Minnesota State Senator Tom Neuville

Radio Commentator Dennis Prager visited with William Gray, a pioneer in the area of forecasting hurricanes, and Professor Emeritus in Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University.

The Link to the radio interview is Linked Here. The interview can be heard during the first 15 minutes of the 34 minute segment.

Dr. Gray is a knowledgeable skeptic on the topic of Global Warming. (by the way, he hasn’t taken research money from petroleum interests). He believes that the panic over global warming is greatly exaggerated. Dr. Gray also explains the peer pressure confronting many scientists today not to depart from the politically driven orthodoxy on the issue of global warming. Peer reviews are harder to come by from scientists who depend upon government grants for their research.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that I get to relax as a legislator. Most legislators, including me, have other jobs. After the legislative session, the transition back to our regular jobs is challenging because so much work was delayed from session months to June and July.
This summer has been particularly busy dealing with constituent services. Maybe the most significant is the water problem experienced by citizens in Webster, Mn. About 50 residents in Webster shared a common well. Several years ago, a now defunct Ag-Cooperative caused a petroleum spill which contaminated the Prairie du Chien water table which was the primary source of water in Webster. Officials recommended that new wells be drilled, and they were. Unfortunately, the new wells were worse than the old. The water was black, high in manganese, iron, cyanide, radium, and Hydrogen Sulfied. The water from the new wells stained hair and tubs and smelled like rotten eggs. Pretty bad stuff.

A new coop purchase the property that caused the problem in the first place, and agreed to participate in the cleanup with the assistance of the State Petro Fund. After spending lots of money, the water was still bad, and things were moving slowly.

Citizens contacted me for help. About two months ago we reassembled experts from the Minnesota Pollution control Agency and the Health Department. They answered questions from citizens in the old town hall in Webster and promised to find, and pay for, a solution.

This week we met again for the third time to discuss 3 possible solutions. The implementation will still take some time, depending on further water test results. But, at least the people of Webster have the attention of State Officials. The MPCA and Health Department Officials have to be commended for their work. They spent much time and some late nights to address the concerns of people from Webster. I was glad to do a little “pushing” on behalf of my constituents. Hopefully, the solutions will come quickly.

In addition, I had to hire a new Legislative Assistant. His name is Peter Wienicki. When you see him, he’ll make quite an impression since he is 6 ft.9 in. tall. My former L.A., Ruslan Bocancea left to begin law school and because his work visa ran out. Ruslan does have a school visa so was able to stay in America if he attended school full time. I’ve learned much about our immigration laws working with Ruslan. I enourage people to get to know Peter as he now begins to learn more about District 25. He is a Political Science major from Hamline University.

There have been the parades, the county fairs (see pictures with the Sibley County Princesses below)

But, the Big event of the summer was my daughter Anne’s wedding. The wedding was in Northfield on July 7, 2007 ( Yup, that’s 7-7-07). Here are just a few pictures of the Big Event:

Two weeks ago, I attended the Annual Meeting of the NCSL (National Conference of State Legislators) in Boston. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet other legislators from around the country to discuss criminal justice, public safety, health care and other issues. Marilynn came along and we even had time for sight seeing a few of the Historical places in Boston.

Last week, Marilynn and I took some time off to travel to the Boundary Water Canoe Area (BWCA) in Northern Mn. with friends Tim and Sandy Morisette.  The fishing was amazing. Marilynn won the fishing contest and provided plenty of “shore lunch” for everyone. Here are some pictures of our two trips.

A bill to legalize marijuana for medical purposes has now been around the Legislature for the past three years. This year, the State Senate approved the bill.

I voted against the bill, even though I have sympathy and compassion for many individuals who believe that smoking marijuana helps alleviate their pain. I want my constituents to understand why this bill is bad policy, even if it would help some people.

The bill, as finally passed by the State Senate, would be a law enforcement nightmare.

First, marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 controlled substance (most regulated) under federal law. Legalizing marijuana under state law would not make it legal under federal law. The federal government could legally bust and prosecute anyone who grew or possessed marijuana – even if it were legal under state law.

Second, doctors cannot legally prescribe marijuana, nor can pharmacists dispense it. Therefore, the bill had to establish an informal distribution system. Doctors would “recommend” marijuana. Registered “non-profit organizations” could grow up to 12 marijuana plants per “qualifying patient.” Primary “care givers” would be allowed to sell and deliver marijuana to five patients, and make money on the transaction. “Qualifying patients” could obtain a registration card if a doctor recommended marijuana for “intractable pain.”

Basically, anyone could create a registered organization or become a primary care giver. There are no limits to the number of organizations that could legally grow marijuana. Therefore, literally thousands of non-profit corporations could be established throughout the state to grow marijuana.

Third, registered organizations, which grow marijuana, could be located anywhere as long as they were 500 feet away from a church or school. Main street store fronts could be established to recruit “qualified patients” to sell marijuana to. This sends a confusing and mixed message to our teenagers.

Fifth, there is no quality control required for medical marijuana. Some marijuana might contain 5% of active ingredients (THC); other marijuana could contain 15% of active ingredients. How would doctors be able to properly “recommend” marijuana for their patients when the dosage is unknown?

Fifth, organizations and patients having registration cards would be entitled to confidentiality and immunity from arrest or criminal prosecution. Police could not search the growers or users of medical marijuana without reasonable notice. Again, this makes law enforcement nearly impossible.

Sixth, senior citizens or vulnerable adults with cancer or other intractable pain would become ripe-targets, when others seek to steal their medical marijuana.

Seventh, in other states that have approved medical marijuana, the demand greatly exceeded the expectation. For example, in the State of Oregon, estimates were that 500 persons would ask for medical marijuana cards. Within a few years, over 14, 000 individuals were registered. I believe that the same number of people would register in Minnesota. Police argue that this proves that people can get marijuana for non-medical use too  easily.

Finally, marijuana remains a gateway drug to other drugs. The ready-accessibility of medical marijuana would send a message that marijuana is also appropriate to use recreationally, and would lead to greater use of other illegal drugs.

Perhaps, someday the federal government will change its laws and allow doctors to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense. Advocates for medicinal marijuana should lobby Congress to change federal law first.Then states could better regulate and dispense marijuana thru pharmacists.  Until then, adopting a medical marijuana law is a prescription for confusion and greater drug use in Minnesota.

On February 14, I have been appointed to the Legislative Audit Commission, the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy and the Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct.

I am excited to begin work on these committees. These appointments will allow me to better serve my constituents and the State of Minnesota. I look forward to the good work we will be able to accomplish and as always I request comments and input from my constituents on the important matters I will be working on at the Capitol.

The Legislative Audit Commission is a bipartisan, bicameral commission, consisting of six members from both the House and Senate, each equally represented by both the majority and minority caucuses. The commission selects topics for the Legislative Auditor to review, and periodically holds hearings to review the reports from the Auditor.

The Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy is also equally divided between members of the House and Senate, and provides the Legislature with in-depth analysis of projected state revenues and tax expenditures.

The Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct is a bipartisan committee consisting of four members of the Senate who review the ethical conduct within the Senate.

Well, the Legislature is back in Session and legislators are being flooded with letters from constituents, lobbyists, special interest groups and state agencies, all advocating in favor of their project or issue.

It’s a time of factual absorption for legislators like me. One of the reports which I always find interesting is the one I receive from the Minnesota State Lottery. This year, the Lottery boasts that citizens in Senate District 25 spend $5,092,497 gambling from July, 2005 thru June, 2006. This includes about $3 million for instant “Scratch” tickets and $2.1 million for “On-line” lottery games.

There are 66 retailers who sell lottery tickets in my district, who earned about $312,000 in commissions for selling the tickets. Across the State, sales in 2006 were a record $450 million, which was a 10% increase over the previous year.

I suppose that we can look at these numbers differently. On the one hand, people had enough disposable income, that they were able to spend more on the “entertainment” of gambling. So, the economy must be good! On the other hand, it’s a sad reflection on the priorities we have. Others might point to the $32 million which all of this gambling put into the Environmental Trust Fund, or the $68 million of revenue generated for the State general fund.

I’ve always thought there should be a better way to raise money for the State than gambling. But, we aren’t about to change things now.

Many years ago, I wanted to “teach” my own kids a lesson about gambling. At a church dinner, I purchased 10 pull-tabs, and expected to lose on all of them. I told my kids to watch how quickly I was going to lose $10. Unfortunately, (?), I won $50 on one of the pull-tabs and my kids were delighted as I bought them ice cream with part of the winnings. The lesson I had hoped for was lost.

Over the years, however, I never missed an opportunity to counsel my own children that fortune would be made by hard work, talent, savings, and persistence. I’m not morally opposed to gambling. But, I have seen too many people become addicted to the “Thrill” of a quick win at the casino or lottery ticket.

So, the State is earning about $100 million on lottery sales, but why am I not pleased?

Adding more than 67,600 jobs to the state so far this year, Minnesota’s job growth rate is tops in the nation. In November alone, the labor markets swelled by 12,300 jobs, bringing the total job growth rate to 2.5 percent, or roughly double the national average of 1.3 percent, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

“Minnesota’s job growth and the continued increase in labor force participation bode well for a strong finish to 2006 and strong momentum going into the new year,” said DEED Acting Commissioner Ward Einess in a news release.

As the 2007 Legislature prepares for the upcoming legislative session in St. Paul, I believe it is important that lawmakers do everything they can to harness that momentum and foster continued economic growth.

Job growth is a reliable indicator of the overall economic health of a state, and in Minnesota it indicates that we’re in very good shape.But those numbers can change quickly, especially if new fiscal policies are enacted that slow the growth of Minnesota businesses.

We must watch the unemployment rate, which is currently holding steady at a seasonally adjusted 3.9 percent, despite the national rise in the unemployment rate to 4.5 percent in November. Over the past several years our economy has displayed steady growth, pulling us out of a $4.5 billion deficit and into a projected $2 billion surplus - without raising taxes. A shift in current tax policy could threaten that economic growth.

I hope that lawmakers of all stripes will work together to fund the needs of the state without breaking the bank and without raising income and sales taxes.

The employment growth rate is just one more example of what makes quality of life so high in Minnesota. Certainly we pay for that quality of life through taxes, but the funding demands facing the 2007 Legislature don’t warrant an increase in taxes on hardworking Minnesotans.

(St. Paul)As the January 3 start of the legislative session approaches, the newly elected 2007 Legislature is reorganizing under new management. Both the Democrat and Republican caucuses have chosen new leadership, and those leaders recently ironed out committee assignments for their members.

I will serve on the Finance, Judiciary and Business, Industry & Jobs committees, and will be the lead Republican senator on the Public Safety Budget Committee.

These committee assignments utilize my past legislative expertise. Public Safety is one of the most important issues facing our state and our communities, and my service on these committees will give me a voice in shaping these important policies.For more information on committee assignments and schedules, please visit the Minnesota Senate website at www.senate.mn, and click on the “committee information” link.