For the Houston County News

Let's clarify my voting record

TO THE EDITOR,

I want to clarify the misleading comments of Craig Olson on my voting record on abortion.

There were not 17 different bills on abortion as he suggests. Every time we have a large health or human services bill, we usually have at least 10-15 amendments on abortion that we vote on. When we have another big health or human service bill, we will have many of the same amendments again. This goes on throughout the session.

The Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life pushes these amendments. Their goal is not to pass these amendments, but rather to have ammunition they can use against legislators in elections. Then they can have someone like Craig Olson write an attack letter and say "John Smith voted for abortion 17 times."

Public funding of abortions for low-income women is required because of a state Supreme Court ruling some years ago. We cannot change that.

I always vote against these amendments. They are never presented as bills, heard in committee, and voted on. The public never gets a chance to testify for or against them.

The MCCL is one of the worst special-interest groups in Minne-sota. Their extreme positions make it difficult for legislators to work together. They don't like that I supported comprehensive family planning legislation and comprehensive sex education in our schools. The MCCL is vehemently opposed to both.

Abortions went up in Minnesota last year for the first time in six years, because Governor Pawlenty cut family planning programs in his first term. With the help of several brave pro-life legislators, we expanded family planning services. With that single action, we will do more to reduce the number of abortions in one year than the MCCL has done in the last 35 years.

Rep. Ken Tschumper

(DFL-La Crescent),

District 31B, Houston & Fillmore counties

Design Team plans would be hurt by power lines

TO THE EDITOR,

I attended the Minnesota Design team weekend meetings.

La Crescent is fortunate to receive the benefits of designers, planners and architects. They produced plans and drawings that would transform our city into an attractive "destination."

The plans were developed from residents' suggestions. One of the most popular comments was to increase access to the river and build more walking and bicycling trails.

The Wagon Wheel Trail is one of the projects discussed. However, the Design Team co-director pointed out the path of the trail travels directly under where the proposed power lines from the CapX2020 project would be built. The state has already donated $100,000 towards this trail project.

Our efforts would be foiled with these 15-story steel monstrosities (and increased electricity rates, continued use of dirty-coal, and potential health risks from the electro-magnetic fields).

We can make a difference in our city by civic involvement and adopting many of the Team's suggestions. We can also make an impact on preventing the power lines from invading our community-but time is nearly out. Letters must be received by the Administrative Law Judge by Sept. 26.

The judge will read your letter and it will play a role in her decision to hopefully recommend a "no build" for the Minne-apolis/Rochester/La Crosse line. Our next steps alongside the Design Team plans should be to develop clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar that would economically power our city and other nearby communities. Smart-Grid technology is available now, but we must not be forced into a costly old-school method of energy with CapX2020. For more information, visit www.cetf.us.

Here is the judge's address, but send it before tomorrow's deadline: The Honorable Beverly J. Heydinger Office of Administra-tive Hearings, 600 North Robert Street, P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620.

Email: capx.oah@state.mn.us.

Jeremy Chipps,

La Crescent

Power line issue is not political

TO THE EDITOR,

We attended the meeting hosted by Rep. Ken Tschumper at the American Legion, La Crescent. I left with many specific unanswered questions. It was clear the meeting was not to inform, because the presenters could not answer specific questions about the scientific basis and data for their allegations.

Since then and reading the subsequent coverage, I've had many more questions. What did Rep. Ken Tschumper know, and when did he know it? Just how likely is it that the high voltage power lines will come down the river this far anyway?

Those are the questions I want answered about the power lines issue. Rep. Tschumper seems to be playing the issue for help with his re-election.

This issue is about energy and the environment. It is not political; not a DFL vs. Republican issue. But that is how Rep. Tschumper wants to make it appear. When did he know about this power line and why did he wait until now to mail out fliers and host public meetings? Did the La Crescent City Council's meeting on the power lines push up Rep. Tschumper's political campaign timetable? Could he have waited longer and pushed it closer to the elections? Is this simply talk about an improbability so that people perceive Rep. Tschumper is looking out for us? Is this something he really cares about or was the timing manufactured to give himself the appearance of being the friend to the environment?

The news and process of the power lines has been out there for a while. Why did Rep. Tschumper wait until now to address it? With Rep. Tschumper, there are more questions than answers.

Pat Morrison,

La Crescent

Tschumper focuses on your issues of concern

TO THE EDITOR,

A letter by Craig Olson of Caledonia appeared in the Sept. 17 issue of Houston County News on behalf of Greg Davids, Preston, the Republican candidate for state representative. It clearly indicates the difference between Davids and our current state representative, Ken Tschumper of La Crescent.

All Davids wants to talk about is abortion. That's because he doesn't have anything else to run on. What are his positions on property tax increases, more school funding, and fixing our roads and bridges? Most people are tired of the abortion issue.

By contrast, Rep. Tschumper talks about what he and the DFL majority did to start fixing our roads and bridges, how they increase school funding, and passed several health-care initiatives.

Davids, who served 16 years, was defeated by Tschumper in the last election. Davids' most notable "accomplishment" was his attempt to help his father-in-law build the biggest tire burner in North America, using special pork-barrel tax breaks.

By contrast, Ken Tschumper is a leader in raising public concern about a proposed high voltage transmission line that could run through La Crescent Township and the south end of La Crescent, a proposal that the utilities can't justify and may not be needed.

Rep. Tschumper focuses on the important issues most people are concerned about. If you are a Democrat, an Independent, or a moderate Republican, you can feel very comfortable voting to re-elect Ken Tschumper.

Sue Ames,

La Crescent

Question why large power line is needed

TO THE EDITOR,

Xcel Energy company is asking permission from both the state and federal government to run a large power line (CapX2020) from the Dakotas, possibly through our area to Milwaukee, and perhaps further into Chicago and other markets south and east.

There are many questions that need to be answered, including actual financial costs to consumers, through rate hikes to pay for the approximate $2 billion project, stray voltage and electromagnetic effects on the health of people and farm animals.

Xcel Energy's website has three pictures-an illuminated cityscape, wind turbine, and solar panel with the text 'Green Energy' with beautiful blue sky backgrounds. Nowhere are there pictures of coal burning plants. Burning coal is the largest single source of electrical generation in the USA and the world. China and India open one coal-fired power plant per week.

To summarize, their representative's say the USA produces and uses 25 percent of the world's electricity and much from coal, so why should they not do so. We need to demonstrate to the world innovation and leadership. Xcel's CapX2020 would lock us into coal for perhaps decades. There is no getting around it, burning coal is polluting on several levels and is a health hazard to all of us. It is an issue for our children and our children's children. We can help make sure we have abundant cleaner energy that is reasonably priced and safe for us and our children.

Tell your state representative to question the need, safety and economic wisdom of Xcel's CapX2020 project. I visited the website of area state legislator Ken Tschumper and also talked with Ken. He provided me with literature about the project and what he is doing to question the wisdom of this project. Please contact and urge him to continue his efforts.

Gregory Skolaski,

La Crescent