Full Agenda Keeps SD 49ers Busy at September Dinner Meeting

SD 49 members and guests congregated at Calvary Lutheran Church in Edina for our monthly dinner meeting to elect a new senate district vice chair, hear speeches, and join together for an evening meal. Chef Barb Nazarian, Russ Burnison and Dar Gray served up a delicious dinner guaranteed to quench hearty appetites and sustenance to last the evening.

We were introduced to Amir Gharbi, candidate for Edina School Board, who has the support of many SD49 Republicans. He spoke briefly about some of the excesses of the current board and discussed the need for a balanced approach to school policies.

Our keynote speaker, Minnesota Senate Minority Whip, Senator David Osmek (R-District 33), presented a thoroughly convincing talk on the inequities of our current state energy policy by emphasizing the cost inefficiencies of legislatively mandated energy caps, subsidies, and cost transfers that drive up Minnesotans’ utility bills.

Keith Kostuch, Chair of the Edina Energy and Environment Commission, expressed a sense of urgency in thwarting the City of Edina’s attempts to add on surtaxes and fees to Edina residents’ electric bills. Elsewhere we noted that “it is these small charges when added together can increase a customer’s bill by 20-30%.”  Randy Sutter added that the creeping charges being proposed by the Edina City Council would be proposed by the Bloomington City Council soon if the city’s residents did not voice their opposition to city council members.

We left the meeting full of good food and with much to think about.