Skip to Content

Bill to abolish pay equity is pulled, and author apologizes

By Joe Kimball | 03/02/11

A bill that would have eliminated pay equity for women working in local governments has been pulled by its author, state Sen. John Carlson, a Republican from Bemidji.

And Carlson, a first-termer, apologized for even suggesting the idea when he spoke to a group in Bemidji Saturday, says the Bemidji Pioneer:

“Hopefully I learned my lesson,” Carlson said. “To all of you, I apologize about that pay equity thing.”

According to the paper, Carlson told the group, which included about 50 teachers:

“I would admit I didn’t do my homework very well,” he said.

He called the bill and its ramifications “really stupid” and alleged that he may have been naïve about sponsoring it, the paper said:

“Obviously, I’ve been married for 32 years, I have a daughter out [in] the workforce and I have a granddaughter — I can’t believe anyone would think I would harm that relationship,” Carlson said.

“So I author the bill, put it in the hopper, and the next thing I know, all hell breaks loose,” he added. “And I deserve it for being naïve. Quite honestly, I deserve that. I did it with good intentions.”

Related Tags:

Comments (3)

Submitted by Don Frey on March 2, 2011 - 2:36pm.

While I agree that the Senator truly was naive in sponsoring the bill without first understanding its ramifications, kudos to him for admitting responsibility and withdrawing it. The idea of taking responsibility for one's words and deeds seems to be lacking in many politicians, and people in general, these days.

Submitted by David Moufang on March 2, 2011 - 3:06pm.

No. No kudos.

I don't like how he mentioned his marriage, his daughter, his granddaughter. It's illustrative of one of the GOP's bedrock principles; that is, you really only understand the ramifications of a law if it affects YOU. That's why they love these ridiculous ideas like firing 15% of the state workforce. Obviously they won't be affected -- it's just a whole ton of nobodies who'll lose their jobs; and it's not anyone the GOP cares about.

I've been married seven years and I have a daughter. But my wife and child are not the first things I thought of when I saw this. I thought, "How dare he attempt to revoke equal pay for women." I didn't have to be personally affected by the bill.

Submitted by Carol Flynn on March 3, 2011 - 5:26pm.

What were his good intentions?