MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
State Representative Al Juhnke
281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-6206
rep.al.juhnke@house.mn
January 28, 2003
RE: Thought-provoking column on ethanol cuts
I want to call your attention to an interesting and insightful piece by columnist Mychal Wilmes that ran in "Agri News," the farm and rural newspaper published in Rochester. It concerns the Pawlenty Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for ethanol development and the role Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson had in preparing the Administration's budget recommendations.
Mr. Wilmes is open to having his column reprinted. Contact him at (507) 285-7659. The text of the column follows. You can also find it on the Internet at
http://webstar.postbulletin.com/agrinews/279814292909723.bsp
Mychal Wilmes -- 7-county governor whacks ethanol
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Agri News
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is big on expressing his undying support for rural Minnesota and its populace. The governor made political hay and wowed rural supporters by selecting Carol Molnau -- a self-described farmer who knows how to handle a combine -- as his running mate. He got off to a great start with a rural breakfast in Hutchinson earlier this month.
The administration is dependent on symbolism. Express support for rural Minnesota and avoid specific proposals to address problems. His move to whack $26.8 million from the ethanol producer incentive is certainly a concrete example of his commitment. It shows how empty Pawlenty's words are and how cynical the world of government maneuverings has become.
Pawlenty justified the move on the basis that ethanol is doing well and can take the hit. That doesn't wash, unless you believe that the money will return when the ethanol industry is struggling. Ethanol is in for a bumpy ride.
Cutting ethanol is symbolic of Pawlenty's focus on the seven-county area that is the metro community. Unless ag commissioner Gene Hugoson has laryngitis or is otherwise
disabled, the veteran department head should march into Pawlenty's office and resign. Hugoson has held Minnesota's ethanol initiative as a bright shining star in its rural development effort. By being stabbed in the back by Pawlenty, all Hugoson has left is the silly and empty "Livestock Friendly'' county designation program.
This gambit, which made it through the Legislature, is more empty symbolism, but it will give Hugoson something to play with while Pawlenty ignores rural Minnesota or makes it pay for the budget mess. There is no denying that Pawlenty won election in no small part to his no-new-taxes pledge. Pawlenty and the rest of the lawmakers who pass for public servants these days know well that no-new-taxes is a bit of a shell game. Check what will happen to property taxes within four years. The true cost of maintaining necessary rural services will be reflected in property taxes, while Pawlenty takes credit for holding the line on state taxes.
In any case, Hugoson is left holding the bag. He is a good man and deserves better treatment from the administration. By resigning, he can keep his dignity and prove that he's something more than just a figurehead for the suit-wearing radicals who want to reshape agriculture into their corporate image.
It can be successfully argued that putting so much of agriculture's economic development efforts into ethanol was a mistake. It can also be argued that reneging on a commitment made -- which ethanol plant organizers banked on -- is a classic betrayal done for crude political
expedience.
Hugoson is left to make excuses for Pawlenty's actions when he should be agriculture's No. 1 advocate.
Hugoson doesn't need to play that game. He should resign now and allow Pawlenty to pick someone else. Surely the governor won't be squeamish about seeking advice from the Agri-Growth Council and the Farm Bureau, who heartily endorsed Hugoson's retention not too long ago. He might even add to Molnau's work load by selecting her.
The people who should be squeamish are farmers, who realize that Pawlenty appears more interested in being governor of the seven-county metro area than he does the entire state. In that regard, he is following in former Gov. Jesse Ventura's footsteps.
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