Minnesota Lawyer
Pat Dalton
Pat Dalton
In her 26 years with House Research Department, Dalton has provided expert statistical analysis that has been vital in drafting policy at the Legislature. She’s made a career of working specifically in the complicated of local sales taxes, aids to local governments, local government levy limits, and property taxes. This year, she worked extensively on the historic omnibus tax bill, collaborating with city lobbyists to create the mathematical formula behind the bill. Though her work is largely done behind the scenes, she’s an integral part of the legislative process, and those who nominated her agreed that Dalton’s hard work is long overdue for recognition.
Dalton was born in the Twin Cities. Her mother served as director of a non-profit social service agency, and taught Dalton the value of giving back to the community. Dalton graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in economics in 1981, and went on to complete an M.S. in applied economics. Before finishing her thesis in ‘89, she worked in the field of natural resource economics research at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where she conducted some unusual studies. Among her research projects: analyzing fishing markets for a study on the marketing of bait leeches. Before joining the House in 1987, she also worked briefly as an economic analyst in the private sector.
Stacie Weeks
Stacie Weeks
This year’s passage of health insurance exchange legislation made for a busy session for Weeks. In her first year as committee administrator for the Health and Human Services Finance Division, Weeks played an integral role in moving forward the Minnesota health care exchange bill, a historic piece of legislation that will constitute the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul in Minnesota. Weeks also played key roles in the crafting of the market rules bill and the Health and Human Services omnibus bill. Throughout the session, Weeks consistently demonstrated her high level of professionalism and passion for her job.
Weeks has an impressive background in health care work. Originally from Arkansas, she holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a Juris Doctor from the William H. Bowen School of Law in Little Rock. Before joining the Senate, she advocated for health care issues as an attorney for the Legal Services Advocacy Project, a division of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid that aims to improve state laws and rules affecting low-income Minnesotans. Weeks also worked on health care issues in Washington, D.C. for several years.
