We applaud the efforts of the Bccker Expo Committee for their once-again staging of a successful event Saturday at the Becker Fieldhouse. It remains one of the finest facilities in all of Central Minnesota for such activities - and lays out extremely well for the booths, dance entertainment and food court. We say, anytime you can get merchants, organization people and the public at large to meet and talk with each other, you have a successful event. Our staff at the Citizen enjoyed being there.
A side note: Dick Behm of our advertising staff, who also sits on the Expo Committee, gasped as he looked around the Fieldhouse Saturday. His message was that he could put his entire South Dakota home town in the Fieldhouse.
So it may be, Dick. So it may be.
A thought for future Expos: Consider if there is a way to allow booth renters the opportunity to sell products over the counter. It may be full of issues, but I’d like to see it discussed.
Legislative Efforts
Legislators are hard at work in St. Paul, introducing legislation to help make life better (or in some cases, worse).
Here are some thoughts about some of the issues being negotiated.
The education sector in our state must come to the conclusion that merit pay for successful educators is the way of the future - that it is the most positive way of rewarding good teaching with economic rewards.
Figure out the ways to measure such positive teachers and you will have a plan that will gain the support of a large number of our residents.
The $50 penalty for driving and texting is being considered to be increased.
Make it $500 for driving and texting. Making things hurt financially is the only way to bring a conscience to those who go on our roadways and keyboard, at the risk of all others on the road. Texting isn’t your right. Driving safely is your responsibility.
Gov. Dayton and the Democrats are proposing a user-fee tax on gas purchases to raise funds for state road improvements.
I am not in disagreement with that position, if in part, it were paired with moves to trim spending on social services.
Sen. Brown and Rep. Newberger from our precinct are deeply involved in rescuing the Sherco plants from onerous emission ratings authored by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Their legislation requires our review and our support.
Sherco is on the line for the future.
