STEVENS COUNTY

REPUBLICANS

29841 US HWY 59

MORRIS,  ,MN.

56267 

Neighbor- We have encountered unsteady economic times and many folks have been working extra hard over the last year or so. I hope you and your family are able to take some time to relax as we celebrate this Labor Day holiday weekend. It is as important as ever to support local and in-state businesses and/or workers as we continue efforts to get the economy back on track. The good news is that Minnesota employers added 10,300 jobs in July, the state’s first monthly employment gains since August 2008. The Labor Day weekend is followed by the start of the new school year, so I’d like to pass along the latest information about school funding and placement test scores. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest Public Education Finances Report was issued recently, providing data on the financial activity of public elementary and secondary school systems from the 2006-07 school year. Here are Minnesota’s national rankings in terms of per-pupil revenue amounts. It’s interesting that we rank high in state spending and nearly at the bottom for federal revenue. 17th in total education revenue ($11,590 per pupil) 49th in federal revenue ($670 per pupil) 7th in revenue from state sources ($7,679 per pupil) 38th in revenue from local sources ($3,241 per pupil) The complete report is at http://www2.census.gov/govs/school/07f33pub.pdf. The aforementioned statistics are from page 24. That page also includes interesting data onspending on instruction and administration. As for the college entrance exams, Minnesota students remain among the nation's best on the ACT. The high school graduates from Minnesota who took it had an average score of 22.7 on the 36-point scale. That's a tick higher than last year. The ACT assesses critical-reasoning skills in English, mathematics, reading and science. The results were released today by the Iowa-based nonprofit organization that oversees the test. Among all states, the Minnesota average was 10th best. But of the states where at least half of the graduating class took the test, Minnesota's average topped the chart. A StarTribune story regarding the ACT is at http://www.startribune.com/local/53699362.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs Minnesota students outperformed the national average on the SAT by about 100 points. But the number of test takers went down by more than 14 percent, to just over 3,000 test takers. The ACT is a more popular exam for Minnesota students. A StarTribune story regarding the SAT is at http://www.startribune.com/local/54860842.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU Have an enjoyable and relaxing Labor day! Sincerely, Torrey Torrey Westrom State Representative Lead Republican - Energy Committee. Committees on Finance, Rules, and Public Safety/Civil Law Policy. District 11A Room 273 State Office Building 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1298 Office 651-296-4929       Fax 651-296-4307 TOLL FREE # 1-800-711-2620 sign up for email updates at www.torreywestrom.com

Neighbor-.  I obtained the results from this year's House of Representatives poll conducted at the State Fair. Almost 9,000 people took part in the 13-question poll and the tabulations are shown below. The percentages are rounded to the nearest one-tenth. Totals are for those that actually voted on the question. Sincerely, Torrey 1. Should the use of medical marijuana for terminally ill patients be permitted in Minnesota? Yes: 69.1% (6,029) No: 23.4% (2,038) Undecided/No Opinion: 7.5% (652) 2. Should Minnesotans be permitted to fish with two rods at once? Yes: 31.6% (2,752) No: 51% (4,446) Undecided/No Opinion: 17.5% (1,524) 3. When a person registers for a driver's license or state identification card, should they automatically be registered to vote? Yes: 51% (4,438) No: 43.3% (3,775) Undecided/No Opinion: 5.8% (502) 4. Should Minnesota voters be allowed to cast their ballots as early as two weeks before Election Day? Yes: 56.8% (4,961) No: 37.2% (3,249) Undecided/No Opinion: 5.9% (519) 5. Under current law, the governor is permitted to unallot to prevent an anticipated budget deficit. Should he or she have this power? Yes: 40.2% (3,496) No: 48.1% (4,187) Undecided/No Opinion: 11.7% (1,018) 6. Should bill and budget negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders be required to be open to the public? Yes: 76.2% (6,639) No: 15.9% (1,382) Undecided/No Opinion: 7.9% (689) 7. Do you generally support budget cuts as opposed to increasing certain taxes in times of economic distress? Yes: 47.5% (4,130) No: 43.8% (3,810) Undecided/No Opinion: 8.7% (760) 8. Should speeding violations be placed on a person's driving record if the driver was traveling no more than 10 mph over the speed limit in a 60 mph zone? Yes: 18.6% (1,623) No: 74.7% (6,512) Undecided/No Opinion: 6.7% (580) 9. Should the state lottery be permitted to operate slot machines inside the ticketed area at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, meaning only air travelers with valid tickets could use the machines? Yes: 38% (3,313) No: 51.2% (4,458) Undecided/No Opinion: 10.8% (942) 10. The Minnesota Vikings lease at the Metrodome expires after the 2011 season. Should any public financing for a new or refurbished stadium be contingent on voter approval? Yes: 63.5% (5,531) No: 31.7% (2,766) Undecided/No Opinion: 4.8% (416) 11. If a charter school does not offer a specific extracurricular opportunity, such as a hockey or debate team, should its students be allowed to participate in such an activity in their resident school district? Yes: 68.3% (5,938) No: 23.7% (2,058) Undecided/No Opinion: 8.1% (704) 12. Should a local disaster assistance fund be established to help local governments deal with the aftermath of a tornado, flood or other natural disaster? Yes: 70.8% (6,152) No: 16.3% (1,417) Undecided/No Opinion: 12.9% (1,120) 13. When a homeowner prevails in a court action against a contractor or builder to have a warranty enforced, should the homeowner also be entitled to attorney fees and other costs related to the legal action? Yes: 81% (7,044) No: 8.6% (749) Undecided/No Opinion: 10.4% (904)rrey Westrom State Representative Lead Republican - Energy Committee. Committees on Finance, Rules, and Public Safety/Civil Law Policy. District 11A Room 273 State Office Building 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1298 Office 651-296-4929       Fax 651-296-4307 TOLL FREE # 1-800-711-2620 sign up for email updates at www.torreywestrom.com