To the editor:

I recently received a legislative update from Rep. Paul Torkelson complaining that Governor Dayton just will not negotiate on the buffer bill provisions of the Ag bill whereas he (Rep. Torkelson) works in a bipartisan fashion. This reminds me of school yard boys complaining that Marky just won’t play fair whereas he (Rep. Torkelson) is the innocent one. These types of squabbles are hard to sort out but it could be that the complainers are also the offenders.

Among the compromises Gov Dayton has already agreed to are reducing buffer strip width from 50 to 16.5 feet, removing private ditches from regulation, allowing alternative practices, and agreeing to local implementation and enforcement.

Blaming the other party and trying to elicit sympathy from constituents will not get the job done. Instead I would encourage those in charge to work it out in the short time remaining.

Darrell Hinsman

New Ulm