I was deeply disappointed that my state Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, voted to push through a bill that would raise our taxes by $3.6 billion during the last minutes of the Senate session May 18.

The lengthy bill (HF 2323/SF 2074) included $1.2 million in grants for TV and film producers and $200,000 for a youth environmental education program (which regional parks offer already).

Our DFL leaders appear willfully ignorant that we're in a recession. Or is it that they don't care? Struggling taxpayers must be relieved that the bill was vetoed with no override chances this year. We are also spared from a special session where Rest would no doubt try again to pass across-the-board tax increases (including ending the local property tax cap).

Sen. Rest held several town meetings where I, along with others, asked her to vote no on taxes and unnecessary spending. Sadly, she seemed to have suffered from selective listening - ignoring us in favor of DFL special interests and hurriedly voting yes to raise taxes in the last minutes of the 2009 session.

Please remember this in 2010: Ann Rest demonstrated taxation without hesitation.