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>> WELL, LET'S MOVE TO AN ISSUE WE HAVE DISCUSSED OVER
ISSUE WE HAVE DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS
THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT'S P PVEN TO BE SOMEWHAT
THAT'S P PVEN TO BE SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL.
CONTROVERSIAL. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COVERAGE ABOUT IT IN THE
COVERAGE ABOUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPERS, AND WE HAVE A
NEWSPAPERS, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VIEWERS CONCERNED
NUMBER OF VIEWERS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE.
ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE. AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, THEY ARE
AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, THEY ARE ALL OVER THE LOT.
ALL OVER THE LOT. SOME THINK IT SHOULD GO UP,
SOME THINK IT SHOULD GO UP, SOME THINK IT WILL COST JOBS,
SOME THINK IT WILL COST JOBS, SOME THINK IT SHOULD GO UP A
SOME THINK IT SHOULD GO UP A LITTLE BIT.
LITTLE BIT. I THINK IT'S JUST TIME TO ASK
I THINK IT'S JUST TIME TO ASK OUR PANEL, WHERE THEY THINK
OUR PANEL, WHERE THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO GO.
IT'S GOING TO GO. SENATOR FRANZEN, MAYBE WE'LL
SENATOR FRANZEN, MAYBE WE'LL START WITH YOU, WHAT DO YOU
START WITH YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE
THINK ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE AND WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'RE
AND WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'RE LIKELY TO WIND UP WHEN THE
LIKELY TO WIND UP WHEN THE DUST SETTLES.
DUST SETTLES. >> I WISH I COULD FORESEE THE
>> I WISH I COULD FORESEE THE FUTURE BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT
FUTURE BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO INCREASE.
CERTAINLY NEEDS TO INCREASE. WE'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST
WE'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST STATES IN THE COUNTRY.
STATES IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE
I THINK IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR MINNESOTA TO BE SO LOW.
FOR MINNESOTA TO BE SO LOW. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT RATE
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT RATE ARE WE GOING TO GET TO, AND
ARE WE GOING TO GET TO, AND THE LAST NEGOTIATIONS IN THE
THE LAST NEGOTIATIONS IN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE WAS
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE WAS 9.50.
9.50. THE SENATE OFFERED 9.50.
THE SENATE OFFERED 9.50. WE'RE KIND OF IN A STALEMATE
WE'RE KIND OF IN A STALEMATE IN TERMS OF THE CONSUMER
IN TERMS OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.
PRICE INDEX. AND IT'S ALSO NOT JUST THE
AND IT'S ALSO NOT JUST THE RATE, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT
RATE, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHAT COMES ATTACHED TO IT,
WHAT COMES ATTACHED TO IT, HOW MUCHxD TIME ARE WE GOING TO
HOW MUCHxD TIME ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST TO IT.
HAVE TO ADJUST TO IT. I COME FROM THE BUSINESS
I COME FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT
WORLD SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS TO LARGE
THAT MEANS TO LARGE BUSINESSES, SO I AM CONSCIOUS
BUSINESSES, SO I AM CONSCIOUS OF THAT, BUT AT THE SAME
OF THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW WE NEED TO DO
TIME, I KNOW WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE
SOMETHING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD AND I HOPE THAT WE
FORWARD AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT THIS
ARE ABLE TO DO THAT THIS SESSION.
SESSION. IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO GET THE
IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO GET THE VOTES IN THE SENATE TO BE
VOTES IN THE SENATE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL
ABLE TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL PACKAGE, WHICH AT THIS POINT,
PACKAGE, WHICH AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THATST.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THATST. >> JUST SO OUR VIEWERS
>> JUST SO OUR VIEWERS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON,
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, THE STICKING POINT, REPORTED
THE STICKING POINT, REPORTED BY THE NEWSPAPER THIS
BY THE NEWSPAPER THIS MORNING, IS THAT THE HOUSE
MORNING, IS THAT THE HOUSE WANTS AN AUTOMATIC INFLATION
WANTS AN AUTOMATIC INFLATION INCREASE, THE SENATE DOESN'T
INCREASE, THE SENATE DOESN'T WANT THAT.
WANT THAT. >> I WOULDN'T SAY THE SENATE
>> I WOULDN'T SAY THE SENATE DOESN'T WANT THAT.
DOESN'T WANT THAT. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO IT.
OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO IT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRAINING WAGE, TALKING ABOUT
TRAINING WAGE, TALKING ABOUT HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO TAKE
HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO TAKE TO PHASE IT IN.
TO PHASE IT IN. I THINK WE'RE OPEN TO IT, I
I THINK WE'RE OPEN TO IT, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A DONE
JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A DONE DEAL BY TAKING THESE THINGS
DEAL BY TAKING THESE THINGS SEPARATELY.
SEPARATELY. I THINK IT'S GOING TO COME
I THINK IT'S GOING TO COME TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. >> SENATOR FRANZEN -- AS
>> SENATOR FRANZEN -- AS SENATOR FRANZEN SAID, THE
SENATOR FRANZEN SAID, THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, THEY
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH SOME OF
ARE STRUGGLING WITH SOME OF THE LANGUAGE AS FAR AS THE
THE LANGUAGE AS FAR AS THE AUTOMATIC INFLATOR, AND I
AUTOMATIC INFLATOR, AND I THINK THEY ARE STRUGGLING ON
THINK THEY ARE STRUGGLING ON # .5 AN HOUR.
# .5 AN HOUR. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AS GIVEN
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AS GIVEN AS WHAT WE MIGHT ASSUME IT
AS WHAT WE MIGHT ASSUME IT IS.
IS. I THINK WE NEED TO RAISE THE
I THINK WE NEED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE.
MINIMUM WAGE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
QUESTION ABOUT THAT. BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO
BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO TO 9.50 AN HOUR.
GO TO 9.50 AN HOUR. MY CONCERN COMES IN, WE'RE
MY CONCERN COMES IN, WE'RE RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE BY
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE BY 3-PLUS DOLLARS ON HOUR, AND
3-PLUS DOLLARS ON HOUR, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO BACKFILL FOR
WE'RE TRYING TO BACKFILL FOR A LOT OF THE MISTAKES I THINK
A LOT OF THE MISTAKES I THINK WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST.
WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST. WE'VE WATCHED A LOT OF OUR --
WE'VE WATCHED A LOT OF OUR -- LOST MIDDLE INCOME PAYING
LOST MIDDLE INCOME PAYING JOBS, WE'VE LOST THOSE
JOBS, WE'VE LOST THOSE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT TAX
BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT TAX POLICIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT
POLICIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WE'VE USED OVER THE YEARS,
WE'VE USED OVER THE YEARS, AND BUSINESSES FOUND OTHER
AND BUSINESSES FOUND OTHER WAYS OF DOING THINGS, IN MANY
WAYS OF DOING THINGS, IN MANY CASES, AND THOSE JOBS HAVE
CASES, AND THOSE JOBS HAVE MOVED OUT OF MINNESOTA, INTO
MOVED OUT OF MINNESOTA, INTO OTHER STATES, OUT OF THE
OTHER STATES, OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. SO WHAT I SEE HAPPENING NOW
SO WHAT I SEE HAPPENING NOW IS WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT
IS WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT -- CHINA BUILDS SOME OF THESE
-- CHINA BUILDS SOME OF THESE -- TRYING TO REBUILD THESE
-- TRYING TO REBUILD THESE MIDDLE CLASS JOBS BY RAYING
MIDDLE CLASS JOBS BY RAYING THE MINIMUM 3-PLUS DOLLARS AN
THE MINIMUM 3-PLUS DOLLARS AN HOUR.
HOUR. THE MINIMUM WAGE IS A
THE MINIMUM WAGE IS A TRAINING WAGE, A STARTING
TRAINING WAGE, A STARTING WAGE AND WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD
WAGE AND WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD JOBS FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO
JOBS FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT GETTING A A
HAVE TO LOOK AT GETTING A A EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT GETS
EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT GETS OUR FOLKS READY TO GET INTO
OUR FOLKS READY TO GET INTO THE WAGE EARNING STREAM, AND
THE WAGE EARNING STREAM, AND RIGHT NOW, FOR AN EDUCATION
RIGHT NOW, FOR AN EDUCATION -- FROM AN EDUCATION
-- FROM AN EDUCATION STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT DOING A
STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF OFFERING
GOOD JOB OF OFFERING VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR
VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS
STUDENTS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN START GETTING
SO THEY CAN START GETTING READY TO TAKE SOME OF THESE
READY TO TAKE SOME OF THESE VOCATIONAL JOBS THAT ARE
VOCATIONAL JOBS THAT ARE NEEDED.
NEEDED. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO START
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT A MIX, NOT JUST
LOOKING AT A MIX, NOT JUST RAISING THE WAGE.
RAISING THE WAGE. WE HAVE TO BRING THE
WE HAVE TO BRING THE EDUCATION PIECE INTO IT, WE
EDUCATION PIECE INTO IT, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GOING OUR FOLKS READY FOR
GOING OUR FOLKS READY FOR THESE JOBS WE DO HAVE OUT
THESE JOBS WE DO HAVE OUT THERE.
THERE. >> WELL, I THINK THAT
>> WELL, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY CAN AGREE THAT THE
EVERYBODY CAN AGREE THAT THE MINIMUM WAGE IS PROBABLY
MINIMUM WAGE IS PROBABLY GOING TO GO UP, AND IT
GOING TO GO UP, AND IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO GO UP,
PROBABLY NEEDS TO GO UP, WHETHER IT'S NINE-POINT 50,
WHETHER IT'S NINE-POINT 50, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY HIGH
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY HIGH BUT THE INFLATOR IS A
BUT THE INFLATOR IS A PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. THAT IS AN ISSUE.
THAT IS AN ISSUE. IF YOU ARE LOOK TO GET
IF YOU ARE LOOK TO GET REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR THE
REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR THE BILL, I DON'T KNOW THAT
BILL, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT WITH
YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT WITH THE AUTOMATIC INFLATOR IN
THE AUTOMATIC INFLATOR IN THERE.
THERE. BUT THE TIP CREDIT, TIP
BUT THE TIP CREDIT, TIP CREDIT SEEMS TO BE A DIRTY
CREDIT SEEMS TO BE A DIRTY WORD ALL THE SUDDEN WHEN YOU
WORD ALL THE SUDDEN WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MINIMUM
ARE TALKING ABOUT MINIMUM WAGE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE.
WAGE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, VERY SERIOUS.
VERY, VERY SERIOUS. YOU'D PROBABLY GET MORE
YOU'D PROBABLY GET MORE REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR MINIMUM
REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR MINIMUM WAGE IF YOU HAVE A TIP CREDIT
WAGE IF YOU HAVE A TIP CREDIT BUILT INTO THE BILL.
BUILT INTO THE BILL. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO TIP CREDIT AS WELL.
DO TIP CREDIT AS WELL. SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP ALONG THIS.
A BIG HELP ALONG THIS. I'VE GOT RUNNING ACES, A
I'VE GOT RUNNING ACES, A HORSE RACING TRACK IN MY
HORSE RACING TRACK IN MY DISTRICT AND THERE'S A LOT OF
DISTRICT AND THERE'S A LOT OF DEALERS THERE AND THINGS LIKE
DEALERS THERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY MAKE SOME GOOD
THAT, THEY MAKE SOME GOOD MONEY WHEN THEY MAKE TIPS AT
MONEY WHEN THEY MAKE TIPS AT THE TABLES THEY HAVE THERE,
THE TABLES THEY HAVE THERE, SO I THINK THAT THERE WAS AN
SO I THINK THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE BEFORE THE CONFERENCE
ISSUE BEFORE THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO TRY TO MAYBE
COMMITTEE TO TRY TO MAYBE CHANGE THAT OR GET THAT
CHANGE THAT OR GET THAT INCLUDED, AT LEAST FOR THE
INCLUDED, AT LEAST FOR THE DEALERS AT THE HORSE TRACK.
DEALERS AT THE HORSE TRACK. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
TO HAPPEN. I SURE HOPE IT DOES.
I SURE HOPE IT DOES. SO IF SOME OF THOSE THINGS
SO IF SOME OF THOSE THINGS COULD HAPPEN, I THINK YOU'D
COULD HAPPEN, I THINK YOU'D GET MORE VOTES FOR THE BILL.
GET MORE VOTES FOR THE BILL. >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, AND I
>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, AND I HAVE HEARD DISCUSSION FROM MY
HAVE HEARD DISCUSSION FROM MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT ALL OF
CONSTITUENTS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES, AND
THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES, AND IT'S GOOD THAT WE ARE TALKING
IT'S GOOD THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THEM, ALL RIGHT.
ABOUT THEM, ALL RIGHT. IT'S NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE
IT'S NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE WE'LL END UP.
WE'LL END UP. I BELIEVE STRONGLY WE DO NEED
I BELIEVE STRONGLY WE DO NEED TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE,
TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE, AND I THINK 9.50 WOULD BE A
AND I THINK 9.50 WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO END UP.
GOOD PLACE TO END UP. I THINK WE CAN DO IT OVER
I THINK WE CAN DO IT OVER TIME.
TIME. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT AWAY.
AWAY. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR NECESSARILY, BUT I
NEXT YEAR NECESSARILY, BUT I THINK IF WE CAN PHASE IT IN
THINK IF WE CAN PHASE IT IN -- BUT I THINK IT WILL BE
-- BUT I THINK IT WILL BE STIMULATIVE TO OUR ECONOMY.
STIMULATIVE TO OUR ECONOMY. I THINK THAT THE FOLKS WHO
I THINK THAT THE FOLKS WHO GET MINIMUM WAGE ARE LIKELY
GET MINIMUM WAGE ARE LIKELY TO SPEND A GOOD PORTION OF
TO SPEND A GOOD PORTION OF THEIR CHECK IN THE COMMUNITY,
THEIR CHECK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IN THE ECONOMY, AND WE'RE
AND IN THE ECONOMY, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT BE
GOING TO SEE THAT BE DISBURSED THROUGH THE ECONOMY
DISBURSED THROUGH THE ECONOMY AND STIMULATE IT.
AND STIMULATE IT. I ALSO THINK THAT THE MINIMUM
I ALSO THINK THAT THE MINIMUM WAGE IS SOMETHING THAT --
WAGE IS SOMETHING THAT -- THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT
THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT HAVE CHANGED OUR ECONOMY AND
HAVE CHANGED OUR ECONOMY AND THERE'S MUCH TO BE LISTENED
THERE'S MUCH TO BE LISTENED TO IN THAT, BUT I THINK ALSO
TO IN THAT, BUT I THINK ALSO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT --
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT -- MANY WOMEN ARE, FOR INSTANCE,
MANY WOMEN ARE, FOR INSTANCE, MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS AND WE
MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE WAGES THAT THEY CAN
HAVE THE WAGES THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND
SUPPORT THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND FAMILIES WITH.
FAMILIES WITH. SO IT'S AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS
SO IT'S AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE
AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
ADDRESSED. I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT,
I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT.