Cuts good for jobs?

THUMBS DOWN: Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature have a long history of arguing to give this state a better business climate and create more jobs. We wonder, then, at some of the proposals for cuts House Republicans announced this week.

Among the spending the Republicans would eliminate is funding for the Border to Border Broadband program. Expanding broadband throughout the state is considered to be one of the essential needs for attracting and growing businesses, especially in Greater Minnesota.

Republicans also proposed cutting $4 million from the Minnesota Job Creation Fund, and $7 million from the Minnesota Investment Fund. The Job Creation Fund, in its first year, awarded $16.7 million to 31 business expansion projects, creating 1,800 jobs and leveraging $344 million in private investment, according to the Minnesota Department for Empoyment and Economic Development. The fund encourages local firms that have options to expand elsewhere to stay in the state, and helps attract outstate firms to locate in Minnesota.

Cutting funds for these programs seems an odd way to promote business development in the state.

City Services

THUMBS UP: An annual survey conducted by the City of New Ulm asks citizens to rate their city services. This year’s results are probably what one would expect – the New Ulm Fire Department got the top rating in the area of service, while the city Street Department lowest. On a scale of 1 to 5, the Fire Department received an average of 4.46, while the Street Department got a 3.38 average.

We’re sure the Fire Department deserves its high rating. They are there, on the spot, when needed in the direst of emergencies, and the service they provide can be the difference between life and death. The department is staffed with highly trained, dedicated volunteers, too.

Street Department workers face different challenges. They deal with maintenance issues, everyday wear and tear on the streets, patching potholes and keeping streets driveable in bad weather. If it snows they have to get out and plow and you know they will never get the job done fast enough or good enough for some people. It’s not as easy as people think it is.

So here’s to all city workers, who do the best they can and make this a good city to live in.

Arctic adventure

THUMBS UP: New Ulm is hosting a group of intrepid adventurers this weekend. The six-man crew of the Rediscover North America expedition is canoing from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle. On of the crew, John Keaveny, is from New Ulm, and he and the others are resting up this weekend – New Ulm is about the halfway point for them, and they will be heading out on Monday.

Before they go, on Sunday, from 3 to 6 p.m., they will be at the Oakwood United Methodist Church to greet family and friends, and to talk about their trip, and the water conditions they are finding along the way. We hope they get a good turnout and lots of encouragement.