As a person who was born and raised in Minnesota, a retired successful business in southern Minnesota, I believe we are better than what the state Republicans are proposing; at a time of a $1.9 billion budget surplus, they want to cut funding to students and seniors to pay for tax cuts for businesses and lucky few who have had great success in our state.

It seems the very people who are enjoying a vibrant state economy, along with the local Chamber of Commerce, are always asking for tax cuts. Do they forget that it is taxes that provide them with an educated workforce, police and fire protection and roads and bridges needed to transport goods to market? I’ve always believed that the goal of the Chamber of Commerce was to improve relations between business and their community because a great vibrant community makes businesses successful, yet they want to undermine what makes our communities great.

We recently returned to the state after 22 years in a state that has shown little or no improvement in quality of life under a government that has been ineffective. Most people there are still struggling with foreclosure rates, low wages and poor policies. A lot of the average people seem to have low expectation of success. I’ve watched countless hard-working people succumb to this economy and turn to survival mode.

I don’t want to see this happen in Minnesota. Let’s get behind our governor and legislators who will keep the course that will make Minnesota one of the greatest states in America.

Everett Dennis,

Austin