Wednesday, August 29, 2012
And Fridley state Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) shares his view on the amendments facing the voters.
Tuesday morning, activists pushing to stop a proposed constitutional amendment that would write a ban on same-sex marriage into the state constitution received what could prove to be a vital shot in the arm. Minnesotans United for All Families announced that the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics would be joining their coalition of groups opposing the marriage amendment. Current state law already bans same-sex marriage in Minnesota. "As an advocate for children and their families, MN-AAP believes this amendment would be harmful to children and adolescents in Minnesota," read a statement from the group, saying it would also harm the stability of same-sex families, thus hurting children. The move is potentially …
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
In a Star Tribune op-ed, the Fridley legislator again argues against URS Corp. getting more government contracts, including any part of work on the Southwest LRT project.
State Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) of Fridley continues his effort to stop public contracts from going to URS Corp. with an op-ed article in today's Star Tribune. Tillberry asked Gov. Dayton to cut URS out of government work, specifically the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit project, in a letter last April. URS responded with its own letter to Dayton. Then last week came news that suggested Tillberry's argument had resonated: URS was no longer in line to get the entire Southwest LRT contract. Here are excerpts from Tillberry's op-ed today: On Aug. 1, Minnesota will mark the five-year anniversary of the fall of the Interstate 35W bridge. ... My friend and neighbor Pat Holmes died on the bridge. Since that day, I have been waiting for …
Saturday, July 21, 2012
State Rep. Tom Tillberry sought to exclude URS Corp. from Southwest LRT contract.
The Metropolitan Council won't give URS Corp. the whole contract to build a new light rail line, the Star Tribune reported. That's getting closer to what state Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) wants—to have URS barred from getting any part of the contract for the Southwest LRT line. Tillberry sent Gov. Mark Dayton a letter urging that URS be shut out of state contract work because of the firm's role in inspecting the I-35W bridge that fell in 2007, killing 13 people. URS responded with a letter of its own to Dayton asking to be considered for LRT work.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Two legislators representing Fridley (Tillberry and Goodwin) are on the MN Legislative Coordinating Commission.
Update (10 a.m. Thursday): A Minnesota legislative panel authorized spending $18,000 in legal expenses to intervene in a lawsuit against the proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo ID at their polling places. Original post (9 a.m. Thursday): What question will voters see on the ballot this November about amending the Minnesota Constitution to require them to show photo IDs at the polls? Two legislators representing parts of Fridley—Rep. Tom Tillberry and Sen. Barb Goodwin, both DFLers—serve on the Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission that is considering authorizing legal representation for the state in a lawsuit challenging the exact language that voters would see when they cast ballots on the …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Fridley rep says constituent comments are 15:1 in favor.
Here's how state Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) explained his "Yes" vote on the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill in an email Tuesday: I was an original author to the Kreisel charitable gambling bill, which now turned into the Viking stadium bill. We needed to resolve the stadium issue and this was the best way possible for this legislature at this time. Although we have other needs in our community that have more priority, the decision to build the stadium would supply us with more job opportunities for people who have been waiting for work. I can't be sure that the bonding bill will pass. We need to get our workers back to work. If we wait for a good time to build a stadium, it will never be built. It's been argued for over 6 years and my …
Tillberry, Knuth vote Yes; Laine votes No.
The Minnesota Senate takes up the stadium bill Tuesday.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Letter comes after Fridley legislator asked governor not to hire firm.
Three days after a Fridley state representative asked Gov. Mark Dayton not to award a Southwest light rail transit contract to URS Corp., a URS executive has written his own letter to Dayton touting the international engineering firm's Minnesota experience. "I am honored that the Met Council is considering URS for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project, should it be funded," vice president Tom Bader wrote (see attached PDF at right). In his letter, Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-Fridley) cited URS' inspection work on the I-35W bridge before its collapse and its engineering role on the now-closed Sabo bicycle bridge in Minneapolis as reasons for the state not to hire the firm. "I just don't understand why somebody would be considering a company …
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Fridley rep questions bid by firm involved with faulty 35W and Sabo bridges.
State Representative Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) sent a three-page letter to Gov. Mark Dayton this week to express his "serious concern" about a bid by an engineering firm, URS Corp., for a pending state contract. Read Tillberry's letter online here. Tillberry, who represents part of Fridley and is a Fridley resident, noted that URS was involved with two faulty bridges in Minneapolis—inspecting the I-35W bridge before it fell and the Sabo bicycle bridge now closed for repairs. The contract in question is for a new light rail transit line between downtown Minneapolis and suburbs to the southwest including St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Edina and Minnetonka. In the April 24, 2012, letter, first posted in a news report at Minnesota.PublcRadio.org, …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Fridley representative said he's watching, learning from stadium debate.
State Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) responded to a request sent to all five of Fridley's state legislative delegation about the pending Minnesota Vikings stadium bill and other legislation. Tillberry said in an email Wednesday that he is still studying the bill, but he is also watching the linked charitable-gambling bill, which he co-authored: As far as the Viking stadium goes, I will be learning more about the bill today as it has finally come out in its entirety. I am a co-author on the charitable gambling bill, which has now become the vehicle bill for the Viking stadium. It was amended on to the bill in Ways and Means. It has avoided the Tax Committee and that is upsetting to me. It does provide for much needed jobs, but it is a far …
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Republicans also gathered in new district that includes all of Fridley.
Can't see the article? Try reading at Storify. What do you want to see come out of the local DFL or GOP conventions? Leave a comment below.
Marlene Hoda
10:58 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The jobs that would be generated are not all positive. I know a person that works at target field and is subject to food industry rules. She is allotted a 15 minute break in a 10 hr period and must count on the fans to give her tips to survive. Since “tips” are not a reliable income and the job is seasonal it is far from a quality job for the people of MN. The same type of jobs would be created … more ›