Al and Congressman Tim Walz held a roundtable in Mankato on Tuesday to talk to southern Minnesotans about the economic squeeze on middle class families. They sat down with folks from Mankato and St. Peter who told them about struggling to get by in today’s economy.

Al talked about his common-sense solutions for easing the burden on Minnesota’s middle class, such as a caregiver tax credit for families taking care of elderly family members as well as children, a new family leave policy for 21st century families, and the 401(u), a new, flexible type of retirement account to help every Minnesotan develop long-term financial security.

From the Mankato Free Press:

Al Franken and U.S. Rep. Tim Walz came to the Wagon Wheel cafe looking for what Walz described as the lost middle class.

They found several, who said their conditions, which would have once brought a comfortable middle-class life, now bring stress, extra jobs and economic instability.

Kristin Wilson, a single mother with a teaching degree, does substitute teaching and cares for disabled people for about $10 an hour. She said she can’t afford to go full time with her job at the Harry Meyering Center because her health-insurance costs would be higher than what she qualifies for under MinnesotaCare.

…

Marcia Olauson, recently retired at the top of the scale from East High School teaching, thought she’d be set. Instead, health insurance and deductible costs eat some 65 percent of her pension. The sinking stock market ravished savings. She will be getting a job.

Walz said he is hearing the same from working-class people struggling to make ends meet.

…

Franken said the problems have worsened for Americans as costs have escalated for health care, child care and education, while at the same time Minnesota’s unemployment rate is at a 22-year high.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 14:50 and is filed under From the Trail, News Clips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.