Example of Wasteful Government Spending

House Republican Leader Marty Seifert issued a press release today describing the expansion of government that my opponent and his party have created in St. Paul.

It is time to elect someone to the House that realizes that simply adding committees, and money to them, doesn't cut it. It's time for the Government to stop wasting tax payer's money. This is another case of more talk and less action.

The purpose of the Legislature is to get things done. We need everyday citizens such as myself representing Minnesotans that are tired of government spending money to just talk. It's time to make things happen. There are plenty of committees that were in place prior to last session. They were fully capable of getting things done. I am for a government that functions on less, therefore keeping hard earned money in the hands of families like yours.

The State Legislature was designed to be made up of people from all walks of life; Farmers, Teachers, Salesmen, Accountants, Delivery Drivers and Factory workers to name a few. The idea was to have everyday people go to St. Paul during session and represent you...the people. Instead, my opponent and his DFL friends have created a full-time position for career politicians.

It's time to give back the State House to the people.

Here is the press release from Rep. Marty Seifert:

SAINT PAUL - (November 7, 2007) - Citing the more than 80 committees,subcommittees, working groups, task forces and commissions in the Minnesota House of Representatives, House Republican Leader Marty Seifert today criticized Democrats for the expansive and expensive growth in government."

The explosive growth of government shows what happens when Democrats take over," said House Republican Leader Marty Seifert. "The complicated and bloated process is confusing to the public, time consuming and expensive. There is very little to show for the excessive amount of meetings taking place. When all is said and done, there will be a lot more said than done."

Seifert said it is nearly impossible to determine how many groups are working on legislation and how much this process is costing Minnesota taxpayers.

"There seems to be a lot of repetition without reason. We question the necessity of having so many subgroups working on legislation that a standing committee should be able to accomplish on its own and the great number of meetings being held at taxpayer expense to hear about the problems but not bring forward solutions," Seifert said. "The Democrats have turned a part-time citizen legislature into a full-time job."

Seifert said at a time when schools and nursing homes are struggling to make their budgets, House Democrats chose to almost double its operations budget from $324,000 to $646,000 during a House Rules Committee meeting in August.

"We gave schools a mere 3 percent increase for the biennium and nursing homes received even less than that but then gave gigantic increases to the Legislature," Seifert said. This is a matter of priorities. The Democrats ran on fiscal responsibility and leadership. They have failed to demonstrate either during their reign of confusion in the Minnesota House. When House Republicans are in charge, we will restore fiscal sanity by cutting the number of committees by more than 50 percent and returning costs to prior levels."

Seifert said he is most concerned about the upcoming legislative session.

"We have important issues we need to resolve and this process doesn't make me confident that we will achieve those results," Seifert said. "In the private sector, failing businesses are often over managed and under led. The more than 80 House Democrat committees are too busy mopping the floor to take time and turn off the faucet."