The Minnesota House of Reps. and Senate will hold listening sessions across our state during the upcoming weeks. The sessions will allow people to comment on Gov. Pawlenty’s budget recommendations. The House Web site has a link posted for people to sign up to speak at the event. Don’t worry about writing an elaborate speech; folks are encouraged to be brief.

The link is here:

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/budgettownhallmeetings.asp  

It is important that we have people speaking at these meetings to support fiscal responsibility.  Please share this link with friends/family and encourage them to sign up and make sure their voice gets heard.

Your participation is especially important as we draw closer to March 3 when we will receive the latest budget forecast for our state. Word is we could be facing a deficit of about $7 billion, up from the $4.8 billion forecast a few months ago. Whatever the amount, we must focus not only on erasing the current shortfall, but on creating jobs and opportunities that will make us a stronger state over the long haul.