Look carefully at the sourcing in the Reuters story. It's one lobbyist and activist (Lex Horan of the Pesticide Action Network) versus Ag Industry talking heads. Nothing against the PAN folk, the Soybean Growers organization, or the Farm Bureau, but this sort of frame is journalistic laziness personified:
“Minnesota just became the national leader in protecting pollinators,” said Lex Horan, an organizer for Pesticide Action Network, a US activist group. . . .
Farmers said they hoped other US states would not follow Minnesota’s lead.
Paul Schlegel, director of environment and energy policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the governor was “restricting the ability of farmers to use all the tools the EPA has said they can use”.
“I don’t think that we’re aware of any other state that’s going to start taking away tools from farmers,” Schlegel said.
MPR: the reality behind Plan Bee
Contrast that with the Gunderson and Dunbar piece which adds an important voice to the mix, that of Minnesota's best known pollinator scientist:
The state recommendations come the same day another study from University of Minnesota researchers was published showing the effects neonicotinoid insecticides have on bees.
Marla Spivak, who co-authored the study, calls the state proposal to use insecticides only when needed a common-sense approach.
"That in itself is a huge statement that nobody else in the nation is making," said Spivak. "So it's a big correction, it's drawing a line in the sand and saying no, we're going to use our pesticides in Minnesota responsibly."
The state will set up a 15-member committee to oversee pollinator protection policy and advise the governor.
Entomologist Marla Spivak is passionate about developing practical applications to protect honey bee populations. Spivak’s fundamental contributions have enhanced our understanding of bee biology and been instrumental for finding ways to protect the bees’ decimation by disease. Affiliated with the University of Minnesota since 1993, Marla is a Distinguished McKnight Professor in the Department of Entomology. Spivak’s work toward breeding lines of honey bees that detect and quickly remove diseased larvae has put her on the map. In 2010 she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship Grant, “the genius grant,” for her work. Other primary contributions by Spivak include her study of the effects of surrounding landscapes on health and nutrition of native bees.
Here's the video about her that the Agrigrowth Council posted on its Youtube channel:
Bluestem appreciates the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for relying on sound science--common sense science--in selecting a respected scientist to prepare its study.
Photos from the MN State Fair: The press conference at the MN State Fair (top); a photo of Dr. Spivak's prepared remarks (below).
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An invitation will be on its way to Gov. Mark Dayton to tour the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton.
Rep. Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, is asking the governor to tour the shuttered prison after hearing recent news reports that the governor is opposed to purchasing the facility.
Miller said he is particularly concerned about a statement attributed to the governor in news reports in March. Dayton expressed concerns at the time that the privately owned prison needed rehabilitation.
Bluestem thinks it's encouraging that Representative Miller has noticed that Dayton isn't interested in purchasing the prison and hasn't been since his chief of staff met with CCA lobbyist(s) at their request sometime before the March 23 press conference.
Miller had nearly the whole session to bring up his objections to the governor's office, but waits until now to run to the West Central Tribune with his concerns. You'd think he'd get this work done during the session, but we suppose that's too old school for Miller and the rest of his caucus.
But Miller still told the public that some deal was in the works throughout the summer. After all, back at the beginning of July, the first-term Prinsburg Republican lawmaker was telling Appleton residents that a $99 million offer to sell was on the table.
Miller said the opposition continued to ignore the fact that the corporation had offered the state an option to purchase or lease to own, and that the state would have operated the prison with union employees.
Corrections Corporation of America had offered to lease the facility for $6 million to $8 million a year, and to sell it for $99 million. The lease payments could be used toward the purchase price, according to Miller.
Appleton attorney Brian Wojtalewicz questioned the $99 million purchase price when Corrections Corporation of America is paying property taxes based on a $15 million value. Miller said that's the offer the corporation put on the table. Negotiations between the state and the company are not in the Legislature's hands.
Miller said he is hoping Gov. Dayton will take advantage of either of two upcoming visits to the area to tour the facility. The governor be in the Watson and Montevideo area for the Governor's Pheasant Opener on Oct. 15. The governor is also visiting all 87 counties in coming months.
What other needs that the legislature didn't get around to resolving during the session does the King of Minnesota want to introduce into the governor's calendar?
Dayton's press secretary, Sam Fettig, said Friday that the governor's focus, along with Department of Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy, has been "to resolve our prison overcrowding with existing facilities, but it is a strategy which can be reviewed by the next Legislature."
Dawdling over approving untested blaze pink for deer hunters, fretting about where transgender people pee and other such time-suckers during session has its consequences.
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A state lawmaker may be kicked off the ballot after a judge found he doesn’t live in his legislative district.
The final decision on whether state Rep. Bob Barrett should be removed from the ballot will be made by the Minnesota Supreme Court. But after reviewing evidence from Barrett and anti-Barrett activists, Judge George Stephenson ruled Friday that “clear and convincing evidence” suggests Barrett “did not reside in Legislative District 32B.”
“The evidence supports removing Candidate Barrett’s name from the ballot,” Stephenson wrote in his opinion.
Minnesota law requires candidates for state Legislature to live in the district where they’re running for at least six months before the election, which this year is Nov. 8.
Barrett downplayed Stephenson’s ruling.
“I look forward to taking this to the Supreme Court and I am confident I will ultimately prevail,” Barrett said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Secretary of State Steve Simon, who is named in the case, declined to comment. . . .
This isn’t the first time Barrett’s residency in the district has been challenged. Another lawsuit in the 2014 election also alleged he didn’t live in District 32B. But the judge in that case found Barrett’s challengers didn’t offer credible proof. This time around, he ruled they did.
Documents related the case may be viewed here (should the link redirect you to a login page for a database, accept the terms, enter A16-1252 in the case number box on the new window and hit the search button, and a list of files will appear; to view the documents, click on the PDF emblem on the far right).
Here's the judge's decision, via Montgomery's article:
Photo: Pending the decision of the Minnesota Supreme Court after the hearing on September 6, we have some goodnatured fun with his campaign logo.
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While in the many months since we wondered that the work by the stakeholders at the meeting might be shelved, during a press conference this morning at the Minnesota State Fair, Governor Mark Dayton announced a sweeping Executive Order on reversing pollinator declines and restoring pollinator health:
Here's the press statement from the Governor's office summarizing the actions:
Governor Mark Dayton today issued Executive Order 16-07, requiring the state to take specific actions to reverse the decline of bees and other pollinator populations that play a crucial role in agriculture and food production. Pollinator populations, critical to our state’s $90 billion agricultural sector, have been in decline in Minnesota over the past decade.
“Bees and other pollinators play a critical role in supporting both our environment, and our economy,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “This order directs state government to take immediate action to alleviate the known risks that pollinators face. It also will create a new taskforce to study the issues impacting pollinators and recommend long-term solutions.”
The Governor’s order follows the completion of a Special Registration Review of Neonicotinoid Pesticides conducted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that outlines action steps for minimizing the impact of pesticide use in the state.
Executive Order 16-07 requires the Department of Agriculture to immediately initiate action steps, which include requiring verification that the application of neonicotinoid pesticides is made due to an imminent threat of significant crop loss, reviewing pesticide product labels and implementing appropriate Minnesota-specific restrictions on their use, increasing enforcement of label requirements for pesticides that are acutely toxic to pollinators, and to continue developing and promoting best management practices designed to protect and enhance pollinator health in Minnesota.
“Pollinators are vital to agriculture and agriculture is a vital to the state of Minnesota,” said Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “The Governor’s action today underscores how important it is for the state to be a leader in the response to protect our pollinator population.”
The Governor’s order further requires the State Department of Administration to lead by example and take immediate steps to support pollinator health on state property.
“The Governor’s actions today will mean that products and plants purchased by the state for use on public property reflect environmentally friendly business practices,” said Administration Commissioner Matt Massman. “Our initial steps to protect pollinator health will provide the tools for state employees to lead the way in ensuring our workplaces and practices are pollinator-friendly and protective of their vital role in Minnesota’s environment and economy.”
Executive Order 16-07 also includes the following:
The Environmental Quality Board is required to create an Interagency Pollinator Protection Team that will develop statewide pollinator goals and report annually on those goals;
The Department of Natural Resources is required to develop strategies to minimize pesticide use, maximize restoration, and improve management of pollinator habitat on land administered by the agency;
The Board of Soil and Water Resources is required to incorporate pollinator habitat into wetland protection and restoration programs, agricultural conservation practices, and urban water quality projects; and
The Department of Transportation is required to restore, protect, and enhance pollinator habitat on state-owned transportation properties and rights of way.
A Governor’s Committee on Pollinator Protection also will be established to advise the Governor and state agencies on pollinator policies and programs. Up to 15 members will be appointed to ensure that Minnesota citizens have a seat at the table in shaping the solutions that will ensure a healthy pollinator population and the continued strength of our agriculture economy. Applications will be accepted through the Secretary of State’s open appointments process.
If you think you're qualified to sit on the "bee board," turn in an application.
Here's the MDA's Executive Summary review on neonicotinoids:
We'll post more about the reaction these developments as news unfolds.
Photo: MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson speaks at the Friday press conference at the Minnesota State Fair.
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Wait for coming news. There never was a plan for light rail. It was all an excuse.
Screenshot above.
Bluestem thinks Tim might need to get out of Prinsburg once in a while, as entirely friendly and pleasant the conservative small city on Highway 7 is (we're not being sarcastic--it's a genuinely friendly place).
We thought of this post today when a press release from Senator Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, arrived in our inbox:
GOP killed road and bridge funding across the state because they wouldn’t let metro counties pay for its own transit.
The South West Light Rail Transit (SWLRT) project has been subjected to willful disinformation by those who oppose transit categorically. The false arguments about the legislative process allow Republicans to obscure the truth and their shaky opposition. We need to secure a percentage of SWLRT funding to allow for a nearly $1 billion federal contribution, funding that has already been paid by Minnesotans in the form of federal taxes. The deadline to access that money is rapidly approaching and if our elected leaders delay we will miss the deadline, and the funds are sent to another project. Here are the facts:
FACT: I have authored legislation in multiple bienniums for full funding for SWLRT. (SF 312 introduced on 1/26/15, SF 2491 introduced on 3/10/14, SF 338 introduced on 2/7/13, SF 1391 introduced on 5/15/11, & SF 2348 introduced on 2/4/10)
FACT: Legislation for full funding has been presented to the Senate Transportation Committee on at least three separate occasions during this current four-year term alone: (SF 312 was heard on 4/10/15, SF 2491 was heard on 3/24/14, and SF 338 was heard on 2/27/13).
FACT: Individual transportation, transit, and bonding projects are voted on as an omnibus package, not individually in committee. This practice occurs routinely with GOP proposals, many of which this year were not even ready for implementation. SWLRT language was contained in the 2016 Dibble/Kelly omnibus transportation bill that fell apart when House leadership refused to move it forward.
FACT: Speaker Daudt agreed to include metro transit funding language in the bonding bill. The bill he sent from the House did NOT have the agreed language in it. He reneged on his word.
FACT: The Senate restored the language to the bonding bill, which passed off the Senate floor, supported by 19 Senate Republicans, thus containing the provision to allow metro units of governments to fund their own transportation projects. This is an ability the rest of the state already has. That bonding bill was then delivered to the Minnesota House of Representatives where Speaker Daudt received it but decided to adjourn rather than let metro counties pay for its own transit, thereby killing road and bridge funding across the state. See House Chief Clerk log, May 22, 2016, bill received 11:54 pm, House adjourned 11:56 pm. See also, attached screen shots of House final moments.
FACT: As recently as early summer, Speaker Daudt was supportive of allowing local counties to fill the gap of funding for the transit project. Source: “Special session sought for bonding bill” By Carolyn Lange of the West Central Tribune on May 26, 2016.
The SWLRT project is too important for major business, numerous communities, and our growing economy to continue playing these tired political games. I am glad that the Governor has convened a meeting with stakeholders to explore options on getting this important regional project back on schedule. I remain optimistic that, despite Republican obstructionism, this project can succeed and Minnesota will be one step closer to a truly 21st century transportation system.
Some Republicans might be claiming that bills for the Southwest LRT might not have been heard, but only Tim Miller believes that there was never a plan for the commuter line at all.
All this stuff? Ask Rep. Miller why he thinks the local leaders and his colleagues were talking about a plan that didn't exist. Perhaps he was recalling a Seinfeld episode.
On the other hand, he's a bit more grounded than his friend who comments about the discussion:
Hale MeserowMinnesota is a swamp of liberal foolishness polluted by rising Somali Muslim jihadism. That's why I escaped to America.
Okay then.
Screengrab: Rep. Miller shares a link from Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, and the notion that the plan to extend the Green Line into the southwestern suburbs never existed.
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Thanks to everyone who contributed! We're settling into our new home in rural Big Stone County with your help!
Gentle readers:
As some of you know, my landlord has sold my house and by August 31, I have to be out of the house where I've lived since the Spring of 2013. Things are looking up as far as finding a new place goes, but I didn't anticipate the added expenses of moving in my budget.
Thus, though I conducted a fundraiser for Bluestem in June, I'm forced to turn again to your kindness and generosity to keep on. If you can spare a contribution at this time, thank you.
Checks can be made out to Sally Jo Sorensen and sent to PO Box 108 Maynard MN 56260. Or contributions may be made through paypal.
Use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient.
Again--I'm not happy to ask for help so soon after the June fundraiser, but this move came out of the blue.
Jim NashMy great grandparents did this in 1905 when they arrived at Ellis Island from Norway. Norwegian citizens one day American citizens the next. Invested into the community, jobs, voters, the whole shebang.
"This" referenced The Draz's headnote:
And...most importantly, they pledged their loyalty to the United States of America and its citizens.
In fact, that flash citizenship process isn't quite how it happened.
Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American citizen. It is a voluntary act; naturalization is not required. Of the foreign-born persons listed on the 1890 through 1930 censuses, 25 percent had not become naturalized or filed their "first papers. . . .
General Rule: The Two-Step Process
Congress passed the first law regulating naturalization in 1790 (1 Stat. 103). As a general rule, naturalization was a two-step process that took a minimum of 5 years.After residing in the United States for 2 years, an alien could file a "declaration of intent" (so-called "first papers") to become a citizen. After 3 additional years, the alien could "petition for naturalization." After the petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was issued to the alien. These two steps did not have to take place in the same court. As a general rule, the "declaration of intent" generally contains more genealogically useful information than the "petition." The "declaration" may include the alien's month and year (or possibly the exact date) of immigration into the United States.
There were some exceptions: "derivative" citizenship granted to wives and minor children of naturalized men; an alien woman who married a U.S. citizen between 1790 to 1922 automatically became a citizen; 1824 to 1906, minor aliens who had lived in the United States 5 years before their 23rd birthday could file both their declarations and petitions at the same time; and exceptions granted to veterans that allow a person to shorten the residency period by as much as four years.
Throughout our nation's history, foreign-born men and women have come to the United States, taken the Oath of Allegiance to become naturalized citizens, and contributed greatly to their new communities and country. The Oath of Allegiance has led to American citizenship for more than 220 years.
Since the first naturalization law in 1790, applicants for naturalization have taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States. Five years later the Naturalization Act of 1795 required an applicant to declare an intention (commitment) to become a U.S. citizen before filing a Petition for Naturalization. In the declaration of intention the applicant would indicate his understanding that upon naturalization he would take an oath of allegiance to the United States and renounce (give up) any allegiance to a foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty. Applicants born with a hereditary title also had to renounce their title or order of nobility.
It's not something that happened just as one got off the boat, as Representative Nash jokes--with an instant transformation from being Norwegian to being an American.
One curious side note about the Minnesota state constitution: both Representative Nash's Norwegian citizen ancestors (arriving in 1905) and our editor's own grandhttp://www.mnhs.org/library/constitution/father Sorensen (1912) missed the chance for completely legal non-citizen voting.
From 1857 until 1896, the Minnesota state constitution allowed "White persons [male] of foreign birth, who shall have declared their intentions to become citizens, conformably to the laws of the United States upon the subject of naturalization" to exercise the right to vote before becoming citizens. This was in both the original Democratic and Republican versions of the document.
Photo: The Oscar II, upon which our editor's Danish grandfather reached America on May 1, 1912. It took him a few years to become a citizen.
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The crash marked the latest in a long line of driving-related maladies for Daudt, the highest-ranking Republican in the state. In recent years, Daudt has been cited with four moving violations and two license suspensions for failure to pay fines in Minnesota.
Daudt has received two tickets driving at least 15 miles per hour over the limit, a third for speeding and a fourth for texting while driving, all since joining the Legislature in 2010.
The speaker declined to comment on the story, but sent a statement through his spokeswoman. House GOP spokeswoman Susan Closmore said the crash was unremarkable, but that political rivals are using the incident to try to damage Daudt politically.
While only a poor country blogger rather than a political rival, Bluestem pauses to join the dog pile.
On April 28, 2015, Daudt voted against an amendment to SF 878, offered by Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, which would have increased fines for texting while driving that occur within one year of the first violation. Under the amendment, a second violation within one year would incur a fine of $350, and a third or subsequent violation within one year would incur a fine of $500.
Did Daudt's dubious driving record influence the Speaker to vote against the Atkins amendment? Or was it just one of those partisan-line votes?
"I paid my speeding ticket and I fully intended to pay the right amount," he said. "People shouldn't speed, people should pay their speeding tickets, and I shouldn't have sped. There's no excuse."
. . ."I'm in the public eye and rightfully have to be held to a very high standard," he said. "I will get it fixed."
Perhaps Speaker Daudt, who reportedly has gubernatorial ambitions, might think about that concept.
Photo: Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt in a pout.
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Driving down I-35 near United Hospital and Children's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota state representative Eric Lucero, R-Dayton, engaged in a distracted driving moment in order to snap a cellphone photo of a banner draped over an overpass.
On my way to a client site this morning, I saw this sign hanging on the first overpass south of Kellogg Blvd while traveling 35E southbound.
Questions: • To whom is the "You" directed? • To whom is the "Us" referring? • Who put the sign up? • What will be accomplished by the sign?
His Facebook friends answered, providing an anarchic subjective moment for the viewer. Here are their replies, most which viewed the banner in terms of African-Americans or racial identity:
Paul Hadley MillerThe race pimps and their media accomplices have created a narrative, and to those who've swallowed it, facts don't matter. Once King Race Pimp Barack Hussein Obama gave his blessing to the narrative, it was set in stone.
Lisa Johnson BraegelmanMy interpretation You? Caucasians. Most likely cops. Us? African Americans Who? someone who is very angry Accomplished? it gave an angry person a voice. While I may not agree with the message or personally identify with the messenger's anger and fear, I do understand the drive and need for change.
Paul Hadley MillerI once met a fella from South Africa who immigrated to the United States and became a citizen. He was as Caucasian as can be, and he was quite literally an "African-American". But when he pointed it out, he was disparaged.
The term as it is used is meaningless. Either you're an American, or you're not.
Eric LuceroJanuary this year we visited Israel for the second time. Our tour guide was an ethnic Jew / racial Caucasian born and raised in South Africa who later moved to Israel. He was a white, Jewish, African, Israeli. Fascinating guy!
My Hispanic ethnicity and my wife’s East Indian ethnicity, my connection with young people, and my experience with the business community will all help outreach initiatives to grow the Republican Party through articulating the values of Individual Liberty, Free Market Capitalism, and Limited Government.
Screengrab: Eric Lucero asks what the banner means.
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Frequent host to anti-Muslim events, the Granite City Baptist Church hosted Dakdok in May. The St. Cloud Times reported in Anti-Islam preacher draws crowd, protest:
People packed Granite City Baptist Church on Friday night to listen to a controversial preacher who calls Islam a dangerous cult. Meanwhile, a group of 100 or so protesters gathered in the rain to denounce his views.
Usama Dakdok has been visiting Central Minnesota cities in the past week. He is the founder of the Florida-based Straight Way of Grace Ministry, and he is a Christian who grew up in Egypt. . . .
Not everyone who disagreed with Dakdok wanted to protest. A group of Somali community members released a statement late Thursday saying the best way to deal with him was not to respond in that manner.
Still, the statement sharply criticized his message. "Although we understand this individual's right to free speech, we strongly disagree with his attempt to cause disharmony and to sow division in our community," the statement read.
The statement also noted that someone set fire to a Muslim-owned business in Grand Forks, where Dakdok has spoken.
"We understand that this individual does not speak for Christians and Jews or other peoples of faith because faith by its very nature inspires love, trust, sharing, caring and uplifting human beings," it said. . . .
A report in the Star Tribune about a Somali woman being asked on her doorstep to leave town or else have her home burned down, Threat against Somali woman in Little Falls investigated as hate crime, mentioned that the firebrand pastor was invited to town by the Central Minnesota Tea Party in May. He spoke on "Revealing the Truth about ISIS."
October 10: Grand Rapids' Saw Mill Inn
Finally, Dakdok will have another repeat performance, as a guest of the Grand Rapids chapter of Act! for America, Acting for Grand Rapids, on Monday, October 10.
Acting for Grand Rapids complained on its blog in July that the Book of Signs Foundation had mailed a copy of the Quran to everyone in the 55744 zip code--and that the translation didn't make Islam look mean enough, unlike Dakdok's version. The blog post didn't provide a link to the foundation, which describes itself as "Your Source of Mainstream Islamic Literature."
For the Anti-Muslim organizers in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, apparently there's no such thing. The group bills itself as (all spelling variations in the original copy):
ACTing! for Gand Rapids is a chapter of ACT! for America located in Grand Rapids Minnesota. We are a group of residents of Itasca County who believe, that while every issue has two sides, only one side of the issue of Muslims in America has been presented or allowed to be presented. It is our mission to educate and present the truth to the residents of Itasca County and surrunding areas about the dangers of bringing in vast numbers of Muslims under the banner of “refugees” and the effect on our communities, society, culture and the values that have made this country great. We are completely non-partisan and we support no political party, elected oficial or candidate for office. We believe that this issue is neither a Democratic issue nor is it a Republican issue…it is an American issue.
Jumping Jihadists! Who knew Itasca County was under such a threat?
While there are those who would like to reset the rise of the circuit to 2015 or 2016, mostly for earnest fundraising purposes in the St. Cloud area, this nonsense has been carrying on for much longer than just the last couple of years. Nor is it caused by Donald Trump, as ready as Minnesotans are to blame someone from the outside for our own failings.
Photo: Dakdok in Bemidji. It's possible that Dakdok and his allies may schedule additional events in Minnesota. Please post any additional events you learn of in our comments section (if you don't want the comment published, please let us know.
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Answering a question about MNSure, Minnesota's health insurance exchange for those who don't receive affordable health care insurance from their employers or don't qualify for Medical Assistance/MinnesotaCare, Andrew Lang, the endorsed Republican candidate for state senate district 17 told listeners he couldn't afford MNSure.
Lang said:
. . .I've talked to a lot of people door-to-door, and what they're always saying, that's one of their big main concerns is health care has become so expensive, I can't afford it.
I know for myself personally, I can't afford the MNSure program. It would . . . (laughs) It's as much as my mortgage payment. The deductibles are outrageous. I can't afford it. There's no way I can go with it.
Here's the clip:
The cry to the heavens about expensive health care insurance came during a Kandiyohi County Fair forum earlier this month. One can listen to the whole debate here (along with those for the Minnesota House candidates for 17A and 17B).
We grew worried that Andrew Lang and his family might become homeless from having to pay for both "MNSure" and that mortgage, but further investigation revealed that Lang, who works as Supervisor of Parks for Renville County, receives health insurance benefits from his employer (Lang's wife also works for the county). A friend who works in a non-union supervisory position in the county said that the employer-provided insurance for "management" is very good.
One has to wonder if Renville County supervisors' insurance is close to AFSCME union members working for the county receive under their contracts, negotiated by Council 65. We dipped into a few of those for Renville County workers and found this language for health insurance benefits across the county:
Bluestem is all for members of all branches of the military--including the National Guard--receiving quality health care insurance. Our friends who serve are ready to make to ultimate sacrifice--and short of that, spend months away from their families and friends. Health care is the least we owe them.
While county employees aren't asked to make the same sacrifice as those serving in the armed forces, those we know work hard and take pride in helping their communities, so we don't begrudge them the benefits they receive. Indeed, we don't like the race to the bottom that's happened to private sector workers' benefits that in part triggered the need for health care reform.
What we don't have sympathy for is a wannabe lawmaker copping fake empathy about the cost of insurance. Lang should be honest about his own circumstances.
The West Central Tribune reported that the forum "drew a sparse crowd at the fair but was broadcast on KWLM." Let's hope those listening or downloading the audio online apply critical thinking tools to Lang's "feels" about the cost of policies obtainable from private insurance companies in the MNSure exchange.
Photos: Andrew Lang, via the Republican Party of Minnesota (top); screengrab from one of the AFSCME Council 65 contracts with Renville County (bottom)
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Are negotiations underway between the owner, Corrections Corporation of America and the State of Minnesota? How much is the closed Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton worth?
The answer to the first question appears to be no, while finding the answer to the second is more complex--and CCA's current price tag may butt against a little-known state law passed in 2014.
UPDATE August 19: About 20 minutes after this post was published, the West Central Tribune published Forum Communications political reporter Don Davis' article, Dayton not interested in Appleton prison purchase. [end update]
Rumors of negotiations
Earlier this summer, Representative Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, told a town hall meeting in Appleton that CCA lobbyists met with the governor's office and made an offer to lease the Prairie Correctional Facility "for $6 million to $8 million a year, and to sell it for $99 million. The lease payments could be used toward the purchase price, according to Miller," Tom Cherveny reported in the West Central Tribune.
Miller said the opposition continued to ignore the fact that the corporation had offered the state an option to purchase or lease to own, and that the state would have operated the prison with union employees.
Corrections Corporation of America had offered to lease the facility for $6 million to $8 million a year, and to sell it for $99 million. The lease payments could be used toward the purchase price, according to Miller.
Appleton attorney Brian Wojtalewicz questioned the $99 million purchase price when Corrections Corporation of America is paying property taxes based on a $15 million value. Miller said that's the offer the corporation put on the table. Negotiations between the state and the company are not in the Legislature's hands.
While there was opposition to the prison legislation, Miller said there was also some progress. There was sentiment in the Senate in favor of purchasing the facility. And, the governor's office had met with lobbyists for Corrections Corporation of America to discuss the offer, he said.
The article--verified as accurate by two acquaintances who attended the town hall--raised a series of basic questions about the offer. With yesterday's announcement by the federal government that it will be phasing out private prisons, the notion of purchasing the prison was back in the West Central Tribune. Veteran reporter Carolyn Lange writes in Lawmakers speculate price of Appleton prison could drop with federal phase-out of private facilities:
News Thursday that the federal government intends to phase out use of privately owned prisons has renewed questions about the future of the privately owned prison in Appleton.
During the last year Corrections Corporation of America and officials from Appleton and Swift County launched a campaign to persuade the state to lease—or buy—the prison to ease overcrowded state prisons.
That proposal was opposed by Gov. Mark Dayton and a variety of political, religious and community groups who oppose for-profit prisons.
But there's speculation now that the Appleton prison may be available at a bargain price after CCA's stock prices plunged about 35 percent a few hours after the announcement by the Department of Justice.
The action by the federal government will likely put "downward pressure" on the price of the Appleton prison, said Sen. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City.
"That puts us in a good negotiating position," said Rep. Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg.
Oh? In the earlier article, Miller asserted that the legislature had no role in negotiations, so it looks like Miller is indulging his proclivity for wanting to have things any number of ways depending on the audience and situation (more on that with regard to the prison in a bit).
Some basic questions (and answers) about "the offer"
Earlier, Bluestem had attempted to contact the governor's office, two state agencies, the Chief Fiscal Analyst of the Minnesota House Fiscal Analysis Department, a CCA staff lobbyist and contract lobbyists while consulting other sources in an attempt to learn more about the offer mentioned in the first article (and reported again in Thursday's article).
Our questions were basic in reporting terms, looking for the when of the meeting with the governor's office, the who of those attending the meeting, the how this offer was calculated and how it was conveyed (written or oral) and the like.
While the CCA lobbyists did not answer emails or voice messages, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Administration (which manages government property) both were unaware that an offer was on the table.
The office of senator Ron Latz, who convened the prison population task force, was not aware of the offer.
According to administration Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor Matt Swenson, Dayton's chief of staff Jamie Tincher met with a CCA lobbyist (or lobbyists) at their request. While Swenson offered few details about the meeting, it concurs with Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Bakst reporting in Dayton sounds off on prison, PolyMet, MNsure and more:
Reopening a western Minnesota prison. In no uncertain terms, the governor said he would veto a bill with traction in the House to reopen a private prison in western Minnesota under some level of state control.
“I’m told they want $100 million to buy it. Then we have to rehab it and operate it. Hugely expensive. And I certainly don’t support this private corporation being authorized or leasing the facility to them or paying to have them to come back and do it with all the problems they brought before,” Dayton said.
According to Swenson, Dayton's knowledge of the $100 million price tag comes from this single meeting with Tincher.
While advocates for reopening the prison took this press conference statement as a hopeful sign, a review of the press conference footage (unavailable online, as it was removed with other press conference footage that was found to be non-compliant with the state's Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] policy) reveals that Bakst's account is accurate--and Dayton doesn't seem particularly happy with the added expenses that would follow a hypothetical purchase.
We also contacted nonpartisan House staffer Bill Marx,the Chief Fiscal Analyst of the Minnesota House Fiscal Analysis Department , who responded in two emails. Bluestem received the first on July 15:
The bill that had a hearing in the House and was moved to the Ways and Means Committee (HF 3223) directed the state to rent the Appleton facility. So the fiscal note on that bill did not address the value of the facility. The fiscal note is attached - there may be items of interest.
Here's the fiscal note for HF 3223, which only addressed the cost of leasing and operating the Prairie Correctional Facility:
Then the House Public Safety portion of the Supplemental Appropriations bill that went to the Supplemental Budget bill conference committee. contained language (copied below) that directed the commissioner of corrections to negotiate a contract to purchase or lease to own the facility. That language did not become law. I am not aware of any estimate that we had for the cost of purchasing the facility. Our fiscal analyst who works with Public Safety issues is not in the office today. . . .
The second email from was received on July 21:
I have talked with several more legislative staff about the value of the Appleton prison.
The taxable market value is $14 million, as you stated.
Our fiscal analyst who works with Public Safety issues says he heard a $90 million number at one time but has seen no documentation of that and only heard the number once. He says he is aware of no discussion of what the state might pay if the state purchased the facility.
If the prison were operating the taxable value might be considerable higher than $14 million. Do you have any way of getting county tax information from a time when the prison was operating?
When reviewed in tandem with the Department of Corrections and the Administrative Services being unaware of any offer, it appears that no active negotiations are underway, however pro-prison folks might spin it.
How much is that prison in the window?
A review of available sources about the value of the prison while it was operating suggests that $99 million or $100 million may be a steep price for the facility. According to bipartisan legislation passed in 2014 and signed by the governor, no state agency (with the exceptions of the DNR, MNDOT and BWSR), the University of Minnesota and MnSCU may pay not over ten percent of the appraised value of real property. Assessed, appraised and "carrying value" are not equivalent terms.
The highest assessed value that we were able to find in news reports is based on Swift County tax information that was challenged by CCA. In 2009, the Morris Sun Tribune reported in Appeal likely on valuation of Appleton prison:
A $20 million difference of opinion in the market value of a privately owned prison in Appleton could end up in court.
The Swift County assessor set the 2009 value of the property at $42.9 million.
A representative of the Corrections Corporation of America told the Swift County Board of Appeal and Equalization on Tuesday the property should be valued at $23.7 million.
The board, which is comprised of the members of the regular Board of Commissioners, denied a request to lower the property values. . . .
Unlike residential property values that are set each year, Swift County and the prison have agreed to go through the complicated process every three years to establish a three-year schedule for the valuations.
During the last round in 2006, the prison filed an appeal in court and then the two sides negotiated an agreement, said Giese. The county spent about $5,000 in legal fees.
The commissioners are hoping a similar smooth scenario takes place this time.
In 2003, a different approach was used. At that time, each entity hired appraisers and attorneys and negotiated an agreement without court intervention.
Ironically, that method cost the county about $125,000 in legal fees.
Giese said it's actually easier to negotiate an agreement once an appeal has been filed in court, than doing it outside the boundaries of the court. Also, he said, when an agreement is negotiated during a court appeal, the settlement is binding.
In 2006 the property value of the prison was set at $24 million. In 2007 it was $28 million and in 2008 it was set at $32 million.
Although prison populations are decreasing and the prison is currently at 55 percent capacity, during the last three years it's been at about 98 percent capacity, said Giese. That historical data was used to determine the 2009 rate.
In short, when the prison was operating at near-capacity, it was assessed at $42.9 million, though CCA thought it was worth quite a bit less. An anti-privatization website created by the Private Corrections Working Group, includes subsequent news coverage in its Minnesota Hall of Shame page (we have broken the copy into block paragraphs to make it more readable, but have not changed the content)
June 21, 2012 West Central Tribune
The market value of the privately owned Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton — its prison beds empty for nearly 2½ years — has been reduced by $7.5 million to a new value of $14 million.The reduction was approved Tuesday night by the Swift County Board of Equalization.
But even that large reduction may not be enough to prevent the prison’s owner, Corrections Corporation of America, from seeking even greater tax relief by means of an appeal to the state. “They left, we hope, content enough not to appeal to the state board of equalization,” said Swift County Auditor Byron Giese. Assistant County Assessor Wayne Knutson had said the prison property should be valued at $22.5 million.
The Corrections Corporation of America said it should be valued at $10 million.[bold added] The Swift County Board of Equalization members agreed that the value of the empty prison should be reduced and members compromised with a market value of $14 million. It’s not known if Corrections Corporation of America will accept that $14 million valuation or if it will stage another appeal.
The $14 million valuation is a far cry from the $42.9 million the county assessor valued the property at in 2010. That rate was also later reduced during a court appeal and binding negotiation — a process in which the county and Corrections Corporation of America has engaged ever since the 1,600-bed prison opened in 2001. “They have appealed every single time,” said Giese.
March 17, 2010 West Central Tribune
A tentative three-year tax agreement reached with the Corrections Corporation of America will mean lost revenues for Swift County, especially in 2011. Property taxes will likely increase to make up for a decrease in revenue that the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton had generated in the past, said Swift County Auditor Byron Giese.
The prison, which closed in February, had appealed its $42.9 million valuation last fall, triggering a series of negotiation sessions. Following a closed meeting Tuesday, the Swift County Board of Commissioners approved a three-year deal that assumes the prison will remain empty in 2011 and hopeful that it will reopen in 2012, said Giese.
The first part of the agreement includes a reduction in the 2009 valuation from $42.9 million to $32 million for the 2010 payable taxes. That translates into a loss of $50,000 in tax revenue to the county this year, which Giese said will have to come out of the county budget. “It’s something we have to deal with. It’s not insurmountable,” he said.
Harder hit is the city of Appleton that will see $250,000 less in revenue. The Lac qui Parle Valley School District will have a decrease of $40,000 because of the lowered valuation of the prison, and the state will get $60,000 less Giese, said. The 2010 valuation, for taxes payable in 2011, will be lowered to $17.5 million.
The financial impact on tax revenues for the local entities hadn’t been calculated with that low valuation. “Everyone will have to live with it and move forward,” Giese said. He said property taxes may have to increase 3 to 4 percent on each parcel to make up for the lost prison revenue: “Local taxpayers will pay more.”
In the final phase of the three-year plan, the 2011 valuation for taxes payable in 2012 would increase to $21.5 million. “We’re anticipating that, hopefully, it’ll be open again,” said Giese, explaining why the valuation is scheduled to increase at that time. Corrections Corporation of America, which has other empty prisons in the system, has assured the county that reopening the Appleton prison is their number one priority.
“It’s not good for any of us to have this thing closed,” Giese said. The board did express concern, however, that if the prison opens its doors again in a few months with the lower valuation that the county “could look like we have egg on our face,” said Giese. “But it would be a good thing to have it back open.”
The tax plan was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Chairman Richard Hanson casting the lone no vote. Commissioners Gary Hendrickx, Joe Fox, Doug Anderson and Pete Peterson voted for the plan, which still must get final approval from Corrections Corporation of America and the courts.
Another concern with the closed prison is the effect it will have on the 2010 Census. Ten years ago the facility had 1,400 prisoners that counted toward the county’s population. The population of a community is a factor in obtaining such things as federal aid. Giese said if the prison opens and the population increases in the future, the county could appeal the census count.
The one bright spot financially for the county is that a $200,000 annual tax abatement that was part of the prison’s economic development incentive has expired after 10 years, said Giese.
The carrying cost of the prison in CCA's most recent annual report (2015) is $17,961,000 (F-20). Carrying value reflects the purchase price of property.
Why buy or lease?
Those who oppose re-opening the prison by and large look to sentencing and probation reform, as well as expansion of alternative programs like the Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP) to reduce Minnesota's prison population.
Those who seek to re-open the prison see incarceration as an economic development tool (jobs, jobs, jobs) as well as serving a need. Sometimes the narrative of Swift County as the bottom of the pack for unemployment got a bit counterfactual, as in Tom Cherveny's article, Economic tipping point triggers campaign for Appleton state prison:
With assistance from the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission, the city of Appleton assembled these numbers a few years ago looking at the economic impact of the prison and its closing:
365 the number of jobs the prison once provided the regional economy
86 the number of lost jobs experienced directly in Appleton.
$13,760,000 The dollar value multiplier of what the loss of jobs meant annually in economic activity for the community.
$500,000 The amount of property taxes the facility pays to the city of Appleton. The taxes would be lost were the state to purchase the facility.
$800,000 The approximate total property taxes paid by the facility including the city, county and school district.
$50,000 The monthly utility bill the facility paid the city of Appleton when it was operating at full capacity.
$300,000 The amount of local government aid the city of Appleton lost annually when the prison closed. Inmates had been counted as part of the city's population in calculating LGA.
90 The number of students the local schools lost when the prison closed.
$586,620 The estimated loss in pupil aid that resulted with the loss of students.
"The Governor's Office is not leading on this issue, especially considering a commissioner has said that we have an overcrowded prison crisis. Months ago he proposed spending $140 million for new prison beds and that proposal was taken off the table after the Appleton prison was found to be a viable option. It's time for Governor Dayton to finally address this crisis by supporting the re-opening of the Prairie Correctional Facility and providing hundreds of good-paying union jobs to unemployed Swift County residents."
However, faced with other audiences, Miller changed his tune, championing criminal justice reform over jobs in his district, while seeming quite sincere about it. At a forum about sentencing reforms and the Appleton prison that was held by Miller's colleague Rep. Raymond Dehn, DFL-Minneapolis, the Prinsburg Republican said:
I totally hear what you’re saying about prison population reform, basically people who don’t belong in prison, and I agree. If someone doesn’t belong in prison, and not by my definition, but if people don’t belong in prison, I don’t want that to happen. If that means reducing the number and that means Appleton doesn’t open, then I’m 100% for it.
Here's the video clip of the moment, courtesy of The Uptake:
Funny how we don't hear that sort of talk out here in the district from Miller, but perhaps truth is a Foursquare app for the freshman legislator.
He does seem to stretched it a bit about those negotiations when talking to his constituents, so maybe his work with the Barn theater came in handy in North Minneapolis.
Photo: Tim Miller (left) tells participants in a North Minneapolis town hall that if the prison population can be reduced, he's 100 percent against reopening the private prison in Appleton, while Jeff Backer, R-Browns Valley, looks on. Screenshot via The Uptake (above); the private prison in Appleton (below).
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The Republican State Leadership Committee gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the MN Jobs Coalition in 2014 to flip control of the Minnesota House from Democratic to Republican hands--and vowed in July 2015 to do the same thing for the state senate in 2016.
It's time to take a look at the Q2 report, due July 15, to look for clues on how that's going. Here are the itemized contributions from Minnesota:
This giving from Minnesota contributors supplements that we reported in June:
What's in it for Minnesota? On page 9, the "Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus" gave $100 in January, while page 11 lists a $100 contribution by the same in February. (Since the CFB server is down, we can't check to see if this is from the Senate Victory Fund ). [Update: this expenditure not listed in the SVF's Q1 and Q2 reports].
Where in Minnesota was the RSLC spending in the second quarter (April though June)? Here's a pdf of the items--bills for conference calls and direct marketing paid to Republican fundraising and marketing firm, FLS Connect.
If the Republican State Leadership Committee intends to give to the Minnesota Jobs Coalition, its political fund or other political committees and IE funds to flip the Minnesota Senate and retain the House, apparently that spending will come in the third and fourth quarters. The Q3 filing (for getting and spending in July, August and September) is due on October 15.
Other bonbons in the report
The biggest contributor to the RSLC is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce And Related Entities/Institute for Legal Reform, which had given $2,450,235 as of June 30, 2016.
Our dear friends at the Corrections Corporation of America gave a mere $30,000 for the year, which might cost them as the federal government withdraws from the private prison bed rental market. That shuttered prison in Appleton, Minnesota, probably will lose value as the market is suddenly flooded with empty hoosegows. It's a good thing that Dayton and the senate Democrats rejected Tim Miller's notion of buying the joint for $99 million. Already we see in CNBC in that Prison stocks plunge after report Justice Department will end use of private prisons.
Other big contributors come from the noisy set of drug companies, railroads, energy interests and payday lenders the martyrs call the world. Here's the entire 103-page Form 8872 filing, where our readers can perform Adam's curse, doing the work of reading for themselves.
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Minnesota State Representative Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, campaigns online under the slogan of "People Before Politics" and a public persona who will:
Listen carefully to your concerns and represent you reliably in the legislature
Engage in healthy debate and endeavor to find common goals and common ground
Be fair-minded in addressing constituent concerns, firm in standing for conservative principles
The piece equates the freedom to marry the person one loves with the ability to marry a German Shepherd, the notion that immigration reform would take Social Security away from those who paid into it, and other non sequiturs that would be comic, save for the fact that they're presented as "accurate."
Among Republican friends, Bennett shares what she thinks of her Democratic constituents (transcript of audio below as Bennett reads the list, while providing her own side commentary; Bluestem has placed the latter in bold). Her remarks begin with the reading of the list, so we're not sure how she introduced this loving (but definitely not-Letterman) portrait of the loyal opposition:
I vote Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I can even marry my German Shepherd.
Number 9 I vote Democrat because I believe oil companies profits are 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon 15% is not.
Number 8, I vote Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending money I earned than I would. Let me tell you, I heard that over and over again when I was sitting on the floor last year. You're not spending enough, we have a surplus, they would spend it all over time
Number 7, I vote Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
Number 6, I vote Democrat because I'm way to irresponsible to own a gun and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves, I'm also thankful that I have a 9-1-1 service that gets the police to your home in order to identify your body after a home invasion.
Number 5, I vote Democrat because I'm not concerned about billions of babies being aborted, so long as we can keep Death Row inmates alive and comfy.
Number 4, I vote Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free healthcare, education, and social security benefits and we should take away social security benefits from those who paid into it.
Number 3, I vote Democrat because businesses should not be allowed make profits for themselves, they need to break even and give the rest to away to the government for redistribution as the Democratic Party sees fit.
Number 2, I vote Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to re-write the constitution every few days to see the fringe groups who would never get their agenda's past the voters. And last but not least,
Number 1, I vote Democrat because I think it's better to take pay billions of dollars in oil to people who hate us, but not drill our own oil because it might upset some endangered beetle, gopher, or fish here in America. We don't care about beetles, gophers, or fish in the oil countries, just as long as they're in America. So there ya go, the top ten reasons to Vote Democrat.
Here's the audio:
Perhaps Kurt Daudt can let Bennett know that Minnesota doesn't have a Death Row--or perhaps one shouldn't sweat the details when choosing to let hyper-partisanship all hang out.
Is it wise to mock Democrats in Minnesota House District 27A?
Revealing her sarcastically nasty partisan side might not be the wisest move for the retired elementary teacher and freshman state lawmaker, since the swing district includes a lot of Democratic voters. In 2014, US Senator Al Franken received 54.06 percent of the vote; Congressman Tim Walz earned 59.47 percent; Governor Dayton and Lt. Gov. Smith received a plurality of 49.84 percent, and so on.
On the other hand voters selected three Republican-endorsed candidates, including state Supreme Court Justice candidate Michelle MacDonald, Secretary of State wannabe Dan Severson and Bennett. Her first term incumbent opponent, Shannon Savick, stumbled badly in the race.
The district swung more heavily Democratic in the 2012 presidential year, election results reveal. President Barack Obama captured 55.37 percent of the vote, while United States Senator Amy Klobuchar and Walz crushed with 68.32 percent and 63.80 percent respectively. State senator Dan Sparks--on the ballot again this year--nabbed 67.00 percent of the vote, while Savick received 47.70 percent of the vote in the three-way race to defeat one-term incumbent Rich Murray.
The district has historically been a swing district, and in 2014 more than $377,000 in independent expenditures were reported for [and against] Bennett and DFLer Shannon Savick of Wells in the 10 months leading up to the election.
Photo: Peggy Bennett and her Shiloh Shepherd Coulter, who can read so don't write mean things online (Via Bennett campaign website, top); 2016 DFL opponent and community college dean Gary Schindler (via Austin Herald, bottom).
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The videos never explicitly say "Vote for" Barb, Dave or Jim (or Roz, Randy and Chad), so these online ads aren't considered independent expenditures spent to get Dave, Jim, Roz and Chad re-elected or sweep Barb and Randy into office.
Right-o!
"Issue advocacy": "Join Dave Baker" so doesn't imply you should vote for him!
BATC’s Housing First Network recently launched the next phase of its issue advocacy campaign, Think Local. Following up on our issue advocacy campaign to thank housing champion leaders, Think Local promotes local prioritization of homes, which we know create and tie communities together. Much of the news and public conversation looks at national and international issues. While these are very important, the HF Network is asking the public to think about the benefits a strong housing market provides for our local communities.
The local leaders featured in the Think Local campaign are local elected officials and candidates for elected office that have demonstrated support for strong communities and a strong housing market. Election years are times for public discussion and consideration of priorities. As an issue advocacy campaign, Think Local encourages everyone to consider the local impacts of housing, and to support keeping homes affordable for Minnesota families.
How local is the copy in these digital ads? So far, we've found two boilerplates, one that's 30 seconds, and the second that's 15 seconds or so:
Representative [Name] is a leader who thinks local. In the [Town Name] area, our community is made up of families, schools, and businesses all tied together by our homes and neighborhoods. Like the many growing families in our neighborhoods, [Name] raised [his/her] family in our community. [He/She] knows that the best way to build the american [sic] dream is by creating better communities to live in. Join [Name] in thinking local, learn more at HousingFirstNetwork.org.
Join [Name]. Live. Build. Learn. Work. Play. Think Local. Learn more at HousingFirstNetwork.org
You just can't think any more local than that. They're not place-baiting, we can say that for them.
Nonpartisan spending like you've never seen it before!
Update August 19: the Builders Association of the Twin Cities has announced its endorsements in a blog post, BATC’s Housing First PAC Endorses Legislative Candidates on August 19, three days after this post was first published on August 16. Three of the endorsees are suburban DFLers: 7th term Brooklyn Park Mike Nelson, first-term Edina senator Melisa Franzen, and Lakeville DFL senate candidate Matt Little, running in the open seat created by the retirement of state senator Dave Thompson. We'll look to see if any Local Think shows up online for the DFLers. A search of Youtube didn't yield any BATC/Housing First videos for these candidates. [end update]
In 2014, the Roseville-based political fund spent $547,611.87 in independent expenditures, all for Republican House candidates Jeff Backer, 12A (win); Heidi Gunderson, 42B (loss); Randy Jessup, 42A (loss); Jim Knoblach, 14B (win); Roz Peterson, 56B (win); Jason Rarick, 11B (win); Ryan Rutzick, 44B (loss); Kirk Stensrud, 48A (loss); Stacey Stout, 43A (loss); Tama Theis, 14A; Andrea Todd-Harlin, 51B; and Jennifer Wilson, 51B.
The only negative independent expenditures paid for attacks on Governor Mark Dayton's re-election bid. That worked out well.
While the political fund touts itself as "nonpartisan," we detect a pattern here.
The BATC provided $364,524.99 of the $453,367.29 of cash and in-kind services that the fund took in for the year. It started 2014 with $275,947.97 in the bank.
Though not a partisan entity, Housing First prioritized flipping the House to a pro-housing majority as its top objective for the 2014 election cycle, a goal proudly achieved. Housing First vetted candidates and spent countless hours over the past six months managing a campaign that would propel pro-housing and pro-business candidates into office. We now plan to work carefully with these candidates and friends who were elected to build a pro-housing caucus at the Capitol.
Here’s a breakdown of the winning 11 seats:
House District 2A: Dave Hancock (52.36 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Roger Erickson (47.49 percent)
House District 10A: Joshua Heintzeman (53.37 percent) defeated DFL Rep. John Ward (46.54 percent)
House District 10B: Dale Lueck (51.97 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Joe Radinovich (47.89 percent)
House District 11B: Jason Rarick* (53.68 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Tim Faust (46.15 percent)
House District 12A: Jeff Backer* (51.87 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Jay McNamar (47.94 percent)
House District 14B: Jim Knoblach* (50.15 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Zachary Dorholt (49.54 percent)
House District 17A: Tim Miller (55.37 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Andrew Falk (44.46 percent)
House District 17B: DFL Rep. Mary Sawatzky (49.27 percent) v. Dave Baker (50.66 percent)
House District 24B: Brian Daniels (50.87 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Patti Fritz (49 percent)
House District 27A: Peggy Bennett (53.04 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Shannon Savick (39.93 percent)
House District 56B: DFL Rep. Will Morgan (45.83 percent) v. Roz Peterson* (53.99 percent)
What's fascinating here is the contrast between the five flipped districts where Housing First spent money in 2014 and the seven districts where Housing First Republican candidates failed in a GOP year.
In the 2014 CFB report, there's also the thrilling local spend on video and ad place at Larry John Wright Advertising in Mesa, AZ, though it warmed our cold prairie hearts to see Weber Johnson getting its fair share of the fund's bucks. It's good to keep some of these dollars in the state.
If you've seen one Housing First Video, you've seen them all
Here are two Think Local videos for your enjoyment. The b-roll images change, along with the names of the Republicans and the towns, but one has to admire the metro builders' ability to stay on message:
We can only hope that the pleasant looking couple figures out which Minnesota House District they can vote in November's general election. They can "join" Dave or Barb, but not both.
Photos: screengrabs from Barb and Dave's videos.
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What's left to the discerning voter is the fact that the awards were made years ago and the endorsements are for the 2010 and 2012 election cycles. According to a text from Minnesota Farmers Union Government Affairs Director Thom Petersen, the MFU has yet to make an endorsement in the race.
PLEASE VOTE FOR ME - TONY CORNISH - FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT 24B
That would be the district he represented prior in re-districting in 2012. The request is followed by a screed against Mark Meyer, the Independence Party candidate in 2010 in the old 24B seat, but that rant is signed:
Still here and Still Fighting for Rural Minnesota. Please vote for me on November 2nd [link added]
Tony Cornish State Rep 23B
That's particular, since Cornish didn't have an opponent in 2012 and 2014 so that's some funky, funky page editing.
But there a list of endorsements on the page as well:
Representative Cornish Receives Award for Legislator of the year for 2009 from the largest police organization in the State, the MPPOA (Minnesota Police and Peace Officers' Association)
The Following Organizations Have Endorsed My Re Election as State Representative for 23 B
Education Minnesota Political Action Committee Minnesota Farm Bureau Political Action Committee Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Political Action Committee (MCCL 100 % rating) National Rifle Association (A+ Rating) Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis United Transportation Union/Minnesota Minnesota Chiropractic Political Action Committee National Federation of Independent Business NFIB Peace Officers Alliance of Minnesota Minnesotans for Personal Choice and Competition in Healthcare
The Following Organizations Have Presented Me an Award
Minnesota Farmers Union (Farm and Rural Legislative Award) League of Minnesota Cities (Legislator of Distinction) National Federation of Independent Business NFIB (Guardian of Small Business)
Please Note, Though I'm Pleased to Receive Their Endorsement, I Do Not Take PAC Money From Any of Them.
While it's possible that some of those groups have endorsed Representative Cornish for 2016 (and it's true that he doesn't take PAC money--though he does take lobbyist contributions), as of August 14, 2016, he's not endorsed by the Minnesota Farmers Union, nor by Education Minnesota Political Action Committee, which like the MFU, has not yet made an endorsement in this race, according to its website.
Here's a screenshot of that cold mess:
Does this information--again, it's on the website listed on his campaign committee page at the CFB--constitute a false claim of support, as defined in Minnesota state statute:
A person or candidate may not knowingly make, directly or indirectly, a false claim stating or implying that a candidate or ballot question has the support or endorsement of a major political party or party unit or of an organization. A person or candidate may not state in written campaign material that the candidate or ballot question has the support or endorsement of an individual without first getting written permission from the individual to do so.
Or not? We suspect that this crusty information isn't there with the intention of misleading the public. Rather, it illustrates that Cornish is campaigning on the stage of public opinion about law enforcement, rather than for House District 23B.
For the last two cycles, he's gotten away with that, but this year, he has an opponent, Joshua Haseman, a member of the St. James City Council. On his campaign Facebook page, Haseman (above) notes some endorsements: AFSCME Council 5 and IBEW Local 343, as well as that of the DFL.
Born and raised in Watonwan County, Josh grew up on a hog and grain farm and graduated with honors from Butterfield-Odin High School. He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard at the age of 17, and attended Minnesota West Community and Technical College. At age 20, he married his wife Melissa and started a family. He continued his military career and was deployed to Northern Italy in August of 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He returned to his family in April of 2004. Haseman was honorably discharged from the military in February of 2006. For over 13 years, Haseman has worked at Schwickert's in Mankato and is currently the Fleet Manager. Serving the citizens of St. James on the city council for the past 5 years has been something he is very proud of. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter, and as part of his Council member duties, is involved with many committees.
He is married to his wife of 18 years, Melissa. Together, they have three children; Bailey 17, Shelby 15, and Riley 7. They are active church and community members in St. James.
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An unknown entity has hired Survey Sampling International (SSI) to conduct a survey of voters in Minnesota House District 12A, but one voter who picked up a call IDed as SSI. 320-335-2732 described what appears to be very close to a push-poll.
Bluestem established the identity of the survey company by calling the number above.
A reader from Pope County forwarded us the following email from a voter in the district:
. . .Caller ID says SSI. 320-335-2732
They asked to speak to a registered voter and said they were conducting a poll. I asked who they were were and they gave some neutral u(n) recognizable name.
The first 3 sets of questions or so were pretty straight up regarding conservative v. liberal perspective, likelihood of voting in the upcoming election, DFL v. Republican v. Libertarian, etc. Who did you vote for in the 2012 presidential election - Obama or Romney. (I declined to answer some.)
Then it moved to campaign message sorts of questions that were quite long and quite slanted - all extremely positive for Backer - i.e. Something like Jeff Backer voted to return taxes to middle class Minnesotans ball blah blah . Does this make likely to vote for Backer, less likely to vote for Backer, much less/more likely. Jeff Backer supports law enforcement etc. Does this make you more likely to vote for Backer, etc.
The next set of questions were similar items about McNamar but clearly reversed and posited a very negative voting record for him and then asked if it made you less likely or more likely to vote for him. I concluded my participation with the first question after noting that it was incredibly slanted and biased.
Is this message testing on behalf of the incumbent? Or message testing by another Independent Expenditure committee whose funders' names we'll never really know?
Or is it push-polling?
Without an exact transcript, it's hard to tell. For reference sake, we recommend Marjorie Connelly's 2014 post in the New York Times' The Upshot: Ask a Pollster, Push Polls, Defined:
“Push polls” — which are not really polls at all — are often criticized as a particularly sleazy form of negative political campaigning. Voters pick up the phone to hear what sounds like a research poll. But there is no effort to collect information, which is what a legitimate poll does.
The questions are skewed to one side of an issue or candidate, the goal being to sway large numbers of voters under the guise of survey research.
But the fact that a poll contains questions with negative information about one or more candidates does not make it a push poll. Campaigns regularly conduct genuine surveys that test campaign messages and advertising, including negative content.
“Survey research organizations are always concerned about establishing a good rapport with respondents, both in order to complete the interview and more generally to maintain a positive image for the industry,” said Michael Traugott, a professor of communication studies and political science at the University of Michigan. “Having a bad experience with something that seems like a very biased poll is harmful to both these interests.” . . .
A legitimate survey will identify the call center, although it often does not mention the candidate or political party sponsoring the research because that could influence the results. The survey will contain more than a few questions and generally will ask about more than one candidate or mention both sides of an issue. Demographic questions, such as those on age, race and education, will come at the end of the questionnaire. And the number of respondents to legitimate surveys will normally be between 500 and 1,000.
“Good message testing includes pro and con statements about both your candidate and his or her opponent,” said Nancy Belden, partner of Belden Russonello Strategists. “You need to explore the strength and weaknesses on both sides.”
If what the voter describes is accurate--that all the messages about Backer are positive--this was a push-poll or a relative too close to be a kissing cousin.
Photo: Would seeing a photo of Jeff Backer (left) standing next to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton make you more likely to vote for the Browns Valley Republican? Less Likely? No difference? Would it change if neither man wore aprons to grill turkey burgers? Photo via MPR's Tim Pugmire.
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A friend who attended the Renville County Fair in lovely Bird Island on Friday sent us the photo above of the collage of signs hanging in the booth for the Renville County RPM (Republican Party of Minnesota).
Update: At a nearby county fair, the Stevens County Republicans didn't see any reason to be anything other than positive about their own candidate, so this doesn't seem a coordinated strategy among Greater Minnesota Republican party units.
Ifirst realized Republicans fantasized about putting Hillary Clinton in jail back in January, at a retail campaign stop for Ted Cruz at a restaurant in Osage, Iowa. The conservative base was obviously furious about Benghazi and thought Clinton broke the law with her private e-mail server, but when the small crowd erupted at Cruz’s joke that “perhaps the presidential debate will have to be held in Leavenworth,” it was clear the idea of Clinton behind bars was truly firing people up.
Fast forward six months to Cleveland, where this has become one of the central themes of Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention. There is a plane circling the Quicken Loans Arena carrying a huge “Hillary for Prison” banner, courtesy of right-wing radio host Alex Jones. A large billboard truck with the same graphic is tooling around the convention perimeter.
Donald Trump himself has said bluntly that Clinton “has to go to jail” and has floated pursuing it if he’s elected president.
Even the worst reading of Clinton’s conduct with classified information would not dictate that she serve serious prison time. But Trump—and the political party that has now officially selected him as their nominee—is now mainlining a concept normally reserved for Third World countries: that political opponents should be locked up. . . .
Of course, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones isn't the only media talker to promote this legally dubious battle. Rush Limbaugh posted on Facebook about Hillary for Prison 2016 on April 10 (and probably other times as well).
It's not surprising then, that there's a Rush Limbaugh item hanging in the Renville County RPM booth:
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I don't believe the governor had any intentions of calling a special session. I think he wanted [inaudible] without one, to portray us as we couldn't get our work done.
But he made some pretty irresponsible comments after the shooting in St. Paul or Minneapolis in which he pretty much labeled all law enforcement as racist. Did he come under a lot of heat? You can think what you want, but he made those statements and after our president did, we lost five police officers, and he's coming under a lot of pressure in my opinion it time to call a special session to take the eyes off that ball and move it somewhere else.
Here's the audio:
We're not sure whether the Clearwater County Republicans were serving tutti frutti at the ice cream social, but that's quite the theory. We're not sure we want what Green's having.
“Would this had happened if those passengers were white? I don’t think it would’ve,” Dayton said. “So I’m forced to confront, and I think all of us in Minnesota are forced to confront, [that] this kind of racism exists.”
After meeting two hours in private, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton; Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, D-Cook; and House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said they are near a deal to finish work that lawmakers failed to accomplish before their mandatory late-May adjournment date. . . .
The meeting came after Dayton and Daudt dined alone at the governor’s residence on July 5 to discuss what needed to be done.
So there you have it, gentle readers. If we are to accept Green's narrative, somehow the governor was planning his special session distraction with Daudt the day before Philando Castile was shot by a police officer.
That's a dish that melts like ice cream in July.
Daudt and Dayton met the day before Castile was murdered to talk about the special session. That meeting set the stage for the July 15 announcement, not the shooting.
Photos: Rep. Steve Green, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation (top); the sign for the free ice cream social (below).
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It's been a quiet week in Minnesota's Lake Wobegon-like prairie Seventh Congressional District. Capitol Chatter's Don Davis writes in Some U.S. House Races In National Spotlight that MN07 isn't one of them:
In 2014, national Republican had hopes of ending Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson’s tenure, and spent money to help state Sen. Torrey Westrom compete against the incumbent, but it appears neither party will spend national resources on the race this year. The 7th Congressional District, encompassing all of western and part of central Minnesota, has been Peterson’s for nearly 26 years.
Dave Hughes appeared optimistic after he won the GOP 7th district primary, and like those who went before tried to tie Peterson to the woman conservatives love to hate, liberal Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
But the Republican who finished second in the 7th district primary expects Peterson to win again.
“After this primary, I agree with Democrats: This district is safely Democratic for Congress,” Amanda Lynn Hinson said.
Photo: MN07 Congressman Collin Peterson, still a picking and a grinning.
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