Delegates to the annual convention of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council enthusiastically approved a resolution encouraging Bakk to formally enter the race for governor of Minnesota. Bakk, a Cook resident and member of Carpenters Local 606 in northern Minnesota, has been a DFL state representative and senator and currently chairs the Minnesota Senate Tax Committee.
The resolution, sponsored by Carpenters Local 87 in St. Paul, notes that since his election to the Legislature in 1994, "Bakk has compiled a lifetime AFL-CIO voting record of over 95 percent, taking 234 labor votes." He has been a leader in promoting economic development and job creation, supporting the prevailing wage on construction projects and fighting for increased benefits for injured workers, the union said.
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| Minnesota Building Trades President Dick Anfang (left) introduced Tom Bakk to delegates as St. Cloud Building Trades President Larry Mareck looked on. |
Bakk, who thanked the delegates for their support, said he hasn\'t made up his mind about running and probably won\'t decide until early next year.
"I\'m taking some time, traveling and trying to figure that out," he said. "If I run, I want to win."
As chair of the Tax Committee, Bakk said he plans to take leadership over the next several months to find ways to address a projected $2 billion state budget deficit. Lawmakers will need to deal with the deficit when they go into session in 2009.
Rising unemployment and the failure to create good-paying jobs are reasons the state is in trouble, Bakk said. A year ago, when Minnesota\'s unemployment rate exceeded the U.S. average for the first time since they started keeping records, Bakk said he decided to consider a run for governor.
"We\'re only going to move this state forward if we\'re growing personal income, if people are working, if we\'re creating jobs," he said.
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Delegates to the annual convention of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council enthusiastically approved a resolution encouraging Bakk to formally enter the race for governor of Minnesota. Bakk, a Cook resident and member of Carpenters Local 606 in northern Minnesota, has been a DFL state representative and senator and currently chairs the Minnesota Senate Tax Committee.
The resolution, sponsored by Carpenters Local 87 in St. Paul, notes that since his election to the Legislature in 1994, "Bakk has compiled a lifetime AFL-CIO voting record of over 95 percent, taking 234 labor votes." He has been a leader in promoting economic development and job creation, supporting the prevailing wage on construction projects and fighting for increased benefits for injured workers, the union said.
|
| Minnesota Building Trades President Dick Anfang (left) introduced Tom Bakk to delegates as St. Cloud Building Trades President Larry Mareck looked on. |
Bakk, who thanked the delegates for their support, said he hasn\’t made up his mind about running and probably won\’t decide until early next year.
"I\’m taking some time, traveling and trying to figure that out," he said. "If I run, I want to win."
As chair of the Tax Committee, Bakk said he plans to take leadership over the next several months to find ways to address a projected $2 billion state budget deficit. Lawmakers will need to deal with the deficit when they go into session in 2009.
Rising unemployment and the failure to create good-paying jobs are reasons the state is in trouble, Bakk said. A year ago, when Minnesota\’s unemployment rate exceeded the U.S. average for the first time since they started keeping records, Bakk said he decided to consider a run for governor.
"We\’re only going to move this state forward if we\’re growing personal income, if people are working, if we\’re creating jobs," he said.