Thumbs down

To Republican leaders in the Legislature and gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer for distorting the issue of the state getting $1.4 billion from the federal government to provide health care for the poor.

The Republicans including Sen. Dave Senjem, and Emmer, said they will not accept the $1.4 billion in federal money because it is “Obamacare” and part of a government takeover of health care.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Medicaid program Minnesota’s next governor has the chance to tap was started during the presidency of George W. Bush. In fact, a vote in April of 2008 had dozens of Republicans in Congress and all of Minnesota’s Republican members voting to stop cuts to Medicaid.

Minnesota, through a partnership with the federal government, will put in $188 million to get $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion in federal funding. Agreeing to be part of the program saves Minnesota taxpayers $1.4 billion in funding about 84,000 low-income Minnesotans needing health insurance.

Republican insiders have said they want to make the election a referendum on “Obamacare.” If that’s the case, it’s unfortunate they have to reject $1.4 billion in money from the feds that other states will get. That’s a high price to stand by one’s “principles.”

Emmer said he will refuse to enroll the state in the program if he is governor. That’s too bad. Many rural hospitals, including ISJ-Mayo, favored the state tapping the money since it was going to bring their reimbursement rates for serving those poor patients closer to their costs. Without the money, there likely will be job losses in Mankato’s significant health care industry.





Ignition cutoff system a good step

Thumbs up

To the ignition cutoff system Minnesota’s political leaders have devised to step up the effort to get repeat drunk driving offenders off the road. Legislators who approved the high-tech tool, along with Gov. Tim Pawlenty who signed the legislation Tuesday, aren’t shy about when to put it into practice. Repeat drunk drivers and first-time offenders driving at more than twice the legal limit will be required to blow into a tube to start their cars. The devices are also available for voluntary use for less egregious offenders who want to get their privileges back sooner.

Here’s an instance where technology directly impacts an important public issue, and positively. There are still some regulations to straighten out, and the law won’t be fully implemented until July 2011, but we will feel safer when the date arrives. Other states should get as serious as Minnesota has become on lessening the drunk driving danger.  

—Editorial board



Many worked hard for food drive’s success

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The letter carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive May 8 delivered over 11 tons of much needed food to ECHO Food Shelf.

The success of this food drive is due, first and foremost, to the efficiency and hard work of the letter carriers who collected and helped deliver the food. But we also thank Mayflower Transit for transporting the donations, Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato for providing space for sorting and storage of the donated food, the team from Life Works that provided delightful volunteers to help with the sorting, and our many other volunteers who helped with sorting, transportation and distribution.

Visits to our food shelf have nearly doubled in the last few years, and the need for food to distribute is ever increasing.

We are very thankful for all of the donations and that we live in a community that cares deeply about its less fortunate and that works together to provide help for those in need.

Ed Babel, chairman,

ECHO Food Shelf



Many to thank for their community garden efforts

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River Meadows Community Garden in North Mankato had its opening ceremony and ribbon cutting Wednesday.

This garden could not have been accomplished without the dedication and involvement of many people, and local organizations. On behalf of the Statewide Health Improvement Program in Brown and Nicollet Counties and River Meadows Community Garden, we would like to thank the following: Lynn Solo, dedicated volunteer and community leadership team member; the community gardeners for helping lay mulch for the walkways; Crossview Covenant Church Properties Committee for leasing land to us for free; Sentence to Serve of Nicollet County for putting up our fence; the city of North Mankato for providing mulch; Lloyd Lumber for guiding our fence purchase; and Dakota Storage for building and delivering us a sturdy garden shed.

Becky Weber,

SHIP coordinator

Brown-Nicollet Community Health