BAXTER — Ample evidence that hometown folks are paying attention to what state lawmakers are doing in St. Paul was apparent to motorists on Highway 371 Thursday afternoon as supporters and detractors of Sen. Paul Gazelka spoke out on state issues.
The rally apparently started as a gathering at Gazelka’s insurance agency office in Baxter by union members and supporters. When supporters of Gazelka got wind of the event they organized their own counter-rally, supporting the first-term Republican senator.
Deb Breneman, who works in faculty support at Central Lakes College and is a member of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, said before the rally she and others object to Gazelka’s legislative efforts to freeze state employee wages and his opposition to increasing any taxes, including those who are among the top 2 percent earners in the state. She said Gazelka’s legislative positions on the budget may lead to a state shutdown.
“What will the Brainerd lakes area be like in July with no parks open and a government shutdown?” she asked at the rally.
She said state employees’ wages have been frozen and those issues have always been negotiated rather than legislated.
“His stances are whatever the party tells him to do,” Breneman said.
Michael Hopps, a Central Lakes College instructor, said Gazelka was out to change his hard-fought union benefits and to take away the rights of his friends to marry the person they choose. He said Gazelka’s efforts to obtain a statewide vote on the definition of marriage and Republican bills for a Voter ID bill were “smelly red herrings” designed to distract attention from more serious budget issues.
“I just oppose everything Paul Gazelka is in favor of,” Hopps said.
When supporters of Gazelka learned of the planned protest, Doug Kern, chair of the Crow Wing County Republican Party, urged supporters of the rural Brainerd lawmaker to show up with their own signs.
Kern objected that Breneman used a CLC email distribution list to spread word about the Gazelka protest and the targeting of his business office.
“It’s wrong to be protesting at a private business,” he said.
Earlier, in an email Kern sent to Breneman, Kern said that protesting at the business site amounted to bullying.
Among the messages Kern and his group shared on their signs was one that read “Government live on a budget.”
Breneman said she was in error when she used the state computer system to invite people to a protest at the office and said she apologized to the college.
Tom Grogg of Brainerd, a financial coordinator with Financial Peace University, said Gazelka has been leading in the right direction. He said he’s had to cut back spending in the current economy.
“If we don’t come to grips with how we spend our money ... we’re not going to be successful,” Grogg said.
The two groups co-existed peacefully near Gazelka’s office during the first hour of what was planned as a two-hour rally. Protesters on both sides lined the highway for awhile, trying to attract the attention of motorists. The union members brought a grill and prepared hot dogs and brats for the event.
Employees inside Gazelka’s office said business was being conducted as usual despite the people who were congregated outside.
Absent from the rally was Sen. Gazelka, who was working at the state Capitol. Contacted by phone shortly before the rally he said he thought the primary motivation of the protest was his authoring of legislation for a state worker pay freeze, that was rolled into S.F.1047, a large state government omnibus bill. What state workers have experienced recently, he said, was not a true wage freeze. Gazelka called for no step increases, lane changes or cost of living adjustments.
“Government is growing at a pace we cannot keep up with,” he said. “We’re trying to limit it to a $4 billion increase rather than a $9 billion increase,” Gazelka said.
He said he had visited with AFSCME representatives three times in his office and attended one of their meetings at their invitation. He said those meetings were more appropriate than a protest at a private business.
“That is very frustrating,” he said. “It feels like I’m being bullied.”
He also said the promotion of the protest through government email was inappropriate.
In an email forwarded to the Brainerd Dispatch by Kern, Michael Amick, dean of academic and technolgy services at CLC, told Kern that he contacted the employee and informed her this was a violation of acceptable use of state technology/email MnSCU Board Policy.
MIKE O’ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
Comments (54)
Add commentBoth side need to give and take
If the unions and public employees have to take a hit, then the rich need to sacrifice also. Spending has to be controlled, but not at the expense of just part of society. The rich can scream and holler all they want, but they know they can afford more taxes. Seems they just don't feel they should have too.
When all is said and done spending has to be controlled and taxes have to go up. Problem is you can only tax the middle class so much. Eventually the rich will have to pay more taxes whether they feel they should or not. I don't know how you can tax the poor, they are barely surviving now.
Regardless of which side your on, the choices that are going to have to be made are not going to be well recieved by anyone it seems as no one wants to help our state get out of this mess. What happens to the poor as programs they depend on are greatly reduced or eliminated? The rich will scream and holler as their taxes go up. But there really is no other way out of the debt.
Question I have is this: As programs are cut or eliminated, what will happen to those who depend on them, like the elderly, the handicapped, the ill who have no health insurance ??? What will society do with these "non productive feeders"??? Is that where we are really headed???
the college professors are so
the college professors are so smart they are above and outside reality. How many labor workers have seen their wages raise at the levels of union profs the last 10 years??? Lets just say the low income laborere is getting shafted at the hand of the unions who get their check from the taxpayers and many union members probably tell their house cleaner-etc etc that they can't raise prices or they can get a new job.
Labor wages are still 9-10 bucks an hour for last decade or more and the union wages have probably increased over 25% over the last decade if not alot more whey you include the sweet bennies they get.
"...over 25% over the last
"...over 25% over the last decade.."
You do know that comes to 2.5%/year don't you?
How does that compare with inflation?
How does that compare with the top 1%? I could be wrong but I think their income went up over 1000%.
Get a union if you're unhappy with your wages
It always amazes me that people who make less money despise the unions instead of admiring them. The whole point of unionization is to better your situation at work, so it seems to me that if you're jealous of what the unions are getting, you should try to start your own union, not hate all the other ones.
And I'm so sorry that Gazlka felt "bullied" but I think that enshrining discrimination in the state constitution is a much more severe form of bullying than a little protest.
We would be Wisconsin
if not for Gov. Mark Dayton. The GOP is giddy with power and bringing forth all their play to the base legislation (Voter ID, gay marraige, guns, abortion.) 2012 will be a big voter turn out year with the Presidential election and all these things on the ballot, no doubt about that.
Gazelka chose to be both a businessman and elected official
If he doesn't like how elected office affects his business, he should step out of one or the other. Many businesspersons opt not to run and not even post election-related signs because it may affect business.
Gazelka made a choice to run for elected office while having a private business. IN THE PAST HE HAS ALSO PUT HIS OWN ELECTION SIGNS IN FRONT OF HIS BUSINESS. He made the choice and he needs to man-up a little. Crocodile tears ring hollow.
Gazelka
does not need to be rallied at his business, pure and simple. Maybe we should go in front of the schools during school hours and rally against teacher's non existent wage freeze and union stance or any other business that is union. And to amygwyn, maybe unions better those they serve, but at what costs? If I want some work done on my home and hire a union, it is going to cost me a fortune as opposed to a non-union service. And "enshrining discrimination", BULL!!
wah wah...the GOP is
wah wah...the GOP is synonymous with bullying. I don't consider a peaceful demonstration to be bullying. Besides...if they can dish it out, they better learn how to take it too.
oldie
Thank you for the laugh of the day! "GOP is synonymous with bullying" Oh please, what an idiotic statement.
Government empolyees
The entire economy is in a serious recession. How can government employees be serious about continuing with regular wage and benefit increases? It's absolutely insane! Government employees should be extremely thankful if they keep their job, let alone their posh benefits paid for by the taxpayers who are losing their jobs. Major reductions in all government pay structures and organization must be made now, and should have been made long ago.
mnright,
Bingo! You said it perfectly.
Gazelka says HE is being bullied?!?
What a laughable comment. Tell that to the thousands of GLBT Minnesotans who have to fight to keep Gazelka from poking his nose under their bedsheets.
Gazelka sponsored a measure that bars Minnesotans from equality simply because he can't stop thinking about what goes on in their bedrooms.
Get to work, Gazelka!
to pdnett
oh thats right...I forgot...the GOP only tries to scare old people into thinking "death panels" really exist...
What does AFSCME stand for?
American Federation for STATE, COUNTY and MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Afscme is a union for public sector workers: GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
Have you ever wondered why there is so much inefficiency in government? Afscme is the answer. Your tax dollars fund their salaries, their salaries fund their union dues, so that they can use your tax money to protest private businesses and spend days at a time at the Capitol lobbying for their issues.
I've worked for the state for years. Still do. I've dealt with so many bureaucrats in state agencies I could draw you the map of the maze you need to go through to get connected to the right person, and even if you get connected to the right person, they don't do anything. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU. They only care about themselves and their jobs. You're a file number for a bureaucrat and you blame it on the politicians. A direct quote from a mid-level bureaucrat: "Commissioners come, and commissioners go. We just do what we do."
Maybe what you should demand an answer to from your local afscme member is why are they protesting when they should be working? Why do they travel down to the capitol several days out of the legislative session to lobby for their salaries? Does anyone else get to do that??? NO WAY! I bet some of you probably even had to lie to your boss at some point so you could lobby at the capitol for a cause you believed in, and realistically, you never even did that because you didn't want to risk your job in the first place...
And why isn't this instructor at CLC fired for using government e-mail to solicit political affiliations??? This is a crime ladies and gentlemen. Let's not forget where this started and who this started with: Deb Breneman.
Deb Breneman: You're FIRED.
clc waste
did the employee who e-mailed everyone on work time and used state equipment to do it penalized in any way? a suspension would be in order but since it is gunion wasting time on the state dollar you can't do anything? if you can drop everything and run to a protest is your job really needed?? think not-more waste!
Moonhawk...
Spot on. That's awesome. You're absolutely right. Apparently this instructor isn't clear on what the law is...
Deb Breneman
Works for Central Lakes College. The number for the president's office is:
218-855-8053
Call President Lundblad and demand her resignation.
allenjohnson
jeez, typical tyrannical GOP behavior. One email and you're screaming for her resignation. Let a life...loser.
"Deb Breneman, who works in
"Deb Breneman, who works in faculty support at Central Lakes College and is a member of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees"
It would be easy for the college to check the server logs, or her computer to see just how much of the workday she has spent on personal/union activities. I'm sure this isn't the first time.
Any disciplinary measures should be based on that.
oldie
What makes you think I'm affiliated with the GOP? I have no party affiliation. But I do know that what she did, and good point by Wolf on checking her logs, is border line criminal and could be considered as such by a judge. Call me a conservative independent if you have to label me, if it makes you feel better. Bottom line is, she is blatantly misusing taxpayer dollars and should be called on it. SHE SHOULD NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS.
instead of protesting....
instead of protesting every little thing, maybe you liberals should put your time to good use, write a letter to your congressman or senator and then spend the other 3 hours donating your time and money to a charity since you want to spread the wealth.
allenjohnson, question
would that also be a crime for the state employees to email each other about the deal?
I dont know anything about the laws, but I do know that most of the Minnesota Care employees were there and my future wife was one of them (the hag, lol). I am just curious if I need to tell her to start looking for another job when the hammer comes donw on them.
Deb Breneman
Works for Central Lakes College. The number for the president's office is:
218-855-8053
Call President Lundblad and demand her resignation.
I believe it is good for
I believe it is good for Gazelka to know that people are holding him accountable for the hateful, anti-family policies that he is trying to promote. He chose to be a business owner and a politician and this is the price to be paid, especially for his anti-GLBT and anti-worker stances. He is in the public eye and his own agenda will affect so many of us. People have every right to peacefully gather and send a message that we will not stand for this type of bigotry.
Let them eat cake?
The attitude of these public sector union employees is difficult to understand. While most of us are having to trim our budget and do without things, even essential things, they are complaining about a wage freeze? Tell it to the many Brainerd area residents who are not working and have not worked for months.
Senator Gazelka was elected by a huge margin because he represents what the people of SD 12 want, regardless of party affiliation. Most of us are smart enough to know that we can't keep spending more than we take in and there aren't enough "rich" people to fund the gravy train for state and local government employees. If we have to tighten our belts, they should as well. We've been doing it for two years. Welcome to austerity.
Oh, yeah ... Deb Breneman didn't sent just one little e-mail ... there were at least three that I saw. Nice.
this pubbie wouldnt
i work for a living and do not have time to email my personal life through my computer.
I guess all the union job holders have enough time for personal emails. Maybe it time for not only pay and benefit cuts, but job cuts as well.
My guess is most "pubbies" would do that on their own time because they want to make an honest living.
Tomorrow is your chance to
Tomorrow is your chance to ask Gazelka about his bills and votes. Make good use of it.
Reality check
I think instead of just repeating sound bites that our respective political parties feed us, maybe a little research and some facts first. I don't recall seeing a lot of that thus far in this feedback.
Can some union people give us some figures as to how much wages for public employees have gone up in the last 10, 20, 30 years??? I would think those of you in the unions would know where to get this kind of data. Then compare that to rate of inflation, cost of going to the doctor, dentist, lawyer, corporate profits, CEO wages, in those time frames.
Something I do wonder though. Why don't private sector employees focus on getting better wages and benfits for themselves rather than attacking someone, public employees, who they percieve have some sort of gravy train, and trying to drag the supposed gravy trainers down to their level ???
Symbiosis and the public employee unions
The public employee unions and DFL have had a cozy relationship for years. The unions contribute heavily to the DFL coffers and DFL legislators have rewarded the unions with ever sweeter benefit and wage packages. The unions also work hard to turn out the vote for DFL candidates. At the very least, the relationship involves questionable ethics. And what is the first thing they think to do when they don't like the idea of the legislature reining in their privilege? Organize a protest ... while on the time clock.
Town Hall Meeting
Sen. Gazelka will be at the Nisswa Legion at 3 pm today.
And where the heck is the budget? Isn't the deadline soon?