Letter: Senator Bonoff Has Been the Leader in the Minnesota Senate

To the Editor:

The letter supporting David Gaither on October 1, 2012 is a clear demonstration of the problems the Republican Party has in coming to terms with reality in our district. As Minnesota Republicans have lurched farther and farther right, with extreme and unpopular social issues clogging their agenda, all they have left to attack a moderate like Senator Bonoff is the spurious charge of expanding government.

In fact, Senator Bonoff has been not just a leader, but *the* leader in the Minnesota Senate, in driving efficiencies and effective delivery of services through the State Government. Despite being in the minority party in the most recent session, she advocated, created and passed legislation consolidating State information technology services under a single agency, legislation developing a strategic plan for the structural redesign of government services delivery, and more.

This record of accomplishment is a central reason Senator Bonoff has been endorsed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Twin West Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Independent Business, as well as by groups representing realtors, retailers, labor, the environment, health care professionals, police and peace officers, and many more.

Republicans, who can only shout "tax-and-spend," at even this most fiscally prudent and responsible Democrat, are desperately attempting to draw attention away from not only their own failure to pass significant fiscal reform in the past legislative session, but also from the unpleasant social agenda the GOP has insisted on foisting on the public, instead. 

Deborah Calvert, Minnetonka