Friday’s banquet for the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener is sold out as Montevideo and the surrounding area welcome Gov. Mark Dayton and his entourage for the pheasant opener for the second time.
Montevideo hosted the inaugural Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener in 2011 and our area is the first to host the event for a second time. . . .
. . . All eyes will be on the community Saturday as it hosts the sixth annual Governor's Pheasant Opener. Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson will be among the elected officials taking to the fields around Montevideo for the start of the state's pheasant season at 9 a.m. Saturday. . . .
Montevideo is looking at the Governor's Pheasant Opener as an opportunity to showcase all that the area has to offer for pheasant hunters and all of those who enjoy outdoor recreation, according to Steinbach.
And in this case too, it provides Montevideo with a national audience. That was one of the benefits the community discovered after hosting the inaugural Governor's Pheasant Opener.
The community saw a "big, reverberating effect'' from the ongoing digital presence the event provided, Steinbach said. News articles, videos and blogs continued to pop up on phone and computer screens whenever anyone searched pheasant hunting in Minnesota.
Over 20 different media outlets, including print, broadcast and online, are expected to be represented at the activities Friday and Saturday, according to Steinbach.
With this opportunity at hand, the number one point the community wants to emphasize this weekend is the availability of public lands for hunters. There are 47,004 acres of public lands open to hunting within a 25-mile radius of Montevideo, thanks to a mix of wildlife management areas, waterfowl production areas, and walk-in access areas. The Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area, with over 33,000 acres of the total, has long been a state magnet for pheasant hunters. . . .
As Legacy Chair Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, points out at the 2:33:18-20 mark on the House's YouTube archive of the floor session that "there are no major changes in funding and projects" from the earlier House bill. True, a compromise had been worked out that allowed the White Earth Nation to run a disputed project, but since the nation offered to pay property taxes on the land, objections to the project were quelled under that compromise.
All that we can imagine is that Miller experienced an epiphany in that last split second, jumping into the anti-Legacy Act camp, agreeing with Steve Green, R-Fosston, that--despite the expressed wishes of the citizens of Minnesota, who voted in 2006 to fund projects that would protect, enhance and restore wildlife habitat--that there's too much publicly owned land.This is the only objection against the bill that's raised in debate by a lawmaker who voted against it.
Never mind, as Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, pointed out, that it's open to hunters and other members of the public. And that the public voted for this.
Miller frequently gripes about how--in Miller's mind at least--Governor Dayton hates the region of the state in which House District 17A is located. And yet the Governor has actively promoted hunting opportunities in the area.
Indeed, the Department of Natural Resources is touting the opening of a locally funded shooting range--the Governor and agency head Tom Landwehr are likely there as we type this--in a press release that promotes the region:
The dedication is part of the 2016 Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener. Gov. Dayton leads the weekend festivities, which highlight the many hunting, recreational, travel and local opportunities the Montevideo area has to offer visitors. More information and updates on the event can be found at www.mngpho2016.com. Explore Minnesota and the DNR are assisting the Montevideo Area Chamber of Commerce in planning the event.
Montevideo has a population of 5,500 and is located 130 miles west of the Twin Cities at the intersections of U.S. highways 212 and 59, and Minnesota Highway 7. The city actively promotes hunting and outdoor recreation. Within 25 miles of Montevideo, there are 25 Walk-In Access areas totaling 3,335 acres, 16 Waterfowl Production Areas totaling 4,366 acres and 76 WMAs totaling 47,004 acres. All are open to public hunting.
Why did Representative Miller vote against the interests of his district?
Photo: MN07 Congressman Collin Peterson (DFL, left) and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton (DFL, right) at the first Governor's Pheasant Opener in Montevideo in 2011. West Central Tribune file photo.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 33166 770th Ave, Ortonville, MN 56278) or 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.
These are the times that try poor country bloggers' souls, especially the moments of nincompoopery that Representative Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, dropped in a debate this week..
In District 10B candidates share positions, Chelsey Perkins' coverage for the Brainerd Dispatch of a candidate forum between Lueck and DFL challenger Erin Wagner, we read this passage:
. . . Funding for broadband internet expansion in rural areas, was also a success, he said, adding metro legislators don't understand those needs.
"Frankly, they just don't know what you're talking about when we're talking about no coverage or spotty coverage," Lueck said.
Everybody knows "metro legislators" is Republican code for "DFL." But as the infographic at the top of this page illustrates, those God-awful metro-centric Democrats stated the digital divide quite clearly when they posted the image to the Minnesota House DFL Caucus Facebook page on January 21, 2016.
That damn metro Minority Leader Paul Thissen and his crew, spreading those facts before the session started. We gather Lueck missed that part about his "metro" colleagues knowing what talk about "no coverage or spotty coverage" means.
The Aitkin Republican must have missed another image posted that same day:
Indeed, that inglorious metro bastard Thissen, who represents Minneapolis for cats' sakes, had been rattling on for months--months! we tell you!--about such matters. Witness his October 7, 2015 column in the Grand Forks Herald, GOP leaves communities disconnected by underfunding broadband:
At a recent forum about the lack of high-speed Internet access in greater Minnesota, a woman from Aitkin, Minn., told us, "this isn't just a need—it's a necessity."
I agree. The availability of high-speed Internet has become a critical issue of economic vitality and quality of life for all Minnesotans. Unfortunately, House Republicans ignored this critical priority for greater Minnesota and halted our momentum to ensure all Minnesotans have access to high-speed Internet.
Broadband infrastructure—the means in which we provide high-speed Internet access across our state—got its first significant investment in 2014 by our DFL-led Legislature. But we knew this was only a down-payment. In fact, the Governor's Broadband Task Force has recommended a $100 million per year investment in our state's Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant program.
Many people in greater Minnesota began this year with high hopes, given the promises Republican legislators made on the campaign trail. But despite a $2 billion surplus, the Republican-led House did not continue this commitment to rural broadband access in 2015. They initially zeroed-out our state's broadband investment and ended up putting just $10 million into our broadband program.
They also proposed to eliminate the Office of Broadband Development. That's because their top priority last session was massive tax breaks that benefit large corporations and businesses that predominantly reside in the metro area.
We knew that $10 million for broadband was inadequate then, and we have now confirmed it. This past week, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development released their list of communities that applied for broadband grants. The resources passed by the Republican-led House will only cover about one-third of the requests, leaving dozens of Minnesota communities disconnected.
And as noted at the meetings, the skimpy Republican commitment probably discouraged a lot of communities from applying.
Consider what is happening in Pine City, Minn., and in many rural areas across the state. After closing time at the local library, you can see people huddled in their cars with their laptops, struggling to maintain a connection on the library WI-FI so that they can complete homework or send an e-mail.
We must do better—for a student who can't log on to the Internet to complete a research paper, for a small business owner trying to stay competitive with the metro area, and for a parent who wants to connect online with a son or daughter at college.
We hear a lot of happy talk from Republican legislators about broadband. But talk won't build a single mile of broadband infrastructure.
Before next session, I urge Herald readers to contact their legislators and urge them to put their money where their mouths are in support of broadband infrastructure funding.
Indeed, the Republicans ended up taking Thissen's advice--though with only one-third of what that equally-metro governor wanted for broadband.
No wonder Lueck is reduced to placebaiting of the lowest sort. The fact is that "metro" legislators--like the leader of the Minnesota House DFL Caucus--fully understand the problem, as does the DFL governor and Lt. Gov. Tina "Bright Lights, Big City" Smith.
However, Lt. Gov. Tina Smith said in a statement that the Republican broadband proposal wasn't enough, and pointed out that Gov. Mark Dayton proposed $100 million in grant funding.
"The governor and I welcome the work of House Republicans on broadband," Smith said. "Their proposals, however, barely make a dent in the need for high-speed, affordable broadband access in greater Minnesota. At the level of investment they are proposing, the 244,000 households in greater Minnesota without broadband connections will wait decades to get up to speed. This is bad for our economy, bad for greater Minnesota, and we need to do better."
Perhaps Lueck simply imagines that since so much of rural Minnesota is still left without reliable high-speed broadband, no one's going to fact check the complete blither that escapes from his mouth into the world as he placebaits his metro colleagues.
Images: Infographics released by the Minnesota House DFL Caucus. Via Facebook.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 33166 770th Ave, Ortonville, MN 56278) or 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.
Because of the effects on bees and other pollinators, which of the following should the legislature enact to restrict the use of pesticides containing neonicotinoids?
A) Totally ban the use of neonicotinoids for home and agriculture use 50.30% (2572)
B) Ban the use of neonicotinoids at the consumer level (home use and pretreating plants purchased for the home), while still allowing neonicotinoids to be used for agriculture purposes by those who are trained in their use 22.65% (1,158)
C) Maintain the current law requiring the proper labeling of neonicotinoid use on plants, but do not regulate the use of specific insecticides or products 14.73% (753)
D) Undecided/No opinion 12.32% (630)
We're talking the State Fair here, not a dirty hippie convention, so it's astonishing that so many poll takers at the Great Minnesota Get Together are willing to entertain complete or partial bans on neonic use in the North Star State.
Indeed, that slightly over half of those answering the question favor a complete ban of neonics puts the Ag Mafia's whining about Governor Mark's executive order in an entirely different light. Using the findings of a pollinators summit and a subsequent scientific study, the administration came to a more moderate conclusion and policy.
We learned today that the House Ag Policy committee plans an "Informational Hearing" on Tuesday, September 13 on Dayton's executive order. While the committee has posted the order and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's summary of the study, it hasn't posted the list of those who attended the pollinators summit last February. The list of participants is included at the end of the MDA Pollinators Summit Outcomes report. Representatives from the Minnesota Corn Growers, Farm Bureau and other farm groups were there.
Perhaps this absence will make it easier for the Ag Mafia to whine about not being consulted about the policy making. If some members of the ag community couldn't bother to attend the summit, why are they to be afforded a special place at the table outside of the process? If they did attend, what's the basis of the claim that ag wasn't in the loop?
Or are they simply more equal than the rest of the stakeholders in pollinator policy?
For more information, check out our earlier posts:
Image: A poster about native bees. Bee City posts: "This poster from the Pollinator Partnership is one our best teaching tools. It illustrates some of the 4000 species of native bees in the United States."
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 33166 770th Ave, Ortonville, MN 56278) or 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.
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).
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
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.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
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).
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
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.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
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.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
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).
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
The explanation came after Daudt, R-Crown, and Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, met with the Nystrom family, executives at Nystrom & Associates, Ltd, a for-profit mental health care provider. Nystrom & Associates feel low payments from the state discourage them from caring for poor people.
. . . Star Tribune reporter Patrick Condon was present at a Minnesota GOP breakfast at the convention and tweeted Daudt's comments from when Daudt was speaking to fellow RNC delegates from Minnesota, aside from the main convention activities.
"We're getting close to special session," Daudt said. "Let me decode that for you. The governor has caved on almost everything."
When asked about the "caved" comment Monday, Daudt repeatedly said his remarks at the breakfast were intended for his fellow Republicans, not for the media or for the public at large.
"Obviously, I was speaking to my delegates," he said. "I wasn't speaking to the press or to the public in general.
The story continues with Daudt saying his words to Republican activists were both true and kind and not untrue and not unkind:
Dayton "absolutely needed to" scale back his position further back from that list, Daudt said. Therefore, it was appropriate for Daudt to say Dayton "caved," he said.
However, Daudt also said Dayton wasn't caving, per se, and whether he used the word "caved" was "irrelevant."
"Is he caving? No, he's actually meeting me halfway, and I'm meeting him halfway," Daudt said of Dayton.
Photo: Minnesota Speaker Kurt Daudt, never at a loss for words for select audiences.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
In his most recent column in the Fergus Falls Daily Journal, Politicians at fault for attacks on police, Otter Tail County Republican activist Bill Schulz sees a motive in Governor Mark Dayton's observation that had Philando Castile been white, he might still be alive.
What is the Governor really after? Slave labor camps for those who don't agree with him.
“A day after a St. Anthony police officer shot and killed 32-year-old Philando Castile, a black man, on July 6, Dayton said, ‘Would this have happened if those passengers, the driver and the passengers, were white? I don’t think it would have.’”
Those who follow politics are probably not surprised that our Gov. Dayton would use such caustic language about police. Dayton is merely copying the tactics of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other liberal and progressive activists. It is a common tactic in the left to impose their will upon a population by causing friction between disparate groups, to fan the flames of dissension and hostility, and step back while the groups destroy or enfeeble each other. Once the ranks of the people are thinned or subjugated, send the most recalcitrant members to the slave labor camps, and put the reminder to hard physical work — those who are exhausted from long days of labor are unlikely to cause any difficulties for the ruling elite. It worked for Stalin and Mao Zedong, didn’t it?
That's more than hyperbole. It's pure nincompoopery--the stuff of conspiracy theorists who image FEMA concentration camps under every rock while chemtrails poison the citizenry.
Moreover, Schulz is under the delusion that members of law enforcement are the only ones who will be prosecuted in lethal confrontations:
Many street thugs feel that they have been given the green light by Obama and the likes of Dayton and other radical government leaders nationwide to attack police, to loot and burn. The message is clear that only police will be prosecuted in lethal confrontations. . . .
Perhaps he missed Hennepin County Mike Freeman's press conference clearing the officers involved in the shooting of Jamar Clark, and the fact that law enforcement officers are rarely indicted following lethal confrontations.
When officers are killed in the line of duty, those responsible are routinely prosecuted--if they're not taken down in the act, as were the men who murdered police in Dallas and Baton Rouge. He's technically correct in saying the shooters in those cases weren't prosecuted, but we fail to see the point of putting their corpses on trial. They've gotten what they deserved for doing the indefensible.
As for officers being prosecuted, data on officer-involved shootings is difficult to identify. In April 2015, the Washington Post reported in Thousands Dead, Few Prosecuted:
Among the thousands of fatal shootings at the hands of police since 2005, only 54 officers have been charged, a Post analysis found. Most were cleared or acquitted in the cases that have been resolved.
According to the Wall Street Journal, 2015 saw the highest number of police officers being charged for deadly, on-duty shootings in a decade: 12 as of September 2015. Still, in a year when approximately 1,200 people were killed by police, zero officers were convicted of murder or manslaughter, painting the picture that officers involved in killing another person will not be held accountable for their actions.
In 2016, several officers have gone to trial but none of them received jail time. . . .
At the conservative libertarian site Reason, John Stossel points out some issues with the "War on Cops" frame:
But Black Lives protesters also have a point: Some cops are sadistic, racist bullies.
Not many are, but with 765,000 police officers in America, if just 1 percent were racist, that would still leave 7,650 bullies with guns. For years, when officers said, "I had to use force; I had to shoot," Americans usually believed them. Now videos show that, in many cases, officers lied.
In addition, DNA evidence reveals that cops and prosecutors have locked up lots of innocent people—disproportionately poor people and blacks.
So there are good reasons for blacks to be angry.
The "war on cops" narrative is overblown, too. "War" means killing. The attack on officers in Dallas was despicable, but, even including those five deaths, it is still safer to be a cop today than in years past. According to FBI records, 2015 was one of the safest years ever recorded.
Crime is down, too. The media mislead us by dwelling on increases in cities like Chicago, but overall, crime continues to drop.
We agree with Governor Dayton's observation about the shooting of Philando Castile, though we can understand the reaction on the part of law enforcement to his words. Schulz's column--with its attribution of motives to Dayton of seeking to create chaos in order to send resisters to slave camps--is pure paranoia.
Americans certainly have the right to think, speak, and write all sorts of crazy things--so Schulz has the right to include utter malarky in his column. But as we learned most recently from the actions of murderer Gavin Long, who entertained the ideas of the "sovereign citizen" movement, those rights don't extend to actions that harm other citizens, including law enforcement.
Given the outlandishness of Schulz's fearmongering, it's hard not to look for a motive in heightening alarm about the Governor's observation. Perhaps it's found in an earlier column, Donald Trump a symptom of a larger problem.
Despite the headline, the columnist is a Trump supporter, so perhaps stoking fears of a Governor Gulag and Clinton Camps is simply a rhetorical strategy to get his fellow elected. Fancy that.
Photo: Governor Mark Dayton thanks a member of the Patriot Guard at Deputy Steven Sandberg's funeral. Doesn't look like a plan for slave labor camps. Photo via MPR.
If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
When focus group participants were asked to name some things that kept them from going camping, many said they simply didn’t know how to camp. The focus group sessions were conducted last year by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Parks and Recreation.
“This came as somewhat of a surprise for those of us who have been involved with camping and outdoor activities from childhood,” said Courtland Nelson, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation. “It stands to reason, if you haven’t had the experience or training, a new venture can be intimidating.”
To remove the barrier, Minnesota state parks sought to partner with an outdoor recreation organization that could help provide equipment, teach and train those with a desire to learn the basics of outdoor camping.
As a result, Minnesota state parks and its partner, REI, developed “I Can Camp” for individuals and families to learn the basics of camping. . . .
Again, this program has its roots in the Pawlenty-era DNR, and when voters chose to dedicate (meaning it can't be spent on other things) funds to our amazing outdoors, the Parks and Trails Fund got a piece of the pie.
But Senator Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, is having none of these facts.
And it's all Governor Dayton's fault, according to a June 30, 2016 legislative update forwarded to us by one of Senator Newman's constituents. Newman complains under the subject line: You likely don’t know what Governor Dayton is spending your money on and you probably wouldn’t approve if you did [bold in original]:
You have often heard me criticize Governor Dayton and the DFL Senate Majority, and I think with some degree of justification, for what I consider an irresponsible increase in state spending. Since 2012 under Governor Dayton, income tax collections have surged 20%, overall spending burgeoned by 18% while our population increase and inflation both come in at around 3%.
With these percentages being so divergent, the question we need to ask is what is the money being spent on? Too often our tax money is being spent on government programs that are wasteful, feel-good or completely out of the realm of government responsibility. To illustrate, I will share with you a specific government program which epitomizes my criticism: The “I Can” program by the DNR is a perfect example of what I am complaining about. (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/ican/index.html) “I Can Camp”, “I Can Paddle”, “I Can Mountain Bike”, “I Can Climb”, and “I Can Fish” are all programs designed and paid for by the Minnesota DNR to teach folks how to build a campfire, pitch a tent, paddle a canoe or catch a fish. The cost is generally under $100 and includes an instructor, all necessary gear and a park permit.
To quote the DNR website,
“Designed for families to try any or all for the first time.
Hands-on instruction from experienced and friendly crews.
Gear provided.
Free to unbelievably affordable.”
I don’t know what the cost of providing state employees the funds to purchase the necessary equipment, administrative fees or the cost to maintain and store the gear, but I’d bet it is significant rather than “Free to unbelievably affordable”.
As we noted earlier, the I Can! program funded by dedicated Legacy funding--that voters imposed on themselves--didn't begin with the election of Governor Dayton. Rather, it began in FY2010. Dayton took office in January 2010.
Does the program cost money? Why yes it does--and were Newman not so enamored of his own complaining voice, he could look look up how much Legacy dollars the I Can! programs cost for FY2010, FY2011, and FY2012 on the left sidebar here. As a state senator, he can ask the DNR for later years.
But fact-finding might get in the way of indignation and demagoguery, so Newman doesn't share this information with his constituents. He wants them mad! He continues:
I do not view state tax money to be compartmentalized or pigeonholed into various state agencies.
Sorry, bub, but the voters disagreed with you on this one, and directed money to be spent on the outdoors, clean water and the like. Since the DNR has worked on state parks and trails for years, we're baffled as to why these dedicated funds wouldn't be directed to an agency in charge of this sort of thing.
But there's more! Newman writes:
Rather, I believe tax revenue should target those legitimate and necessary functions that the private sector and individuals are unable to provide. I see waste that you are paying for like the DNR program described above as money that could be used to fund core functions of government like Bonding, Public Safety, Education and Transportation. Camping and fishing should be left for parents to teach their children on their own. That’s what I did.
Again, by approving the Legacy Amendment in 2008, voters put it in the Minnesota state constitution that this money could not be spent on "Bonding, Public Safety, Education and Transportation." Sorry, Senator Newman, but you can't steal the families' camping, climbing, canoeing and fishing money to spend on public safety--AKA, cops and jails.
On Planet Newman, if you're a kid and your parent/parents didn't grow up fishing, camping and the like, you're SOL. We suppose that we could just let kids wander around on lakeshores and campgrounds hoping they figure it out on their own, but that sort of thing can be dangerous.
Minnesota has changed since Newman was a boy in the late 1940s and 1950s. Depriving children and families of the chance to learn competence in enjoying the outdoors seems simply peevish.
Newman continues:
I offer this example (and there are certainly numerous others) as an explanation for why I continue to balk at a request for an increase in the gas tax and supplemental budget bills that come on the heels of the 2015 appropriation bill which was the largest in Minnesota history. The lesson to be learned: so long as Governor Dayton is in charge of state agencies like the DNR and the Senate is controlled by the current majority, there will be even more taxes and increased spending; they have no limit on what they believe the government should provide.
Again: these programs are part of the Legacy Fund. Sorry: you can't raid them to pursue your dreams of tiny government and Father Knows Best nostalgia.
We'd asked the DNR communications office for information about the success of these programs. In an email, a spokester sent this passages:
Six years since the inaugural season of Minnesota State Parks and Trails’ flagship program, I Can Camp!, the I Can! series continues to flourish. Participation continues to rise each year, culminating in 2015 being our best year to date. With over 2,600 participants at I Can! programs, the 2015 program season saw record-setting attendance as well as an overall occupancy of 81%. Since the first I Can Camp! programs took place in 2010, annual participation has more than quadrupled and over 10,000 people have attended I Can! programs.
Cartoon: "Old Man Yells At Cloud" from The Simpsons.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or 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.
I urged the governor to call for careful evaluation of existing light rail operations. They are not meeting original projections of ridership, etc.If people do not use it, we do not solve problems of traffic congestion.
After two years of operations, the region’s second light rail line is exceeding expectations.
Average daily ridership on the Green Line is 37,402, well on its way to the 41,000 daily trips forecast for the year 2030. Investment along the line, which connects downtown St. Paul with downtown Minneapolis, has totaled $4.2 billion, according to Metro Transit estimates. And market-rate housing projects have sprouted all along the route, even as 3,600 units of affordable housing have been created or preserved.
As such, praising the $1 billion Green Line is a sure-fire applause line for politicians in both the east and west metro.
But southwestern Minnesota, a state senator seems certain that voters won't care about facts, but will applaud the place-baiting.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
In a letter to the editor of the Park Rapids Enterprise, Dayton busy playing politics, Jon Clauer [elsewhere John Clauer] writes:
Thank you for your front-page article on Governor Dayton’s pocket veto of the tax cut bill. . .
It is worth noting that the tax bill was the work of a bipartisan effort (in which Rep. Steve Green played a significant part) of both Republicans and Democrats. It was my understanding that the wording error in the bill could have been corrected by an administrative action by the Legislature. Despite this fact, Governor Dayton chose to use that excuse as a reason to hold the bill hostage to his personal (and DFL) wishes for a larger debt-ridden bonding bill. . . .
Throughout his military career, Clauer said he lived in two dozen locations.
“We should make it equitable but Minnesota’s property taxes are the lowest” of all of his residencies, Clauer said.
Clauer is also a published author; his 2015 book, “God’s Chessboard.” explores God’s guidance of history and plan for an end-of-days.
Perhaps Clauer knows something we don't. Could Green be the "invisible hand" of the Minnesota state legislature-- that unobservable force that helps the conflicting demands of caucuses, special interests, stakeholders and citizens to reach equilibrium automatically?
We'll keep an eye out for evidence Green has put his pinkie on the scale. Maybe the LTE writer was thinking of the district's state senator, Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, who chairs the Senate Tax committee.
Photo: Steve Green at one of Draz's 2015 property tax town halls. Via Park Rapids Enterprise.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
In Weber addresses critics with added comments, a letter to the editors of the Worthington Daily Globe, the honorable Republican state senator from Luverne hopes to clear up what he perceives are misrepresentations in this letter and this one of his "comments to the governor during his recent visit to Worthington."
We'll have to take Weber's word for what he was trying to communicate to the governor, but there's at least one part of the letter that didn't ring true to us. Weber writes:
I urged the governor to call for careful evaluation of existing light rail operations. They are not meeting original projections of ridership, etc.If people do not use it, we do not solve problems of traffic congestion.
The METRO Blue Line set a new annual ridership record and system ridership increased for the 11th time in 12 years as customers took more than 85.8 million rides on buses and trains operated by Metro Transit in 2015. . . .
Ridership on both the Blue and Green light-rail lines continued to grow as customers used the all-day, frequent service to travel to work, school, special events and other destinations. The ability to transfer between light-rail lines in downtown Minneapolis also boosted ridership.
In all, more than 10.6 million rides were taken on the Blue Line, the highest annual ridership since it opened in mid-2004. The previous record of nearly 10.5 million rides was set in 2010. Average weekday ridership topped 30,000 for eight consecutive months.
Nearly 12.4 million rides were taken on the Green Line during its first full year of operation. Average weekday ridership was 37,400 – just under the 2030 forecast of 41,000 rides. Ridership in the Central Corridor, including the Green Line and bus routes 16 and 94, increased by about 30 percent from 2014 to 2015 and has nearly doubled since 2013, when service was provided by buses alone.
Oh. The Green Line's ridership trajectory appears to be following a similar path to that of the Blue Line, formerly known as the Hiawatha Line. In 2009, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reported in Hiawatha light rail marks five years; what's next?:
Today marks five years of operation for the Hiawatha line, Minnesota's first light rail service.
Ridership is much greater than projected, and that success has helped spark a debate over how te expand transit in the Twin Cities metro area, and how to pay for it. . . .
Five years and 43 million passenger rides later, the Hiawatha line is coping with success.
Metro Transit spokesman Bob Gibbons says ridership for the line, which connects downtown Minneapolis with the Mall of America, is already 20 percent ahead of what ridership was expected to be 11 years from now. . . .
While I regret that some may be embarrassed by an honest and respectful discussion of issues and differences, I will continue to handle the responsibilities as state senator in such a way that truly seeks to resolve problems rather than give blind deference to the governor or anyone else.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
By now, the spectrum of Minnesota political reporters and pundits have weighed in on state representative Tony Cornish's provocative June 7 letter to the editors of the Star Tribune, "Really, this isn't complicated."
Some of statements by the lawman turned lawmaker to the media since the flap, on the other hand, hasn't gotten much scrutiny. Take a remark Cornish made to Nancy Madsen in Rep. Cornish won't back down from letter in Star Tribune, an article published last week in the Waseca County News.
Waiting two years for someone in the metro to support the police
Cornish tells Madsen that constant criticism of the police prompted the piece. She reports:
But Cornish, a retired conservation officer who also had stints as a police officer and sheriff’s deputy, said he’s simply defending law enforcement officers, who are wrongly blamed for the consequences of other people’s actions.
“I’ve waited for two years for somebody from the metro area, from those areas, to say something in support of police,” he said. “I haven’t seen any administrator stand up for them and these advocacy groups keep beating down police, so I said something in defense of them.”
Did no one in a position of authority in the metro area come to law enforcement's defense--or is Cornish simply up to the grandstanding for which he's sometimes known? (One of the most famous recent episodes is that 2016 bid for congress that never quite came together).
We're not quite sure what he means by "administrators," but we'll take it as folks like mayors and the governor. It's not hard to find examples of "somebody from the metro area, from those areas, to [saying] something in support of police."
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman defended his police department and its use of deadly force during an interview with MPR News today.
Leaders of the city's African-American community have raised concerns about the St. Paul Police Department's tactics and the city's protocol for investigating complaints against police. St. Paul officers shot and killed at least 11 suspects since 2008. That's more than any other city in the state. . .
In an interview on MPR News today, Coleman spoke publicly about that shooting for the first time. The mayor said it appears to have been justified.
"At this point I've seen no evidence to suggest those aren't exactly the facts — this is an officer-involved shooting that was absolutely a part of procedure and protocol."
Coleman said the other 10 shootings were justified as well. He argues the data are misleading, because the numbers are so small; they don't mean St. Paul's officers are trigger-happy. . . .
In response to the indictment today by U.S. Attorney’s office of 11 alleged gang members for federal gun violations, following a multi-jurisdictional investigation that included the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Mayor Betsy Hodges released the following statement:
“Getting illegal guns off our streets, and holding responsible those who use them to victimize the people who live and work in our city, are important strategies for making every neighborhood of Minneapolis a safe place to call home. Today’s indictments are another strong step forward toward that goal.
“I thank U.S. Attorney Andy Luger and our law enforcement partners at the ATF and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office for their coordination in this investigation. My special thanks go to the Minneapolis Police Department, led by Chief Janeé Harteau, and the officers who played a role in this multi-agency collaboration to get these individuals off the streets.”
Locking away those who use guns to commit crimes is probably a priority about which Cornish and Hodges agree--and prosecuting criminals with guns is a standard talking point of gun rights advocates, who point to their own law-abiding status.
But there's more. Hodges uses metrics to praise officers' positive impact in Minneapolis.
The mayor began her speech with a discussion of the uptick in gun violence in the city, particularly in north Minneapolis. She said more officers are joining the police force and that officials are aiming to cut into violent crime by encouraging police to do more community outreach. Officers will also be outfitted with body cameras this year.
She acknowledged the city has gone through “several tough, emotional months” following the police shooting of Jamar Clark, which prompted an 18-day occupation of the Fourth Precinct police headquarters and other demonstrations.
“Positive police contacts in the neighborhood are up 63 percent over last year and 231 percent over two years ago,” she said. “This work of building community trust has a long-term deterrent effect on violence. The fact that we measure it at all is a sign of change in how we approach policing in Minneapolis.”
Community activists critical of the police have staged actions at events where Hodges has spoken, as well as calling for her to become a one-term wonder. Apparently, they see a much different Mayor Hodges than the one in Cornish's vision of metro leaders.
Gov. Mark Dayton thinks a chant of “Pigs in a blanket, fry ’em like bacon,” during a Black Lives Matter St. Paul march to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds “was a terrible thing to say,” his press secretary said Tuesday.
His comment came in response to Rep. Tony Cornish calling on Dayton on Tuesday not to meet with the group unless it apologizes for the chant that law enforcement groups have called threatening. . .
Police and police in St. Paul
But beyond rhetoric, Dayton's appreciation for law enforcement is most clearly seen in policy--in what public safety changes become law. The Star Tribune's Maya Rao reported in Law enforcement flexes muscle at Minnesota Capitol:
The fervent campaign to restrict the body camera measure is a sign of the rising clout that law enforcement officials have at the State Capitol, but which is also drawing critics who say the influence is excessive.
Law enforcement lobbyists say their political potency is overstated, noting a string of high-profile losses, like their failed push for broader background checks on firearm purchases. . .
(Cough)
Law enforcement groups have advocated on a variety of measures at the Capitol in recent years, ranging from allowing cops to retain license plate reader scans to blocking an expansion of fireworks sales. They also helped shape one of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country.
But on Planet Cornish, no one stands up for law enforcement.
Policy and the use of force
The power of law enforcement at the state capitol loops back to the opening sentence in Cornish's letter to the Strib:
Lately some advocacy groups have been asking what we can do to “reduce the use of force by police.”
The letter then shifts to suggest that only those stopped by police can stop the use of force--offering supposedly helpful rules. One rule is:
5) Don’t flap your jaws when the police arrive. Don’t disobey the requests of the police at the time. If you think you are wrongfully treated, make the complaint later.
And yet, it is the financial consequences of those complaints for taxpayers that suggest that if Tony can't see cops' obligations to their fellow citizens' civil rights and dignity, perhaps as a fiscal conservative he might appreciate the cost savings that could come to cities if officers learn tactics to prevent the use of force.
Police misconduct has cost Minnesota taxpayers millions of dollars in payouts from lawsuits in cities throughout the state. Between 2011 and 2014, the city of Minneapolis paid out more than $9.3 million from police misconduct lawsuits, according to an analysis by Minnesota Public Radio. The city agreed to a $3 million payout in 2013 following a lawsuit filed by the family of David Smith. The 28-year-old man, described as mentally ill, died after being restrained by two officers at a YMCA in 2010, according to the Star Tribune. City officials defended the actions of the officers. Police guidelines require officers to quickly turn a suspect on his side to prevent asphyxiation.
A federal court jury ordered the city to pay $2.1 million in damages and attorneys’ fees in 2011 after it found two officers liable for the wrongful death of Dominic Felder, 27, who was shot dead by police in 2006. In another case, the city paid $1 million to Rickia Russell, who was severely burned in 2010 from a police flash grenade.
The Star Tribune reported that the city paid nearly $14 million because of police misconduct from 2006 to 2012. The settlements were as high as $4.5 million. Along with excessive force leading to death or injury, cases involved property damage during raids and using racial slurs. . . .
In 2012 alone, the city of St. Paul had payouts of about $1 million for police misconduct, according to the Pioneer Press at TwinCities.com. A woman received a $400,000 settlement after police executing a search warrant injured her with a flash distraction device. The city settled a lawsuit for $249,000 after a man suffered burns on the face from chemical spray and received a skull fracture and gashes on the head.
St. Paul officials also reached a $385,000 settlement from a police misconduct lawsuit by a woman who charged police employees used her private driver’s license for personal information. . . .
Perhaps Cornish believes those awarded monetary settlements brought all this on themselves, just as Jamar Clark's standing with his hands in his pockets was warrant for a death sentence.
But given the lives lost and the awards shelled out, perhaps Representative Cornish might think about serious policy review and training, rather than the cheap, attention-getting thrill of a dogwhistle--that's in the end not so inexpensive.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Photo: Representative Tony Cornish, a retired cop who wants those advocating for the reduction of police violence to get off his law. Via Cornish's Facebook page.
One reform that's been suggested is the 24-hour deadline for bills. The final draft of a bill or conference committee report would have to be written 24 hours before lawmakers take it up on the floor. This would give state representatives and senators--and citizens--time to read each bill.
The aim to avoid tweets like this:
This time last night trying to read a 599 page bill. GOP House Epic fail in managing time & public input. pic.twitter.com/UrBrdMXLPR
After a session with several key bills not becoming laws, state Senator Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake and state Representative Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, appeared at a legislative update in the council chambers of Little Falls City Hall Wednesday.
Constituents were unhappy with how the sessionended. Roman Witucki, chair of the Morrison County DFL, talked about how there should have been more time for the bills to be reviewed, and said he didn’t like the back room deals he said the legislation went through,
“I think back room stuff,last minute stuff can be eliminated with a simple procedure of ending your session a day early and 24 hours later you get to vote on it,” said Witucki.
Gazelka agreed with Witucki and said while he didn’t know how to get there, he would like to see a deadline for major bills before they are voted on.
Kresha also said he supports a 24-hour waiting period for bills.However, he sees a problem, leverage.
“Every side knows this, if you want to get what you want in a bill, you hold off until the very last second when you have the most leverage,” Kresha said. He added that whatever they do to change the system, people will work to find ways to gain leverage.
Some constituents said they didn’t care about the deals in politics; they just wanted stuff to get done.
“You people have got to find a way to expedite this process, not to wait till that last hour and I don’t care what you think about leverage,” said Peter Larsen, adding after he watched the house session one night, he went to bed angry with how they did business, calling it disgusting.
We keep reading articles in the metro dailies that tell us that voters don't care about process. Someone forgot to inculcate this cynical and conventional wisdom in the rest of us.
Screengrab: Kresha (right) tells constituents that he's for a 24-hour deadline for bills to be finished before being taken up on the floor of the legislature, except maybe when it gets in the way of cutting a back-room deal.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
The trouble with playing chicken is that every now and then, your car really does fly off the cliff.
That's not quite the situation Minnesota Republicans are in. Their "car" isn't sailing out over the void.
But it is teetering on the cliff's lip. And the drop to the next ledge is long.
Meanwhile, the guy with the tow-truck and the rescue rope—Gov. Mark Dayton—is parked nearby. He's whistling as he sits in the driver's seat, clearly in no hurry to pull the Republicans back onto solid ground.
Now, if you were the GOP, and you found yourself on the brink and in that situation, what would you do?
Read the editor's suggestions at the Grand Forks Herald.
Image: Maybe this sign should be posted in the office of Minnesota House Republican Executive Director Ben Golnik. With Golnik in the driver's seat, we don't think posting it in current Speaker and former used car salesman Kurt Daudt would be particularly efficacious.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Wednesday's big plot twist in the ongoing Minnesota soap opera that goes by hashtag #mnleg is the sudden retirement of Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance committee chair, Denny McNamara, R-Hastings.
He promises to spend more time with his family, the South Washington County Bulletin reported in McNamara to retire; Cottage Grove's Tony Jurgens files for GOP in 54B. (Don Slaten is the endorsed DFL candidate). The quality family time remark prompts two observations: one about the sudden retirement, the other about the circumvention of the Republican endorsement process.
What prompted this?
Other than the hackneyed "spend-more-time-with-the-family" line, there's no explanation about why McNamara might suddenly retire, as he had seemed to relish the skirmishes over policy in committees as well as enjoy rude good health.
Sources suggest two scenarios, neither of which is exclusive of the other. First, internal squabbling among Speaker Daudt's children in the Republican Majority Caucus (the Peppin-Dean faction, the Kelly-Mack-Hackbarth wing, and the other folks) simply made him want to go back to Hastings and think about nursery stock planted on his real estate LLC.
Second, several of the items in the LCCMR spending bill that McNamara cherished most were line-item vetoed by Governor Dayton. Forum Communications political reporter Don Davis wrote in Dayton Issues Vetoes, Signs Other Bills:
Dayton used his line-item veto power — allowed only on spending measures — to strip some money from the LCCMR bill. He said he wished that he could have restored funding to programs the commission recommended, but he does not have that authority.
Dayton erased $1.5 million to map counties for aggregate (rock) resources, $1.5 million to study changes from forest land to cropland along the Crow Wing River, $1.1 million for the University of Minnesota to study ecological issues including reducing sulfate, $2.2 million to develop pollinator (including bee) habitat along interstate highways, $2.2 million to enhance parks and trails and $400,000 for the Douglas County Regional Park.
For more on reasons why the many of the items that Governor Dayton line-item vetoed from the LCCMR bill deserved to be vetoed, we recommend the letter to the governor from Environment Committee minority lead Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul. He writes:
I am writing regarding the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota’s Resources (LCCMR) appropriations bill (SF 2963). I strongly encourage you to line-item veto the following three appropriations below. The following appropriations are earmarks for specific special interests and weren’t thoroughly vetted through the LCCMR review process.
Aggregate Mapping ($1.5 million-DNR)
Douglas County Park ($400,000-Douglas County)
Ambassador Wild Animals Environmental Education Program ($500,000-Wildlife
Science Center)
I also wanted to bring to your attention four other additional projects that replaced the unanimous LCCMR recommendations. The projects below should also be line-item vetoed. These are projects that should not be funded through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, but could be pursued in the future from other sources of funding like the state’s General Fund.
Pineland Sands Aquifer Study ($1.5 million-DNR)
Natural Resources Research Institute ($1.1 million-U of M-NRRI)
State Park and Trail Enhancement ($1.228 million-DNR)
I ask you to line-item veto the seven appropriations added by the House GOP. Whenever the GOP has been in control of the House they have manipulated the LCCMR. This has not received as much attention as the LSOHC, but has been more significant.
The House GOP’s continued manipulation of these Constitutional funds should not go unchallenged. Line-item vetoes may help prevent future mischief to the LCCMR and its proven processes.
It didn't take long for the people of twitter to notice that by withdrawing the day after the 2015 Cottage Grove Volunteer of the Year filed for office on the very last day of the filing, McNamara had secured the Republican nod for nice guy Tony Jurgens.
McNamara had initially filed to run for reelection, and announced his change of heart a day after filings for office closed. On the last day of filings Republican Tony Jurgens of Cottage Grove submitted paperwork to run for the House 54B seat.
It’s unclear whether McNamara knew of Jurgens’ plans, but the South Washington County Bulletin reported that McNamara described Jurgens as a “great guy.”
Jurgens said in an interview he had dinner last Thursday with McNamara and they talked about the possibility of him running, but no decision was made.
“Honestly, when I left the house (Tuesday) morning, I did not know I was going to file,” Jurgens said. He said he was asked to meet with McNamara at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the State Office Building. At 4:50 p.m. McNamara decided he’d retire, Jurgens said.
“Then,” Jurgens said, “somebody else in the room said to me, ‘Get downstairs now’” to file before the deadline. Jurgens said he and McNamara were joined by House Republican Campaign Committee representatives in the meeting.
The filing gambit might not encourage transparency or participation, but it sure will keep the potty-mouth kids off the GOP grass. They might as well write in Lizard People at this point.
Photo: Denny McNamara performing on the House floor.
Bluestem Prairie is conducting its summer fundraising drive. If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
The tax changes will cost the state $32 million in future taxes. Repealing the automatic cigarette tax hike will cost $26 million in taxes over next three years. Lawmakers also cut $6.2 million in taxes on e-cigarettes.
The tax breaks were passed on Sunday by Democrats and Republicans alike on the last day of the chaotic 2016 legislative session, buried in a tax bill containing hundreds of other items.
Even the Democratic Gov. Dayton says it was a surprise.
“I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know who was behind it, but it is just very, very distressing,” Dayton said.
Republican leaders who support the change say it is bad public policy to automatically raise anyone’s taxes, and they strongly deny the cigarette tax change is a tax break at all.
“We didn’t reduce the tax or give a tax cut or a tax break to anyone,” said Rep. Kurt Daudt, the GOP house speaker. “We simply removed the inflator that would automatically increase the tax over time. It’s horrible policy.”
Kessler reports that anti-smoking groups favor the inflator:
We know that keeping tobacco prices [high] is good public policy because it keeps kids from a lifetime of addiction and death and disease from smoking,” [ Anne Mason, public affairs manager for ClearWay Minnesota] said.
Higher taxes or more ailing and dying Minnesotans? Which is the horrible policy?
No surprise: the Drazkowski and Melin debate on HF700
Although many are acting as if the notion of repealing the automatic cigarette tax hike is something aliens might have dropped from a flying ashtray before jumping in hyperspace on their way to Planet Smokefilledroom, Bluestem recalls that Greg Davids' HF700 was heard in the House Tax Committee on February 18, 2015.
Drazkowski was one of Davids' coauthors, along with Moorhead Democrat Ben Lien. The Senate companion bill was authored by Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, with David Senjem, R-Rochester, as his more or less conservative wingman.
Other than those peculiar coincidences, Bluestem has no idea where this idea came from, who brought it to the table, and who pushed for it in conference. These things are a mystery that passeth all understanding.
The C-Store Lobbyist
Steve Rush has never given to any candidate; rather, he's given $7,890.52 over the years to the HRCC (House Republican Campaign Committee which elects House Republicans), MN Retailers Impact, and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee.
From 2004 through December 31, 2015, the MN Retailers Impact has given $89,775.00 to other PACS, political party committees and candidates. For same period, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee gave $829,094.34.
The Tobacco Lobby
Tomorrow, we'll have more about lobbying by tobacco and other interests in Part 2
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie's posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
All of the statements, opinions, and views expressed on this site by Sally Jo Sorensen are solely her own, save when she attributes them to other sources.
The opinions, statements, and views of contributing writers are their own.
Sorensen, editor and proprietor of Bluestem Prairie, serves clients in the business and nonprofit sectors. While progressive in outlook, she does not caucus with any political party.
Recent Comments