Hey Torrey, thanks for being a weasel back in 2005 on the school funding issue, while not being helpful on excess levy referendum votes

Representative Westrom is
blasted on school funding issue

January 27, 2005

Representative Torrey Westrom of Elbow Lake was blasted at a meeting held in Hoffman when trying to suggest that the state funding proposed by Governor Pawlenty will allow for smaller class sizes.

Superintendent Ness said, “Since 1997 we’re $440 behind per pupil on the formula when adjusted for inflation. WCA is definitely spiraling. Our enrollment is declining. We need a variety of solutions for our budget issues, including increased state funding, budget cuts, plus referendum money - or rather, local taxes.”

Ness added, “We need more revenue. We’re a state that values good roads, good schools, good health care, and we’re willing to pay for it.”

Westrom responded, “If more are willing to pay, then why are school boards and counties reluctant to go to referendums? The public generally doesn’t pass those.”

Ness replied that the cost of government has gone down over the past few years, from 17 percent of gross personal income to 15 percent.

Letter to the Editor

West Central Minnesota Deserves Better. It’s Time for New Representation.

There is no doubt the timing is right for new representation for West CentralM innesota. I just finished reading Torrey Westrom’s four page personal advertisement. This self-serving propaganda is quite concerning if you actually read through it. He talks about helping education, all you have to do is talk to a local educator to find out Torrey has done nothing to help education in Minnesota. In fact, along with Gov. Pawlenty, has burdened nearly every school district in Minnesota with financial hardship. He talks about helping farmers, yet I know of several families that have been negatively impacted by Torrey’s actions. It does not matter to me if there is a D or R alongside someone’s name rather what kind of a job I feel they will do representing the voters and govern in a non-bias, ethical manner. Ask yourself, really, what has Torrey done for West Central Minnesota?

This is why I believe the timing is right to give Bennett Smith, who is running for State Representative of District 11A, a chance to represent the voters of Grant, Douglas and Stevens Counties. We need someone representing us that places the voters’ interests ahead of their own self serving agenda. I have heard comments from people who fear Bennett is too young to be an effective representative. Remember he is the same age as Torrey when he was first elected. It is time for a change in our representation and I feel Bennett’s youth and energy could benefit West Central Minnesota.

I recently had an opportunity to visit with Bennett and was impressed with his knowledge of issues and sincere concern about education and property tax increases. Bennett is excited to go to work for the people of West Central Minnesota and restore integrity to the office of State Representative for District 11A.

A debate has been scheduled between Smith and Westrom for October 7 at 8pm on Prairie Public TV. I would encourage all District 11A voters to watch and decide who you feel should be our representative.

Terry Christenson Ashby, Mn

Seeking your ideas for improving government - from Rep. Torrey Westrom

The Request for Innovations program is your chance to share those ideas you have for improving the way Minnesota operates.

The House of Representatives Redesign Caucus will continue to accept submissions from the public through Nov. 15 as it strives to find ways of doing things better and more efficiently in the face of a $5.8 billion deficit forecast for the upcoming budget cycle. The Redesign Caucus has established five areas for reform: Local government and collaborative governance, state government, education, health care and
human services, and tax and budget policy. Two proposals will be selected from each area and introduced as legislation.

“We can’t overstate the importance of changing the way we operate because the system we have in place simply is not sustainable,” said Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake. “Our goal should be threefold: To deliver better value more efficiently with increased accountability.”

A rise in unemployment during the current recession has meant decline in state income tax revenue, a significant factor in Minnesota’s current budget woes. Moreover, projections indicate Minnesota’s tax base will shrink as baby boomers reach retirement age, placing even more importance on a government redesign.

Westrom said technology is one efficiency tool he would like to see implemented to a greater degree and pointed to a recent announcement from the judicial branch as an example. An online service for paying fines is being rolled out statewide over a two-year period as part of an effort to reduce costs, better utilize staff resources and improve service to the public.

“It seems like far too often we limit our choices to raising taxes or cutting budgets,” Westrom said. “It’s time to get past that way of thinking and I look forward to hearing proposals from the public to streamline government and get the best use out of our tax dollars."

Citizens are invited to provide suggestions at www.house.mn/redesign.

Lucky to be alive during pivotal point in human history

by Rep. Torrey Westrom

A strong argument can be made that issues pertaining to our economy, energy and the environment have put us on course to live the greatest story ever to be told by any generation.

As a member of the state's Energy Commission, I recently attended a seminar called Crash Course, conducted by research scientist Chris Martenson. His message is our economy, energy and environment are so deeply intertwined they must be addressed collectively if we’re going to make improvements in these areas.

Martenson says our economy must grow to support a money system based on borrowing, but is challenged by an energy system that cannot grow, and both of these are linked to a natural world that is rapidly being depleted (i.e., oil).

That is a lot to wrap your head around.

His take on our economy connects some dots – in light of what has happened to our economy. The way he explains it, our entire economic system – and by extension our way of life – is founded on exponential debt, and debt is founded on the assumption the future will always be bigger than the past.

But today our nation’s debt is 340 percent greater than the Gross Domestic Product, so we are in need of drastic changes if we are going to pay the debt we have today. Our country has failed to save money and outlived its means at virtually every level of society. That resulting debt does not belong to the President, Congress, or Washington in general; it ultimately belongs to you, me and all our taxpaying neighbors who will be responsible for paying it back, Martinson points out.

Martenson contends energy is the backbone of any given economy. But when an economy is based on an exponential debt based money system – otherwise known as a fiat money system – that is itself based on exponentially increasing energy supplies, the supply of that energy deserves our very highest attention.

The challenge then is in deciding which path will lead us to the greatest growth. Is it in more proficient use of any or all existing energy sources? Is it transitioning to a new, yet to be developed source, including some renewable energies?

This is where environmental issues come into play. Population growth continues to place more and more pressure on our planet’s resources. It took until 1927 for our worldly population to reach the two-billion mark, but we've added nearly five billion more people since. This growth has taken a toll on non renewable resources.

As ominous as this Crash Course between the economy, energy and environment may seem, we have the wherewithal to meet this challenge; it’s just going to take a willingness to make adjustments. I think most people would agree, we cannot continue on the same spending and consumption path we have taken. We must return to living within our means economically and make wise decisions where the environment and energy are centerpoint.

We need to set priorities and stick to them.

As Martenson puts it, we are lucky to be alive during a pivotal point in human history. We need our leaders at every level of government – especially in Washington D.C., where they control our money system – to understand how these aspects connect to one another. We must continue working for common-sense changes to make our lifestyle sustainable without going overboard on costly, burdensome and unneeded items or programs in our lives, state or country.

Bill Hilty, DFL-Hinckley, was key in bringing this speaker to our state and should be commended for helping spur deeper thought among us legislators. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the meeting.

Martenson challenged all of us to refute his facts, and in the six years he’s been researching and speaking about his Crash Course video, no one has been able to refute his assertions. I felt compelled to do more than just attend Martenson's presentation and wanted to share some of the points he raised to help Minnesota citizens become more aware of this information, conduct research themselves and draw their own conclusions. This may inspire us all to dig deeper for solutions that will again make our state and country great.

I hope you, too, review the material Martenson presented. Crash Course is available for free viewing at his Web site: www.chrismartenson.com. I welcome your feedback after you've reviewed Martenson's material. My email is rep.torrey.westrom@house.mn.