Editorial: Hamilton set for session

• Rep. Rod Hamilton

Rep. Rod Hamilton R-Mountain Lake

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District 22B Rep. Rod Hamilton officially began his third term in St. Paul Tuesday, and the just-begun session promises to be a truly challenging one. Hamilton, a Mountain Lake Republican, will — along with his fellow legislators — try to work within the confines of a nearly $5 billion budget deficit.

One can bet, however, that Hamilton will be undeterred in working diligently in an effort to serve the best interests of his constituents. His vote last year to help override Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the bonding bill not only gave a transportation boost to our region; it also may have gained the notice of House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, a Minneapolis Democrat, who has named Hamilton to the post of vice chair of the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Division. We are confident that Hamilton’s voice — and, in turn, ours — will be heard clearly in his role with this entity.

Hamilton will also serve as Republican Lead on the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee, a post he said Tuesday will enable him to “play a strong role towards crafting legislation that will benefit our farmers and all of rural Minnesota.” He will also serve on three additional committees.

Hamilton will soon be surveying his constituents on what they see as important issues. We look forward to see how he follows up on that feedback.

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