I worked county fair booths across southern Minnesota this summer. I was able to talk to some of our state representatives and senators. A few of these politicians still don’t get the point that we, the citizens, are fed up with the two old parties bickering at both the Minnesota State Capitol and in Washington, D.C.

We should take a look at Wisconsin’s work in down sizing their state government. Less state employees, less benefits paid out, and less office space to pay for. Our 2006 census had our state population at 5,167,101 people. Rep. Kathy Brynaert said that we have 56,258 people on the state payroll, paid year-round. That means we have one state employee for every 92 citizens. I challenge you to do the math like I did and investigate other state government employees rates. You will find that over 40 states have a lower ratio of state employess to citizen. Why do we need so many state employees, especially located in St. Paul?

Representatives and senators, you can start downsizing our state government by combining the Department of Natural Resources and the Pollution Control Agency. Both have control over water quality standards in Minnesota. Did you know that there are nine different agencies that control water quality in Minnesota? Why nine agencies? We should have one agency with one set of water quality standards, not nine agencies with nine different standards of water quality.

Derek Nelson

chairman

Independence Party

for District 27A

Glenville