It was the summer of 1969, my brother was getting ready to head off to college; I experienced a political and cultural transformation and so did my community and the country as a whole. We had survived the tumultuous revolutionary year, 1968: The murder of Martin Luther King Jr., the race riots across the […] 
I get frequent calls from my friend David who reminds me that people who work at the nursing home he lives in are underpaid and struggle to make ends meet. I hear from MNDOT contractors who’ve conducted layoffs that decrease their ability to take on the many repairs that our state desperately needs. College students […] 
A summary of the new laws which will take effect on August 1st includes an increase in the minimum wage. Beginning this Friday, the hourly minimum wage will be $8.00 for businesses which have gross sales over $500,000. The law provides for further increases to $9.50 by 2016. The is the first time in ten […] 
More than 325,000 Minnesotans will benefit from the Minimum Wage Law passed this week. According to an article in the Star Tribune, a Minnesotan who earns $6.15 per hour working full time earns an annual salary of $12,792 — about $7,000 below the poverty line. Raising the minimum wage to $9.50 per hour brings that […] 
In response to the alarming spike in propane costs throughout Minnesota, the Department of Commerce recently announced additional financial assistance for eligible Minnesotans currently heating their homes with propane and heating oil. Financial assistance is available through Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP), with additional payments available as early as next week. Households with an income […] 
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Marriage Equality Act last week by a vote of 75 to 59 with bipartisan support. With House lawmakers already having passed a comprehensive budget and awaiting our conference committees to iron out a final package, it was the right time to bring this bill up for a vote. […] 
July 6th I kicked off my Northfield Campaign for election MN House Seat 20B at Northfield’s Grand Event Center on 4th and Washington Streets. Senator Klobuchar and Governor Dayton sent regrets as they were busy touring flood damage up North after the President’s Emergency Declaration. But both Rep. Paul […] 
