How Campus Area Legislators Voted on IFO Positions
by Russ Stanton, IFO Director of Government Relations
Campus Quick Links in this Article:
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Southwest Minnesota State University
It is very hard to compare voting records of candidates. First of all, the non-incumbents do not have a voting record, and often have not taken a stand on issues that incumbents have voted upon. Second, the bills are often different in the House and Senate. Third, some of the campus legislators have served four years, some have served two years, and a couple where elected in a special election last December—they haven’t all voted on the same issues. Also, voting records don’t give the complete picture—some legislators work very hard on issues we support in committees and by authoring legislation, and that work is far more important in determining final outcomes that a simple vote.
I have closely followed higher education issues during the last four years. What follows is a short narrative on each incumbent, summarizing their support (or lack thereof) on key issues to the IFO—contract ratification, bonding appropriations, wage freeze legislation, the constitutional amendment on marriage (which would affect what benefits could be negotiated), and teacher licensure legislation. I have also provided links to contact information for each of the incumbents and their opponents. I would encourage you to contact them if you have questions on their positions.
Senate District #4
When it comes to IFO goals, Senator Carrie Ruud (R) has not been very supportive. Ruud was elected four years ago. In 2003 she voted against ratification of the public employee contracts (including the IFO contract) after telling several union representatives that she would support the bill (her House members were co-authors on the bill). She did, however, vote against the wage freeze bill that year.
In 2004, Ruud voted against the bonding bill, which contained over $230 million to build and repair facilities at MnSCU institutions. All of the state universities had significant projects in the bill. The bonding bill, which required a 3/5 majority to pass, was defeated by just two votes. All of the DFLers voted for the bill—all but three of the Republicans voted against the bill. Because of a public outcry, and the loss of 13 Republican House seats in the fall of 2004, the bonding bill was reconsidered and passed in 2005—this time with Republican support—but in the meantime construction cost increases forced up the price of the bonding projects by $87 million. Thus, higher education projects where delayed, and the cost to the taxpayers increased.
Ruud supported efforts to bring up the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage. She supported alternative routes to teacher licensure that would have allowed licensure of individuals who had not participated in a college or university teacher licensure program. For contact information, click here: CARRIE RUUD
Mary Olson (DFL) is the DFL endorsed candidate for Senate District #4. She is not an incumbent, so she doesn’t have a legislative record. To find out more about Mary Olson, click here: MARY OLSON
House District #4A
Representative Frank Moe (DFL) is a freshman legislator who is seeking a second term. He is generally supportive of IFO goals. He supported IFO efforts to ratify the IFO contract early in the session and as a separate bill (not tied to extraneous issues). He supported the bonding bill, and played a key role in getting the regional recreational center for Bemidji. He opposed the alternative teacher licensure which would have allowed licensure of individuals who had not completed a college or university teacher preparation program. Moe supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage. For contact information, click here: FRANK MOE
Frank Moe is being challenged this year by David Myers (R), and Adam Steele (I). Since neither of these candidates are incumbents, they do not have voting records. For contact information on these two individuals, click here: DAVID MYERS ADAM STEELE
Metro State faculty and students are scattered in legislative districts throughout the Twin Cities, so it is difficult to give the same kind of incumbent voting analysis as I give for the other state universities, where the faculty are usually in just one senate district.
Metro State’s Minneapolis location is surrounded by the Senate District #60, currently represented by Senator Scott Dibble (DFL), and Senate District #58, currently represented by Senator Linda Higgins (DFL). The House districts surrounding the campus are represented by Representative Margaret Kelliher (DFL) and Representative Keith Ellison (DFL).
The St. Paul campus is surrounded by Senate District #67, currently represented by Senator Mee Moua (DFL). The House seats closest to the campus are held by Representative Tim Mahoney (DFL) and Representative Sheldon Johnson (DFL).
All of the above legislators are DFLers who represent districts that vote heavily DFL, so in all likelihood, they will be easily re-elected.
The legislators listed above have been excellent supporters of IFO positions on higher education funding, the bonding bills, the ratification of our collective bargaining contracts, and the alternative teacher licensure bills.
Here are links to contact information for the above legislators and their opponents:
Senate District #58
LINDA HIGGINS DFL
Senate District #60
D. SCOTT DIBBLE DFL
House District #60A
MARGARET ANDERSON KELLIHER DFL
Senate District #67
MEE MOUA DFL
House District #67A
TIM MAHONEY DFL
House District #67B
SHELDON JOHNSON DFL
Minnesota State University, mankato
Senate District #23
Senator John Hottinger (DFL) is retiring from the legislature this year. Hottinger was one of our best supporters in the legislature. When our labor contracts were in jeopardy of not being ratified in 2003, Hottinger chief authored the contract ratification bill and (as Majority Leader) pushed it through to passage. He delivered many bonding projects for MSU, Mankato. He was the author of our bill to allow applied doctorate degrees at state universities. He was the author of our legislation to have the state waive its sovereign immunity and allow state employees to be covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Senator Hottinger deserves our deepest thanks for his service in the legislature.
Mark Piepho (R) and Kathy Sheran (DFL) are competing to fill the seat left vacant by Hottinger’s retirement.
Mark Piepho (R) served in the House in the late 70s and early 80s. He also served very briefly in the Senate, filling out the last year of Glen Taylor’s term when Taylor resigned. However, he was defeated the following election by Sen. Hottinger. In the legislature Piepho was a conservative Republican who championed accountability in higher education. His web page does not mention his positions on higher education. For contact information, click here: MARK PIEPHO
Kathy Sheran (DFL) is an Assistant Professor on Nursing at MSU, Mankato, and a member of the IFO. She has not served in the legislature, so we don’t have her voting record. For contact information, click here: KATHY SHERAN
House District #23A
Representative Ruth Johnson (DFL), is retiring from the legislature after serving three (non-consecutive) terms. Johnson was a progressive legislator who supported our positions on bonding, contract ratification, and teacher licensure. She opposed the constitutional amendment defining marriage. I would encourage members from her district to send her a note of thanks for her service.
Terry Morrow (DFL) and Andy Davis (R) re competing for the seat now held by Rep. Johnson. Neither candidate has been in the legislature, so they do not have a voting record. For contact information on these candidates, click here: TERRY MORROW ANDY DAVIS
House District #23B
Representative John Dorn (DFL), is retiring from the House after 20 years of service. During most of his legislative career, Dorn served on the House Higher Education Committee. He was always supportive of our positions on bonding, higher education funding, contract ratification, and teacher licensure. He opposed the constitutional amendment defining marriage. Dorn was an even-tempered legislator who could work well with members of both parties, and even in the minority he was effective at getting bonding appropriations for MSU, Mankato. We will miss his presence next session.
Kathy Brynaert (DFL) and Luke Robinson (R) are competing for the seat held by Dorn. Neither candidate has served in the legislature, so they don’t have a voting record. For contact information on these two individuals, click here: KATHY BRYNAERT LUKE ROBINSON
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Senate District #9
Senator Keith Langseth (DFL) is the best supporter of higher education in the legislature. He is a gutsy, effective legislator who is always there when we need him. He carried the bonding bill the last several bienniums and has delivered more bonding money for the state universities building and repair projects than anyone in history. He passed the bills despite a conservative governor and House whom he had to drag kicking and screaming along. Other DFL senators tell me that in the closed caucus strategy sessions on the budget, Langseth is the most tenacious supporter of higher education funding. I can’t think of a single issue in the last four years where Langseth was not supportive of our position. He frequently co-authors our proposed legislation. Langseth opposed the constitutional amendment on marriage, contending it was not appropriate in include the legislation in the state constitution. For contact information, click here: KEITH LANGSETH
Senator Langseth is being challenged in this election by Paul Holle (R). Since he is not an incumbent, he does not have a voting record. For contact information, click here: PAUL HOLLE
House District #9A
Representative Morrie Lanning (R) was elected in 2002. He has generally been a moderate Republican. He supported ratification of our 2003-05 contract in the 2003 legislative session (even though he was very unhappy about the career steps in the contract). However, that same year he voted for the bill to freeze the wages of pubic employees. Lanning supported ratification of our 2005-07 contract as a separate bill, early in the session, to keep it from becoming entangled with more controversial legislation. Lanning has also been supportive of our positions on bonding. Lanning was supportive of the alternative teacher licensure bill that would have allowed licensure of individuals who did not complete a college or university teacher preparation program. In addition, he supported the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage. For contact information, click here: MORRIE LANNING
Diane Wray Williams (DFL) if a former DFL legislator from Moorhead who is seeking to return to the legislature after a 16 year break in service. During her previous service in the legislature, Williams was a strong supporter of higher education, and of faculty positions on funding, capital bonding, and collective bargaining. She is the only non-incumbent who actually took the initiative to contact IFO early in the campaign to find out our positions on higher education issues. For contact information, click here: DIANE WRAY WILLIAMS
House District #9B
Representative Paul Marquart (DFL) was elected in 2000. He is a moderate DFLer. He supported ratification of our contracts. He opposed the wage freeze on public employees in 2003. He supported our positions on the higher education funding bills and the bonding bills. He opposed the alternative teacher licensure bill that would have allowed individuals to become licensed without going through a college or university teacher licensure program. He voted for the constitutional amendment defining marriage. For contact information, click here: PAUL MARQUART
Marquart is being challenged in this election by Angie Holle (R). Holle has never served in the legislature, so she doesn’t have a voting record on our issues. For contact information, click here: ANGIE HOLLE
Senate District #15
Senator Tarryl Clark (DFL) is relatively new to the Senate—she was elected in a special election last December. In the one session that she has been in the legislature she has proven to be very effective at delivering for her district and a good supporter of higher education. She sought a position on the Senate Higher Education Finance Committee and was appointed. In that position she supported our positions on the higher education funding formula, and the bonding bill. She was successful in getting major projects funded in the bonding bill, including $14 million for the Brown Hall math/science addition, $5 million for the Riverview Hall remodeling, and $2.3 million for repair and replacement projects at SCSU. Clark supported ratification of our contract. She opposed bringing up the constitutional amendment defining marriage. For contact information, click here: TARRYL CLARK
Clark is being challenged this election by Jeff Johnson (R). Johnson is a professor at St. Cloud State University, and a member of IFO. Since he hasn’t been in the legislature, he doesn’t have a voting record. The following contact information includes a link to his web page, which gives his positions on issues: JEFF JOHNSON
House District #15A
Representative Jim Knoblach (R), the Republican incumbent for District 15A, is not seeking re-election. Knoblach, a very conservative legislator, was Chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Because of his position, Knoblach was helpful in getting bonding projects for SCSU in the bonding bill. Knoblach voted for the ratification of our 2003-05 contract, but other than that, he was generally not very supportive on labor issues. He supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage and the alternative teacher licensure bill.
Diane Murphy Podawiltz (DFL) and Steve Gottwalt (R) are competing to replace Knoblach in the legislature. Since neither of these candidates have served in the legislature, they do not have a voting record. For contact information on these two individuals, click here: STEVE GOTTWALT DIANA MURPHY-PODAWILTZ
House District #15B
Representative Larry Haws (DFL) is a new State Representative; he was elected last December in a special election to replace Joe Opatz, who resigned. Haws sought and was appointed to the House Higher Education Committee. He has been a consistent supporter of IFO positions in favor of the bonding bill and contract ratification bill, and against the alternative teacher licensure bill, the bill to require professors to “speak good English”, and the bill to require a “report card” on teacher preparation programs. Like his counterpart in the Senate, Haws has been very effective at getting projects for SCSU into the bonding bill. For contact information, click here: LARRY HAWS
Haws is being challenged this fall by Tara Westby (R). Since Westby has not served in the legislature, she does not have a voting record. For contact information, click here: TARA WESTBY
Southwest Minnesota State University
Senate District #21
Senator Dennis Frederickson (R) is a moderate Republican who has served in the Senate for 26 years. He is noted for having a good environmental record, and he is a good supporter of public employees. When pubic employees were having difficulty getting their contracts ratified in 2003, Frederickson not only bucked his party leadership and supported the bill—he was a co-author of the ratification bill. Frederickson also opposed legislation to freeze the wages of public employees. Frederickson is noted for being even tempered and non-partisan. He has been effective at getting bonding projects for Southwest State—such as the library renovation and the regional recreation center. Frederickson supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage. For contact information, click here: DENNIS FREDERICKSON
Sen. Frederickson is being challenged this fall by Margie Hoyt (DFL) and Brian Bretzman (I). For contact information on these two individuals, click here: MARGIE A. HOYT BRIAN BRETZMAN
House District #21A
Representative Marty Seifert (R) has been in the House since 1996. He is currently serving as the Republican Majority Whip and Chair of the State Government Finance Committee, which gives him considerable clout (however, the Republicans currently hold the majority in the House by just two votes, and if the majority shifts in this election, Seifert would lose these positions). Seifert is highly partisan and conservative, but he is also a pragmatist who has helped Southwest State by getting bonding projects passed by altering the MnSCU internal funding allocation to protect small institutions, and by protecting the Challenge Program for delivering college credit programs to high school students. Seifert has been a critic of the central bureaucracy of MnSCU, and an advocate of local control. In 2003, Seifert voted for the wage freeze bill, but at the same time he was helpful to us in getting our contracts ratified (but only after domestic partner benefits were removed). In this last session he was not helpful to us in our efforts to pass the contract ratification bill early, and as a separate bill, to keep it from getting attached to other controversial legislation. Seifert strongly supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage. Seifert also supported the alternative teacher licensure bill that would have allowed individuals to be licensed without going though a college or university teacher preparation program. For contact information, click here: MARTY SEIFERT
Pat Mellenthin (DFL) is challenging Seifert for the third time. Mellenthin has endorsed Mike Hatch’s proposal to put more money into higher education to contain and roll-back tuition increases on students. For contact information, click here: PAT MELLENTHIN
Senate District #31
The incumbent, Senator Bob Kierlin (R), is not seeking re-election. Kierlin, a conservative Republican, served on the Senate Higher Education Committee. He was a good supporter of higher education and at times he transcended partisan politics to do so. He bucked his party leadership and helped pass our contract ratification bill in 2003. He was also one of only three Republicans in the Senate that crossed over and supported the bonding bill in 2004. On the negative side, Keirlin supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage, and he supported the 2003 bill to freeze the wages of state employees. Although he is not on the ballot this year, he deserves our thanks for his legislative service.
Three non-incumbents are competing for the Senate seat this fall. They are: Sharon Erickson Ropes (DFL); Kevin Kelleher (I); and, Brenda B. Johnson (R). None of these candidates have served in the legislature, so there are no voting records to report. For contact information on these three candidates, click here: SHARON ERICKSON ROPES KEVIN KELLEHER BRENDA B. JOHNSON
House District #31A
Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL) has delivered for higher education—big time. Pelowski has delivered building after building for WSU since he was elected in 1986. He served on the Higher Education Committee for many years, and when he served as Chair of the House Higher Education Committee in the late 90s, he put together and passed one of the best higher education funding bills in recent memory. He played a key role in dumping Judith Eaton as Chancellor while he was Chair of Higher Education--a change that was welcomed by most MnSCU constituencies. He has been an outspoken critic of the growth of the MnSCU central office bureaucracy. Last session, Pelowski engineered the defeat of the alternative teacher licensure bill that would have allowed individuals to be licensed without going through a college or university teacher preparation program. He also helped kill the bill that would have required a “report card” on teacher preparation programs. Over the years Pelowski has been a reliable supporter of bonding bills and our contract ratification bills. He supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage. Contact information: GENE PELOWSKI, JR.
This year, Pelowski is being challenged by Lewie Reiman (R). As a non-incumbent, Reiman does not have a legislative voting record. For contact information, click here: LEWIE REIMAN