HOUSE & SENATE REPUBLICANS ANNOUNCE SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS

(St. Paul) – Leaders of the Minnesota House and Senate announced today a statewide series of meetings throughout the fall that will bring together regional business leaders, state government decision makers, and others to exchange ideas about jumpstarting Minnesota’s economy.

The meetings were kicked off Tuesday at Eaton Corporation in Eden Prairie with local business leaders, plus Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy, Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman, and Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess.

"Our focus here today, and always has been as a Caucus; is to help Minnesotans by growing our State's economy. You can't do that by sitting in a room at the Capitol," said House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, Maple Grove.  "We are here to listen to job providers; to understand how state government has become outdated or over-burdensome and a roadblock to their expanding jobs in our state. It's time we listen, learn and work WITH business owners large and small to expand job growth in MN."

“Today’s discussion with Minnesota’s top manufacturing leaders here at Eaton gave us a solid foundation from which to further explore how to grow private sector jobs for economic recovery,” said Senator Joe Gimse, one of the organizers of the tour. “The best answers for jumpstarting Minnesota’s economy will come from talking with people facing real-world problems.”

The preliminary schedule of locations for the roundtable meetings is a follows:

St. Cloud, Apple Valley, Red Wing, Sauk Centre, Minnetonka, Rochester, Blaine, New Ulm, Faribault, Shoreview, Bemidji, Eagan, Woodbury, Princeton, La Crescent, Monticello, Chisago City, Fergus Falls, and Willmar.

Additional details will be provided on the location and times of each roundtable meeting.

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