Letter: Hamilton an advocate? Think again

• Rep. Rod Hamilton

Rep. Rod Hamilton R-Mountain Lake

Talk about it

Rep. Hamilton claims he fights tirelessly on behalf of the people of District 22B. Lord knows rural areas could use a tireless advocate. The small towns of rural Minnesota are fighting for their lives.

Unfortunately, if Rep. Hamilton’s advocacy is the best we have, the future does not look bright. Rep. Hamilton’s votes in the legislature have lead to a loss of $1.8 million to the City of Worthington, more than $800,000 to Nobles County and $1.1 million to the Worthington School District. Mr. Hamilton offers excuses and points fingers at the opposition party, while avoiding any mention of the chronic cycle of budget deficits and cuts to rural communities during his term in the legislature. Finger pointing may divert our attention but does nothing to help our communities.

The facts are Rep. Hamilton voted to allow Gov. Pawlenty to use unallotment to balance the state budget rather than negotiate with Democrats in the state legislature. Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson recently confirmed that balancing the budget through unallotment is a short-term fix that will make Minnesota’s budget problems worse in the future. The commissioner projects a budgetary shortfall for fiscal year 2012-13 of $4.427 billion.

So, we know that unallotment will make the things worse in the long run and harms rural communities while protecting wealthy suburbs in the short run. Too bad the suburbs don’t have the benefit of Mr. Hamilton’s tireless advocacy, as I fear it is burying our district.

Debra Hogenson

Brewster

Tags: rod hamilton, local government aid, opinion, minnesota, letters, budget, unallotment