By Jon Tatting
Isanti County News

Area veterans and interested members of the public are encouraged to attend a roundtable meeting where the governor's military and veterans support proposal can be discussed with local legislators.

The roundtable discussion is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7 at the American Legion in Cambridge.

Rep. Rob Eastlund and Sen. Rick Olseen, as well as Isanti County Veterans Services Director Jim Rostberg, will be on hand to talk about Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal and other military veteran issues.

The meeting also aims to address additional issues that concern veterans at the state level, in part, for the visiting legislators before they and fellow lawmakers consider the governor's proposal at the upcoming legislative session.

In favor of this meeting and expected to attend are representatives from the Vietnam Veterans (Chapter 684), American Legion (Post 290) in Cambridge, Isanti VFW, and American Legion in Braham.

For more information on this meeting, call Bob Potts at 612-390-6562.

Pawlenty's proposal

The Pawlenty Administration on Veterans Day, Nov. 12, presented a $51 million veterans' package it will submit to the Legislature this coming session.

The 35 initiatives contained in the proposal emerged out of a collaborative process, explained Minnesota Military Affairs Adjutant General Maj. General Larry Shellito, speaking at a Capitol press conference.

Centerpiece of the proposal is a total tax exemption from state income tax for military pay and pensions — a $25 million a year tax break when fully implemented.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty said 42 other states provide some degree of tax exemption for military pensions — Minnesota had a provision that was repealed in 1987, he said.

"We believe, of course, veterans have paid enough," said Pawlenty, noting there was no need to cut other programs to fund his veterans' proposal.

Some eight employer-focused initiatives are included in the proposal — a hiring/training incentive for businesses that employ veterans, for one — as well as a proposal to expand the "Proud to be a Veteran" license plate sales to motorcycles.

Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, House Agriculture, Rural Economics and Veteran Affairs Finance Committee chairman, said the administration's proposal was a good package. "I think a lot of it is a continuation of what we did last session where we increased by 70 percent veterans affairs financing," he said.

"From the legislative standpoint, particularly from our caucus, we're committed to not only passing most of these initiatives but also finding the money to do it after February — even if it means new money," said Juhnke. "We're not afraid to go out and get new money for this," he said.

Follow this link for more on Gov. Pawlenty's proposal.

Comment from Lester Boe, 1/4/08

The Pawlenty Administration on Veterans Day, Nov. 12, presented a $51 million veterans' package it will submit to the Legislature this coming session.

This statement above is a joke in my opinion, I am a disabled veteran from the vietnam war, dying of cancer right now, and there is not one penny in this budget, that will help veterans like me, it is mainly for the new veterans, there is no property tax breaks, heck even in the crappy state of ND, they are giving some of their disabled veterans a 50% break on property taxes, o% in MN, some states give you a break on taxes when you buy a vehicle, % in MN, and there other things that other states give there 100% disabled veterans, but not MN, just the hunting and fishing license, which is wothless to me as I am to sick to fish, and haven't shot anything since leaving vietnam, and please don't tell me to contact senators, and rep, I have, and not one of them have answered me, not even the governors people have answer me, just my opinion