June 5, 2003 -- NEWS RELEASE -- Rep. Matt Entenza, House DFL Leader rep.matt.entenza@house.mn
267 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-8799
1647 Portland Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104
651/647-1425
WILLMAR WOMEN'S SHELTER RECEIVES ENTENZA'S MONTHLY DONATION
The Shelter House, a battered women's shelter in Willmar, is the recipient of House DFL Leader Matt Entenza's most recent monthly charitable contribution from his legislative salary.
"State funding for battered women's services and shelters are under attack in the Republican-designed budget plan passed by the Legislature," Entenza (DFL-St. Paul) said. "Spousal abuse is a problem throughout Minnesota, and always seems to rise in difficulty
economic times, when families come under added stress from the loss of a job or other income. That makes the proposed cuts to these shelters particularly objectionable at this time."
The program was nominated by Willmar's Rep. Al Juhnke. The Shelter House will use Entenza's $1,038.03 donation for services for battered women and for their building fund.
"It's especially important to maintain services like Shelter House in rural Minnesota, where the loss of even one such facility can mean people have to drive 40 or 50 miles to the next," Juhnke said. "I thank Rep. Entenza for recognizing the importance of Shelter House in the West-Central area."
Since January, Entenza has donated the pay supplement he receives as a legislative leader to various non-profit organizations facing a potential loss of state support in the current budget crisis.
Entenza, GOP Majority Leader Erik Paulsen and Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum all receive a 40% supplement to their regular legislative pay to reflect the full-time nature of legislative leadership posts. That amounts to $1,038.03 a month or $12,456.36 a year.
Other recipients of Entenza's monthly donations include the Twin Cities' United Way; the "Dollars for Scholars" program at his alma mater, Worthington Senior High School; the Hmong Cultural Center of St. Paul and the Alexandra House women's shelter in Blaine.
