Letter to the Editor: Wieland clarifies position on 'job' statement

To the Editor:

In a recent letter to the editor, Bob Stefonowicz took a comment that I made out of context and tried to make it appear that I do not support policemen, firemen, teachers, state and local employees, and others, and that they do not have real jobs.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  They provide services that are essential to the State of North Dakota. My voting record indicates my support for economic growth which also includes new jobs in those fields as well.

  When I made the statement about the 60 new state jobs not being real jobs, I was referring only to those 60 jobs that are being forced on the state by the federal government health bill, and require that the state pay for those jobs. This is called a mandate, as you well know.  My preference for state spending is providing long-term jobs that provide economic growth.  That is what I meant by that statement. These 60, or more, jobs are for the benefit of the federal government to do something that is vastly overpriced and underproductive.

If the folks who are  employed in the state were offended by my statement and thought I was talking about them, I apologize.  However, if you listened to the whole remark, you would understand that I was referencing those 60 jobs only.  You can watch this forum by the League of Women Voters on Channel 12.

Alon Wieland

Representative 13th District

West Fargo