STEVENS COUNTY

REPUBLICANS

29841 US HWY 59

MORRIS,  ,MN.

56267 

NEWS FROM
STATE SENATOR BILL INGEBRIGTSEN
SERVING THE COUNTIES OF TODD, DOUGLAS, GRANT, AND STEVENS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
DECEMBER 4, 2009

Protect Yourself Against the Minnesota Winter
Dear Friends:
Although this season has so far spared us extreme temps and bitter
winds, many of us still have concerns about the utilities bills that
will face us this winter.
The State of Minnesota has received a variety of funds available to
help families pay their energy bills, improve weatherization in their
homes, and acquire funding for emergency repairs. A great new one-stop
website for getting information on these programs is
www.staywarm.mn.gov. In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season,
the site not only gives information for receiving aid, but also for
helping others in need.
Another important piece of information this time of year is regarding
the Cold Weather Rule (CWR). The CWR is in effect from October 15
through April 15 each year, and helps residents with their energy bills
and protects them from having their utilities shut off. 
Under the CWR, you must make and keep a payment plan with your utility.
 (Payments do not have to be the same amount each month.) You are not
required to pay more than ten percent of your household monthly income
towards your utility bill if your household income is at or below 50
percent of the state median income.  If your household income is more
than 50 percent of the state median income, you may make a payment plan
with the utility.
Contact your utility to set up a Cold Weather Rule payment plan. You
can find more information about the law at the Public Utilities
Commission’s website
www.puc.state.mn.us/PUC/consumers/shut-off-protection/index.html or
call Energy Assistance Hotline 1-800-657-3710 or First Call for Help at
211.
Sincerely,
Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator, District 11
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent
input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 123 State Office
Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155,
or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.

Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator
District 11
Office Phone Number
651-297-8063

NEWS FROM
STATE SENATOR BILL INGEBRIGTSEN
SERVING THE COUNTIES OF TODD, DOUGLAS, GRANT, AND STEVENS

NOVEMBER 25, 2009
Thanksgiving - Thankful to Be a Minnesotan
Dear Editor:
Thanksgiving is one of the few truly American holidays. Originally a celebration of our blessings and survival as a budding nation of immigrants, it has become a time for self scrutiny and appreciation for our lot in life.  But this fall, we should pause to take stock of our lives, and truly give thanks for how blessed we all are.
We Minnesotans still have a lot of things to be thankful for during these hard economic times.  Minnesota leads the nation in education, healthcare, home ownership, medical discovery, percentage of people with health insurance, literacy rate - the list goes on. We have a high quality of life in Minnesota, and we all benefit from maintaining it.
Certainly there are many issues that can, and must, be improved. As your state senator, I will work everyday to continue to ensure that our quality of life is something for which we can all be thankful.
Sincerely,
Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator, District 11
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 132D State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.

Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator
District 11
Office Phone Number
651-297-8063

NEWS FROM
STATE SENATOR BILL INGEBRIGTSEN
SERVING THE COUNTIES OF TODD, DOUGLAS, GRANT, AND STEVENS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: MIKE KARBO
651-296-0101
OCTOBER 14, 2009  

Senator Ingebrigtsen Calls for Independent ACORN Investigation

(ST. PAUL)--  Minnesota State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R- Alexandria)
along with Senate Republicans today made an urgent request that
Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson appoint an independent special
counsel to investigate the Minnesota office of the Association of
Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a major participant in
the registration of new voters in the state.
Minnesota ACORN claimed it registered about 43,000 voters in the last
year. This figure was about 75 percent of the state’s new registrations. 
“Minnesota has a proud tradition of fair, democratic elections,”
said Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen. “This last election cycle has created
some doubt in the minds of voters about the integrity of our elections.
We must take this opportunity to fix our election system by restoring
confidence and stamping out corruption.”
In 2005, Attorney General Mike Hatch and his Deputy Lori Swanson
negotiated a settlement on behalf of the State of Minnesota against
Capitol One, and directed that $500,000 of the $799,999 in settlement
proceeds be paid directly to ACORN instead of the State, as is
customary.  They were both later endorsed by ACORN in the 2006 elections
(Hatch for Governor; Swanson for Attorney General).
“Due to these clear conflicts of interest, one political and one
financial, with the Attorney General’s office,” said Senator
Ingebrigtsen, “an independent investigation of ACORN seems the only
appropriate way to proceed.”  
Since this summer, ACORN has been under investigation by at least 15
other states for election law and other violations.  In addition, the
Census Bureau has cut ties to the organization, Congress has taken steps
to cut funding and members of Congress have accused ACORN of partisan
influence in elections, conspiracy and money laundering.
A July 2009 report by the ranking member of the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform report said
that nearly 70 ACORN employees have been convicted in 12 states for
voter-registration fraud.
“There have been glaring examples of fraud with ACORN across the
country,” stated Senator Ingebrigtsen.  “Our very own Secretary of
State Mark Ritchie refuses to investigate allegations of voter fraud.
It’s also not surprising that he is ACORN endorsed.  This reeks of
clear conflicts of interest, and the people of Minnesota deserve some
answers.”
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent
input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 123 State Office
Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155,
or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.
Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator
District 11
Office Phone Number
651-297-8063