Letter: Time for a change at House of Representatives

To the editor,

I want to thank the Minnesota State Legislature for their hard work during recently concluded 2008 legislative session. Since taking the majority in the House and Senate, DFLers have accomplished what hasn’t been seen recently in Minnesota — finishing two consecutive sessions on time with a long list of accomplishments that will move Minnesota forward. Working with the Governor, they delivered better funding for schools, significant health care reform to lower costs and directed property tax relief to homeowners.

Unfortunately for residents of District 36B, Rep. Pat Garofalo must not have gotten the memo about working together. He held fast to extreme views, voting no on a bill that balanced the budget without raising taxes and gave additional money to schools and nursing homes. His refusal to work in a bi-partisan manner continues a pattern of putting politics above people, and partisanship above progress — at the expense of kids, senior citizens and the middle class.

How disappointing for the residents of Farmington and Lakeville that they continue to be so ill-served by the person representing them in St. Paul. Rep. Garofalo has outlived his purpose at the Legislature. It’s well past time for a change, so I’ll be casting my vote for Bev Topp this fall. Unlike Pat Garofalo, she understands that it’s important to seek out compromise if we’re to make significant progress in Minnesota.

Yvette Mealman

Farmington

Tags: opinion, garofalo, teamwork