'm not bitter. It's something that happened. The state of Minnesota is the one that suffers the loss over the petty politics that were played there, you know, and that's all what's because they never brought up his qualifications. No one came forward ever and said Steve Min is unqualified to do this job. They just simply didn't like the fact in again. It's an example of put your money where your mouth is. We were cutting down government. We were combining two departments putting it under one commissioner and they got offended over that and didn't want to do it. So they talk the talk when it comes to downsizing government like unicameral, but do they walk the walk? I don't think so when it comes time to do it. They're nowhere to be found Miss. Merman your question, please. (00:16:13) Yes. I was wondering what your main reason for supporting you to camera was especially with so many important government issues out there in the state of (00:16:20) Minnesota. Well unicameral. Be simple. All they got to do is put it on the ballot. And then when they go out of session let the debates begin. It'll be exciting. It'll run all fall when we're done with all these other issues. They could have been done with unicameral in the first week. They could have stood up and said, yes the people deserve the right to choose on this pass it out. Shoot it out. Put it on the ballot finished with it over. We're still dealing with all the other issues. Believe me unicameral. I don't Focus my time on it that much. In fact, I'm I'm already I'm done with it really. It's in the hands of the people in the legislators. Now, I've done everything I can so I'm focused on all the other issues were working towards and let's remember something. This is also a capital bonding year. Here's another problem we face is that legislators seem to believe that these two crossover every year we did a biannual budget last year which all three entities of government agreed upon now biannual for those of you that don't understand out there. Which this is MPR so most do but I am your means every two years. So we have a budget in place for two years. This is not supposed to be a budget year. This is supposed to be a capital bonding year yet for some reason. It's an election year. So it's not going to be just Capital bonding. They're going to come back. They're going to Tinker with the budget. They're going to twist it around do this and do that which causes all these Band-Aids scratches and bleeding which then you end up with everything getting thrown out of kilter. We have a biannual budget. Let's live with it next year. We do another one. The many of these issues should be brought up next year when we do our next budget, but they allow the to to cross over you do you end up with bonding issues during budget years and you end up with budget issues during bonding years and that creates a big problem worse representative Abrams the house tax committee chair said, you know, that's not correct that in fact every year thus far as he can ever recall. There's always been some some give-and-take that bonding years is always doesn't Could write that just the way they operate if they try at the other way. I think we'd find a much more efficient government, but they also have and you have a projected 1.8 billion dollar Surplus projected and it'll be it's just a projection right now. We do have 500 million that's in the bank that wouldn't even be there. If they to listen to me last time. I didn't cap the rebate they capped at the legislature captain at one point three billion. We ended up actually getting in 1.8. So that 500 will be sent back again this summer. It should have already gone back last year should have gone back last year now projections are just that if you're going to deal off projections, you can get yourself in serious trouble because projections are based upon a strong economy. Would you agree with me that our economy is faltering a little bit right now that it's becoming a little more shaky. The stock market is now dipped below 10,000 and is hovering at the 10th. Thousand Mark if if the economy takes a turn for the worst these so-called projected surpluses will disappear in a second and there will be no surpluses. So to me basing your decision on projections, that's like predicting. Well, let's uh, let's let's project. Well, it's like go back to my election. If I had if I had ran on projections out of dropped out of the race because not one expert not one newspaper not one prognosticator predicted that Jesse Ventura would become the governor. So if I believed in those projections, I would have dropped out of the race and never became Governor, but I didn't believe in projections. I believed when people go in and vote that's like at the end of the biannual budget. Here's how much money you truly have now. Can Minnesotan still count on a rebate this summer? Yeah, I think so sure. Absolutely the 500 million that they should have got last summer because both the house is in favor of it the Senate's in favor of And I'm in favor of it shows just rounding out the edges and how it'll return and I would guess they would probably get a little sooner this year. They should get it in about June or July now both House and Senate are talking about permanent tax cuts as well as the reject not quite a difference in builds, of course approaches. But are you ready to sign onto some kind of permanent tax relief as well? I've already signed on the permanent tax relief license tabs while instead of the license. Yeah, but that's not instead of they're eliminating the license tabs. The house isn't counting on them at all. Like I said here you have a body that wants to force you into the automobile. They want you to pay $2 a gallon for gas, which is what it's going up to right and yet they want you to play these exorbitant license tab fees to a four and five hundred dollars a year and not give you an option to take mass transit in any way force you into your cars because they're going to provide no money for mass transportation, you know, and it's just fix and build highways. That's the mindset. Well, no city in America has ever built their way out of congestion. I guess we'll be the first one according to that mindset will be the first one to do it. I got to see it but no again permanent to I here's the other point. I want to make I want to permanently reform property taxes. I shouldn't commissioner. Matt Smith has been out holding Town meetings throughout the state of Minnesota and it's come back very clearly that minnesotans want permanent tax reform of their property tax system. You can't do that overnight. It's taken tens of 20s of years to get our property tax system into the mess. It's in do you understand years Gary when you get that form and you go through it, you understand it. I don't understand much of anything. No. Yes to come on. Don't be light on yourself and don't feel bad. I don't either when you get that form. It is such a concern such a Boggle of mess when you look at who taxes you how much where it's going what it's paying for you have no DEA you don't have a clue what all that's going to it's been very clear that people want meaningful property tax reform while the system won't let us do that because the system requires an election this fall to do meaningful property tax reform. We have an opportunity now because we've got this budget surplus if they simply stick with the budget that we have right now and go into the new year with the new budget. We will be able to do meaningful property tax reform if they if they tamper with that budget right now give across-the-board tax cuts, which we already did we cut income tax last year the most of any state in the United States of America. We gave back the biggest rebate in United States history last year and we're going to give another rebate this summer of even more money if if they would simply with live within the biannual budget that had been agreed upon for two years. We could put together and come forward with meaningful property tax reform, but that's probably not going to happen because of the system. They're all For re-election this fall. So therefore they have to make decisions based upon what they can put on campaign literature to ensure the power struggle. That's what you have. Here is the power struggle between the Democrats and the Republicans who maintains control who gets control and who fights for that control. That's what it's all about. It isn't about doing what's best necessarily for minnesotans in the long run. It's about a two year window in a power struggle of getting elected. Don't you think many of the legislators though are acting on principle Governor. I mean, obviously if you're a politician You are interested in good politics and hopefully if you want to run again getting yourself re-elected. Yeah, but well that's see that it seems to see your seem to be suggesting that that's the only motivation base, but no, no not at all. But it's the system that corrupt said it's not them corrupting it. It's the system we're going back to unicameral again unicameral would be a four-year term. So you wouldn't face an election for four years. You take a look at a rookie legislator right now, they get elected, right? They spend the first year getting acclimated learning how it works. They spend the second year running for re-election right now if they get reelected, they can actually come back and do some work to third year and then the fourth year the running for re-election again, so that means three out of four years. They're not being doing the people's work where if they go if in the unicameral system, you'll get elected for a four-year term. You can come in and get acclimated the first year you can. And the second and third years working on the people's business and you won't have to run for re-election. Tell your fourth year to get reelected. If you so desire maybe you'll get everything done in those two years and you can go back to the private sector but that's unheard of isn't it serving and then going back to what you used to do seems to me maybe I'm just spitballing here a little bit but it seems to me our country was founded upon that many many many years ago coming in and serving when you're done serving going back to what you used to do. But that's old time government isn't it today? It's let's get reelected. Let's make careers out of this and let's spend 25 and 30 years. Do you realize that the speaker that the majority leader in the Senate has been there longer than I than when I deployed overseas in the Navy. And I did that in February of 1971 was my first deployment overseas and the majority leader in the Senate took office January of 71. How many jobs of I had since January of 1971. Let's see. I did four years in the Navy got discharged. Aye sir. I I spent a year at College wrestled for 11 years became a broadcaster for wrestling for four or five years broadcasted NFL football became a talk radio host did 11 different movies and yet this person's been doing the same thing for that entire career. That's what we're doing out today. Governor Jesse Ventura is our guest this hour. And again, if you have a question for the governor, give us a call here, six five one two, two seven six thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight will get this more callers in just a couple minutes. Today's programming is supported by the generous Financial contributions from members of Minnesota public. Radio's leadership Circle. When it came time for NPR to select a new president many people were pleased to hear the organization chose a former working journalist. Kevin clothes spent over 25 years at the Washington Post and now he's had several months to settle into his new role at NPR. I'm Juan Williams NPR's president and CEO Kevin close joins us for an hour of your questions comments and criticisms on the next Talk of the Nation from NPR news. Over the noon hour. Today. We're going to hear from Elaine Chao who is a well-known conservative here in America talking about her immigrant experience right now news headlines. Here's Mary Anne Sullivan Maria. Thank you Gary. The White House issued an angry response today to an attack from the NRA the head of the group said over the weekend that President Clinton exploits exploits gun deaths for political purposes a sad day for fans of Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, the NFL's most successful Pastor has announced his retirement after 17 years with the team. Marino says, he'll miss Sunday afternoons. Most of all after a big tumble on Wall Street stocks are recovering some of their early losses the NASDAQ plunged more than 200 points after the opening bell, but has recovered about half of the losses. The Dow has also come back after being down almost 200 points charges are pending in Lyon County against two people arrested in Marshall after police found a home-based methamphetamine lab a 30 year old Marshall man was arrested and a 21 year old. Shh woman is being held in connection with the investigation police and Otter Tail County are investigating The Disappearance of 48 year old west central Minnesota man, Gregory Ritter of Parker's Prairie was last seen Thursday morning readers wife reported him missing after he failed to show up for work. The Minnesota Wild are discussing a plan with officials at River Center under which the hockey team would manage day-to-day operations of st. Paul's new Arena and Convention Center a draft agreement is in place in the River Center Authority is expected to agree River Center Authority board chairman Richards airing says he doesn't see any big roadblocks any deal will have to be approved by the Saint Paul city council students occupying the administrative office at Macalester College in st. Paul for the past week are part of a nationwide protest of sweatshops. My college students. The protesters want McAllister to withdraw its membership from the Fair Labor Association an association that oversees sweatshops. The association is made up of officials from clothing manufacturers about 130 colleges and the US Department of Labor an estimated. At 80% of Collegiate where is made by workers in underdeveloped countries partly cloudy across Minnesota today with highs in the 30s and 40s. It is sunny and 29 degrees in Rochester 30 in st. Cloud flurries reported in Duluth and 29 degrees and mostly sunny 32 in the Twin Cities. That's the latest from The Newsroom Gary. All right. Thank you Marianne 26 minutes before noon mid day coming to you on Minnesota Public Radio in our guest this our Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura who has come by today to talk about some of the big issues at the state capital. Let's get back to our callers here Sago had Place. (00:29:49) Good morning Governor. I really commend you on your effort. Thank you. You trying to make these changes. I support you on the unicameral legislature system licensed a batting title match the Wisconsin side thinks about $45 per (00:30:06) car. Yes. It is an excellent. Yep. I think it (00:30:09) is and I thought property taxes should be Stocks if you own stocks, you don't pay on the stacks you own you pay on the stocks that you sell in (00:30:19) private. I agree. I would love to see property taxes Frozen that what you purchase it for. Why should you be penalized for fixing up your property? You know, here's another example of government penalizing those that do the right thing and rewarding those that do the wrong thing you buy a home and you fix it up. Well, what is government do they penalize you you pay more if you buy that same house allow it to deteriorate government reward you you pay less. Now. What kind of mine thought is that it's crazy thinking it's no common sense at all to that. You shouldn't be penalized for doing the right thing. You know, you should be rewarded for doing the right thing now, apparently there's a big rally at the Capitol this week calling for legislation, which would at least Camp the increase that assessors could impose each year. Would you support legislation like that? Yeah. I think I would I you know, I I can't say because I haven't studied it yet completely. I'd like to get rid of assessors. I'd like to go a step farther get rid of assessors. Why not have the property what it sold for that's your assessor. You know, you purchase a property you Deemed its value by what you bought it for then if you turn around and sell it whoever buys the property, how can they argue if it's assessed for what they purchased it for? They're the ones that set the value and that way you're not penalized for improving the property now, there should be a check to that. Of course, if you take an existing house and you add a 2500 expansion square foot expansion on it. Well, then yes, there should be a mode for taxing for that because you but if you simply replace the roof or finish off the basement or improve the house that you live in without expanding it or making it larger. I think it's ridiculous that we allow assessors to come and penalize you've already been taxed. You've bought the material, you know, if you buy the roofing material you pay a sales tax to buy that now you're simply using it for what you purchased it for and they're going to tax you again for using it. What are you supposed to stack it up in the corner and let it sit there. My ridiculous will add be part of your property tax overhaul next year. I won't. Be got it now because I want to let commissioner Smith come forward with his recommendations from his town meetings net. And I would never want to jump in ahead of him. He's been the one working on it. He's going to bring all that to me in May or June and if we get the opportunity then to overhaul the property tax system. I will take his recommendations, but certainly my own thoughts will go into those recommendations at that time Bob. Your question, please (00:32:51) Governor is you should know there was a major opinion page article yesterday and the Star Tribune title living in public and that article pointed out yet. Once again, the disgraceful homeless situation that we have in Minnesota is that article made clear the housing facilities for the homeless are grossly inadequate in two respects one or isn't we don't begin to have enough facilities to house the homeless and secondly some of the facilities that we do have are grossly inadequate of themselves. So at the same time you and the legislators are competing as to how much of our tax money to give back this little bit. My Wish obviously you're not keeping you going to do about I (00:33:32) already did something about it if you were really up on what's Happening you could call up and speak with a little more intelligence. I just we have tan if funds that we get from the federal government. I have just allocated in my proposal 83 million dollars dedicated to housing. So I suggest you educate yourself on what I'm doing over there before you call up and chastise me kit Hadley in the housing people met with me. They were ecstatic. I caught them totally off-guard. They had no idea that my focus was going to be on housing with that tan of money 83 million dollars. So before you call up again and start chastising me about your pet cause here which is affordable housing for homeless people while homeless people need to go out and get a job too. There's a tremendous amount of jobs out there right now. I was just told there's 44,000 jobs in Minnesota right now that aren't being filled and so I don't To hear this that there's nothing available for people to go out there pull yourself up by your bootstraps go out and get a job. I've allocated 83 million dollars to affordable housing in that town of money that we get from the federal government. I'm doing my part. So the next time you call pal have your facts straight and know what's going on. Now a lot of homeless people already have jobs. Well, there's then there's 44,000 additional ones out there get a second one. I mean I get yelled at for doing two jobs Gary whenever I try to go out and hold down a second job. I get legislators over there trying to stop me from doing it. That's the American way. If you want to hold down you can hold the nobody to hold you back hold down a couple jobs. That's how you become successful. Now on that issue, there was some legislation and I'm afraid to say I don't know where it currently stands which would essentially impose on future Governor's the same rules regarding outside income that other state employees are under would you support that legislation? Well, it has no effect on me because it's according to ethics you have to be someone has to be gaining from you doing this job anything I've done there's been no conflict of interest. The World Wrestling Federation has no interest in our government policies and Minnesota me writing a book. I actually you know, and that's under a Miss Direction. They're a little bit too. I signed that book deal when I governor-elect t' and I hadn't taken an oath. I hadn't raised my hand when I did that and the point is that has no bearing on how I govern and will I support it would have no effect on what I do because I'm not doing anything unethical and the thing for state employees is you have to be doing something unethical. You have to be using your job to benefit someone out there because of the job that you're doing. That's how the wording of it goes because I talked to my attorney and he said it would really have no bearing were very careful about what we allow you to do so that it doesn't Fringe upon that at all and you told me this would have no fringe on that at all. Jen's a your question, please. (00:36:39) Good morning Governor Ventura. Hijack doing (00:36:41) I'm doing very well. Thank you couldn't be (00:36:43) better. That's great. Well, anyway, I'd like to turn our attention to the farm crisis and I definitely have always agreed with you that people should assume responsibility for themselves, and I also think that we Need to take care of each other and I have not seen a whole lot of attention paid by the news media or most politicians to what if anything us ordinary citizens here in States that had a lot of farmers what we can do to kind of help farmers out of the jam there in and I know a lot of it is in the control of federal legislation about firming very much. So, yeah, but aside from really leaning on our guys in Congress in Washington to pass legislation that's going to help out the farmers long term rather than just keep putting short-term Band-Aids on what's a bigger problem than can just be getting emergency fixes thrown at it. What if anything do you think we can do to kind of give Farmers a (00:37:51) boost? Well it again, you know farmers and all farm families hold down two jobs lots of times to today what We can do what is surprising. We need to bring up the technology in Greater Minnesota that superhighway the computer world. We have to ensure that that gets out to rural Minnesota because when director Berkeley went out there surprisingly, it wasn't farm farm and crop growing that was their main concern their main concern was technology and having the ability to have it out in Greater Minnesota course, we were set back when they got rid of commissioner men because commissioner men and commissioner Fisher were spearheading that operation, but that wasn't important. It was more important to relieve him of his duties because they were offended over a executive decision that I made last spring. I guess they would think I should bring them into special session to consult them, you know on what I'm going to do when I have the executive right to do it. It's my job to take care of the executive end of government but getting back to the farm issue also opening up free trade. I think it's extremely important that we continue on the track with China because China is 20% Of the World Market and rest assured if we put up barriers against China. Well, China's going to go somewhere else then they're going to go to Brazil. They're going to go to another foreign country and they face it. They have a lot of people over there that need to be fed. And in agricultural world like we have here in Minnesota. They are a natural trading partner for us. I'm already setting up a trade mission to go to China. I will be going over there and I've been asked by the federal government to take a lead on on trade issues when I was in Washington at the end G A. So I will be I will be I will be taking that bull by the horns and being one of the leaders in in international trade in the global economy. And I think it's only going to help Minnesota Deborah are question place. Deborah hello Deborah. (00:39:47) Hello. You're on the air. I don't know if my comments are properly directed to you know, the governor the legislature, but it just seems like In the state with a budget. I know a projected budget surplus we seem to have such a problem with funding our schools in Greater Minnesota. And even it seems like some of the bigger school districts and it just seems like, you know really hard on the parents. I mean, we're cutting programs or cutting teachers and I guess I look at Israel. Well like with the governor was saying before, you know, people should be rewarded for their hard work. I mean, I see parents sending kids off to school, you know prepared to learn eager to learn our school districts, you know, we have National Merit scholars in this state, you know, great athletes great Performing Arts. I mean people are trying really hard and it just seems like we're always being told to make do with less and (00:40:42) no all I can say is my aunt biannual budget last year was the the largest boost a public public education in the last decade or more, you know, we sent the money out there now, it's up to the schools to use that money in to use it effectively. For at the local level. So again, I think it's very easy to attempt to hold the state government responsible. But you also have to look to your local school boards and those elected officials because they likewise determine how that money will be spent on the local level. So hold them accountable lot of the school district officials will say though that yes, the the basic formula was increased substantially and and they you know, thank the Lord for that they say but on the other hand a lot of these special programs were kind of folded into that and as a result wasn't when you add in increased enrollment or declining enrollment they end up with well virtually no money to work with another another thing that I'm leading the charge on and I met with the vice president on Saturday about it. Is that the government the federal government's commitment to funding special ed. They agreed when that special ed bill was passed and mandated that they would pick up 40% of it. Well, they've only Picked up 12 to 13 percent tops if they go to that 40% that's going to free us up for an additional 200 million plus that we in Minnesota will be able to use if the federal government will fulfill their end of the bargain. I met with the vice president for 50 minutes and that was quite something Dairy to sit in a room of just he and I there was no one else in that room. Imagine getting a 50-minute audience with the potential president because he you know, it's between him and Governor Bush now and and now, you know, I'm not going to call who's going to win at all that's up to their campaigns and what they do, but it was a great I took it as a terrific sign when the vice president calls from the airplane Friday night changes his entire schedule to meet with me Saturday morning and special ed was one of our main things we talked about and if we can get them and he is committed to that if he follows through and pays for the federal 40% on that that's going to free us up for 200 million more plus dollars that will have for That we can dedicate to our public school funding here in the state of Minnesota, which is huge. I don't mean this to even well, it's going to sound sarcastic and I don't mean it that way. Do you see yourself in the role or could you end up in the role as a kind of presidential kingmaker here? I imagine George w-- Bush will be coming by and you are ascribed or attributed to having a lot of influence with that that middle voter that independent voter that both sides are trying to lure. Well, I think you judge that by the meetings that are set up and what happened with the Vice President coming to town. Obviously, he feels I'm an important person to talk with I think that you have to be honest the independent voter determines who wins because you've got roughly the same amount of people on the Democratic left as you've got the same amount of people on the Republican, right and it really what needs to be made clear their minorities. Poles and Minnesota show that over sixty percent of minnesotans don't identify with either party. So you've got a 60% out there of a potential that you've got to get so that tells you very clearly that they are the voters that determine who wins and if indeed I am part of winning those 60% I think candidates would be pretty darn foolish not to to come and meet with me and to get my perspective on things because again, the Democrats and Republicans are minorities. If you add them both together, they're only 40% that's less than half of the people of Minnesota don't even identify with these two parties that the media and that they would have you believe are in a majority. When in the reality is they're a minority three four years ago. Could you imagine yourself being in a position where the presidential candidates would come hat in hand a Jesse Ventura? No, not at all and I couldn't imagine. And that I go out to the White House now and in fact when I went to the NGA I had fun I the presidents got a great sense of humor. He does President Clinton and when I was out there this year I was seated at the very table with the first lady and I told the president at the end of the night. I said Gee had I known that just by quitting the Reform Party I'd get bumped up to sit with the first lady. I said, I did it a year ago because a year ago, I was kind of in the middle and towards the left at the back, you know and didn't have that prominent seat this time. I was seated right there when they got up and made toasts. I actually touched glasses with the president on a toast. That's how close I was and G just by quitting the Reform Party. I got boosted up a little bit. So I ya know I didn't imagine it but I relish the position and I enjoy it. I think I speak for what is now becoming a regular word ass the Centrist. So those of us in the center that's a real word Centrist. So we take the best from the right we take the best from the The more common sense. That's a Centrist might Minnesota get something out of this unique position. I hope so. I'm certainly going to exploit it died. I certainly am going to focus some attention on Washington. Why not? We've got it until November I'd be off I wouldn't be representing my state as their governor. If I didn't Stephanie are question, please. (00:46:18) Yes, Governor Jesse. I live on a farm and my husband raised Hogs and confinement at one time. I applaud your veto of a really bad feedlot bill was it last year? Yes, and I hope you might get ready to Evita another one. There's a really bad one coming Senator deal really thinks he has your approval, I believe because he's pretty much said that in a farm newsletter for changes. He puts forward and one of them is changing the finishing ha gamble unit from a point for to a point two five which will result in almost doubling of the number of large Hogs allowed at these sites. Do you could use You would have you would sign a bill like that. (00:47:00) Well, I again will go to commissioner hyuga sin and my people on staff and of course I'll get their opinion on it. But for the senator to say that he that that I'm going to approve everything. How did he vote on the mend situation? Maybe that's a question. Someone should ask him because you know, all of them voted to take away one of my most brightest Commissioners. So, you know, and I have a terrific memory. Yeah, but you have said repeatedly Governor that you don't want these issues linked like that. Oh, I don't so you wouldn't wouldn't take revenge. I'm know I would you know me better than that Gary. We should note for those of you listening that there is a twinkle in my eye and tranquilizer. So I like keeping people guessing. Also you have to remember that politics is politics is war. It's just War without guns ITS Tactical war and I thrive upon it in so I will I won't give up my positions and let them know what I think about everything but I think it's something that one should keep in mind is that you know, they did something unprecedented for 50 years. They didn't allow me to choose a commissioner who was highly qualified to do the job and now they're even stepping forward and saying that they're going to demand I do proclamations. Well, I think they're stepping overstepping their bounds between the legislative and executive branches of government and if they want to say what I do proclamations on then find they can do them all because I get 30 to 50 per month and I will ship them over to the legislature and let them Gary bills on all of them then Stacey a quick question before we wrap up here. (00:48:46) Yes Governor Ventura Stacey Martin my questions about Light Rail and just real in general. I lived in Munich Germany for seven years and where they have a fantastic transportation system along with buses and Subways and and they call them the L trains as well. I'm curious to know if you think that part of the reason the legislation and it keeps saying that Minnesota loves their cars. They don't want Light Rail. They want the highways. I wonder what role car manufacturers petroleum manufacturers gasps manufacturers and the lobbyists that work to those groups have the role they have in the job I have and trying to keep light rail out of Minnesota and how much money these legislators receive from these organizations. I would like some study some study done on that to see how much money these legislators are receiving from the car manufacturers of petroleum gas. (00:49:36) Well Stacy, let me let me let me tell you a couple of things right here good. Chin's excellent you've lived in Europe. You've seen how great it works and all that you don't need a car and like I said, you've got people here that want to keep you in cars and then charge you these exorbitant fees for license tabs as a way to collect money and you'll have no alternative all this stuff about minnesotans won't ride rails. We love our cars. Well, I was out in Denver and they told me the same arguments were made out there. And as far as I'm understand, I think I'm right and Ragsdale out there old. Let me know. I think Denver's west of Minneapolis. I think I think my geography is correct there even more West than we are and so if they love their cars out there, it's even more than we probably do here in Minnesota. If you look the farther west you travel. Well, they were given the same arguments on rail out there. You know what their problem is now, they've put the rail and they underestimated their ridership. They didn't allocate enough parking if you're not on the rail by 7:15 in the morning you Get on it and park at the park and ride because it's full they're buying up as much parking as they can possibly get and the big complaint now is hey, we want to ride this. Where's the parking so we can and the point being is let's go back in history back in the early 50s the Twin Cities Minneapolis, especially had the best rail system in the world the best in the world and what happened the automotive industry is exactly what Stacy talked about the automotive industry the rubber industry four tires, and the petroleum industry came in here and got our politicians and government people to rip up all those trolley tracks rip up all the mass transit and literally Force us into Automobiles and that is a fact and now we're stuck with it today and we're having to reverse ourselves and redo things that should have remained from the 50s on and had they remain today. We wouldn't be worried about having to put Light Rail in we have already had it at one point in time. Not a lot of time left, but if you And at the end of the session that some provision which essentially would block the light rail ends up in a bill that you otherwise would support you feel so strongly about this light rail line that you'd veto that bill. I would have to judge it as it comes across my desk but tights I'm not worried about that because that's one of the advantages of the bicameral system. It has to pass both houses doesn't it? And and I don't think that it's going to get out of the Senate abortion right restrictions 24-hour waiting period if that would find its way into an otherwise acceptable bill, would you go with I want things to stand on their own? I don't want to see there's there's an again the flaw to the eunuch to the bicameral system. They can throw things like these into bills that they have no business being part of let them stand on their own two feet the unicameral system will force that to happen. That's why people need to get on board and Very much. Hey if bicameral wins, so be it but you should have the right to choose what you want your government to be this fall. They have an opportunity to do so with the new census coming out redistricting Now's the Time to do it. And for those legislators that don't want to allow you to have a voice in what government will be that shows very narrow mindedness on my own in my opinion the Porsche, is that still up for auction or yeah, because all because the media, you know, the the eBay or whatever it is doesn't isn't accurate they a lot of fraudulent bids on it and now they're putting it up again to see if we can get some legitimate ones. But you know, the media likes to report it's going to sell for $100,000. They don't bother to see if it's real or not. But then again do they ever thanks, Governor, Minnesota, Governor, Jesse Ventura