Efforts in Minnesota to fund CURE

[Leo]

Thanks for doing this roadreck,

we tried this in south dakota during two sessions but failed, we did get funds but in a strange way, long story.

i have a lot of advice for you and will put it together soon, google quest for the cure spinal cord

get as much help from others, it's a big challenge

having people in chairs in the hall's during sessions is the most powerful thing

get researchers involved and rehab centers

all for now, good luck

[momo3]

How can I get involved? With the two kids that were injured this winter, the media and NHL is really watching now. In fact, I think there is or was a fundraiser for Jack this month at the XCEL Center.

[roadreck]

Originally Posted by momo3

How can I get involved? With the two kids that were injured this winter, the media and NHL is really watching now. In fact, I think there is or was a fundraiser for Jack this month at the XCEL Center.

Send me an email at gusu4cure@gmail.com and I'll keep you updated on what you can do to help.
I just found out about the Jablonski's event...I intend to talk with them this week, to ask that the legislation be mentioned in some form or fashion, and hopefully to get signatures/contact info for petition to legislators.

[roadreck]

Originally Posted by Leo

Thanks for doing this roadreck,

we tried this in south dakota during two sessions but failed, we did get funds but in a strange way, long story.

i have a lot of advice for you and will put it together soon, google quest for the cure spinal cord

get as much help from others, it's a big challenge

having people in chairs in the hall's during sessions is the most powerful thing

get researchers involved and rehab centers

all for now, good luck

Leo, I'd love to hear the long story and strange way, sometime

[Leo]

one group that apposed our bill was the judicial branch, which pot this money will most likley come from, here a couple other groups were tapping into it, plus this pot is used for various other things

research how big the fund is now and who's tapping it, you may need to make the case why sci research is as if not more linked to dwi as the others, this is doable

laters

[Sue Pendleton]

If including TBI get together with their people and go over your mutual goals. Do not allow any wiggle room in the bill's wording for rehab trials. Unless this is what you want. Two million dollars pays for a few decent ideas in the rat lab. That same money will not pay for more than the care of, possibly, 4 chronic patients with a severe SCI or TBI through Medicaid.

Do not assume even the most, supposedly, enthusiastic politicians' support is based on anything more than what they will get out of this. Sad, but a very hard learned lesson in Maryland. One celebrity with a SCI at a hearing or meeting key pols on both sides that include pictures beats 12 kids in chairs. But you will need both.

Funding must be locked down tight. If your state doesn't have a specific stem cell initiative law then definitely allow the funding of businesses both public and private and all universities in the state. Minnesota has some very well educated researchers and if you can push that this will keep those people in state, attract more such people (and taxpayers) and help create businesses and jobs, well, with enough publicity and op eds people want such things in their states. When discussing funding find a good, preferably no longer practicing, bill writer. Politicians will pass feel good bills and know, while they are voting, how that money will be rerouted a few years down the line to a group of guarenteed voters like senior programs. A good writer will know where blocks can be added you never dreamed of.

As much as good science requires multi-year grants, multi-year grants leave assumed "unneeded" money in your law's account from year to year. Arrange your funding to never let more than administrative costs sit over a budget year end or someone will take it. About the only ways I have figured to accomplish this is to write a penalty and repayment clause in for those first year grants that send in short but positive results qualifying it for a second year's funding. If when the full reports come in the results are anything but in keeping with the preliminary results then stop it and require repayment of all funds, excepting first year equipment that is used for more than that study now, and add a penalty. Have a back up list of approved studies and review those again and award the repayment to the next proposal. The only other way is to commit your group to yearly fundraisers to keep the issue and any positives in the voting publics face. No, this cannot come out of the state funds themselves.

Who will be fighting you behind the scenes for DUI, speeding or other driving offenses? AAA! This may have changed since the wars but I was floored to get no support from the American Legion or VFW. As the head of the largest American Legion Post in America told me, "our members speed too". We had no stem cell problems because they were never mentioned in the bill. I suggest others do the same. We had targetted wording in the funding that had the state judiciary against the bill because they get a lot of flank for anything outside of directly tied court costs. And as strange as this may seem, certain states have a custom of drinking going way back and while everyone hates the killing and maiming other drivers, and their politicians, can see this happening to them and between a lawyer, court costs, current fines and higher insurance costs that $15 will suddenly seem to a person with no bad driving history like Mount Rushmore. Try to avoid judges assigning the fine. I wish I had spelled out the add on like Kentucky has. A grid on the back of the citation book that has speed limit meet miles over and add it at the drivers' door. Do find out if Minnesota has a set felony law. In Virginia if you go more than 20 mph over the limit you have just hit a felony. To many Pentagon workers, military and FBI, CIA, etc that felony means loss of security clearence and that means loss of a job/career. In a felony law state I would suggest a look at other sources of income. In a non-felony state go online and look back over the last 10 years on speeding tickets at the state level. If they have climbed amazingly high versus 5 years ago there is a good chance the state is raising money through more tickets. If the state police are so are county and city police. In Wisconsin if you're a trucker these days you better be at weight and all paperwork in order and safe tires and brakes because the weigh stations are always open.

Good luck!

[roadreck]

Sue,
fantastic advice...thank you, thank you! Do you have, or are u aware of any examples of the stipulations you've described to corral the funds and esp. keep intact over time?

[Leo]

also you'll want to put together a list of legislators and then a list of sci in thier district, so when someone visits with them they can drop names making the issue hit closer to home.

the morton foundation is in minn. right, http://www.mcpf.org/

they'd jump on board i'd think

pva is a great partner

[roadreck]

Please add your name to our petition to get this through later this year...and pass it on to all of your friends. We need lots of names so as to not be denied

[roadreck]

Originally Posted by Leo

also you'll want to put together a list of legislators and then a list of sci in thier district, so when someone visits with them they can drop names making the issue hit closer to home.

the morton foundation is in minn. right, http://www.mcpf.org/

they'd jump on board i'd think

pva is a great partner

Leo,
PVA is reviewing the Bill to see if it fits with their goals...waiting to hear back, but its about time to call. Morton is no longer in MN...its too cold here. When I spoke with Peter, he was a little hesitant because folks on the board are uncomfortable with Stem Cell research...unless I misunderstood