HometownSource Blogs

A recent Minnesota Chamber of Commerce/Tunheim Partners poll of 602 Minnesotans — likely 2010 voters — shows that while most did not want their taxes raised, the majority, six out of ten, indicated they’d be willing to pay more to improve K-12 education outcomes, long-term care, ensuring Minnesota infrastructure.

But only 29 percent of respondents said their income and sales tax paid to the state were achieving their expected results.

“Accountability is the byword of these findings. Minnesotans are willing to pay taxes, but want to more clearly see what services and results they are getting,” said Kathy Tunheim, president of Tunheim Partners. “The message was clear that citizens are expecting a better return on investment in the public sector.”

Taxing booze, tobacco and soda and extending the sales tax to clothing were the most acceptable tax increases for Minnesotans, the poll indicated.
Other poll findings include that while Republican and Democratic legislators had a disapproval rating of 59 percent, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty had a slightly negative approval rating of 49 percent.

The poll went on to determine while the next legislative session was six months away, respondents had already set their priorities: the top two improving education and keeping taxes down.

The poll was conducted Aug. 4-6.

Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake, and his wife Colleen were onstage with 6th District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, at the congresswoman’s health care town hall meeting in Lake Elmo on Thursday (Aug. 27).

Dettmer served as moderator while Colleen Dettmer sang a patriotic song at the beginning of the meeting.

In asking for orderliness, Dettmer half-jokingly warned the audience that he been a longtime wrestling coach — no grappling took place though the town hall was lively.
After one gentleman, who thanked Bachmann for turning him into a DFL activist from a Reagan Republican, offered some caustic commentary, Dettmer critized the man for wearing an inappropriate teeshirt.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty today (Aug. 26) called the now defunct Metro Gang Strike Force “a mess,” saying the strike force, created by the Legislature in 2005, had lacked proper oversight.

And there’s more, explained Pawlenty, speaking at a Capitol press conference.

“The people involved also just didn’t use common sense,” said Pawlenty. “There isn’t some big mystery around cops not taking stuff home and using it for personal use,” he said.

Still, Pawlenty said fighting gangs is important and called for a strike force to be reconstituted.

A joint House/Senate committee today held a hearing on the metro strike force, ultimately disbanded by Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion after allegations of mismanagement arose in an audit conducted by the legislative auditor.

Besides calling in the FBI to investigate, Campion also hired independent investigators to investigate the strike force.

Attorney Andy Luger, one of the two investigators, appeared before the joint committee, saying something had gone terribly wrong with the metro gang strike force.

Indeed, Luger described the picture arising from the review of some 300 strike force case files — more than 5,000 exist — being one of “egregious misconduct.”

He indicated the number of strike officers involved in questionable behavior — many officers would not talk to them, he noted — at perhaps ten.

Although the review did not turn up an example of an officer pocketing confiscated money, Luger explained, officers took home confiscated property, such as televisions, computers, ice augers, for personal use.

Other confiscated items, such as confiscated jewerly, are missing, he said.
Relevant information on individual cases was scanty or missing, Luger charged.

He was surprised to find the irregularities that their review uncovered in the task force existing in any law enforcement agency in Minnesota.
“When there’s a breakdown like this everyone bears some responsibility,” said Campion, not sparing his own department.

It’s a sad day for Minnesota law enforcement, he said.

In committee discussions, it was suggested that strike force officers looked to the dollars that could be gained from forfeitured property confiscated in strike force police actions as a means of funding the force.

“We should not try to reconstitute the Metro Gang Strike Force,” said Campion.

But Campion added that other strike forces in Minnesota have shown transparency and professionalism.

Only one strike force had its own evidence room, and that was well regulated, Campion said.

The Taxpayers League of Minnesota will be placing billboards near the state fairgrounds, the first targeting House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, a DFL gubernatorial candidate.

“She Thinks You’re Not Paying Enough In Taxes,” the billboard will proclaim next to a picture of Kelliher.

“She voted for a $1.5 Billion Tax Increase!” passerbys will read.

Taxpayers League President Phil Krinkie said the league will distributed a Minnesota tax facts quiz at the state fair plus the league’s legislative scorecard.

Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said today (Aug. 25) that she plans to remain commissioner until the close of the Pawlenty Administration.

Remaining at her post will provide “stability,” she said.

Seagren, who replaced former Pawlenty education commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke, fired by the Senate, said she believes education is a nonpartisan issue.

Rep. Jeremy Kalin, DFL-North Branch, is in Washington today (Aug. 24) meeting with Obama Administration officials to brief them on green energy development and green job innovation.

Kalin, along with Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton, are among a number of state officials conferring with administration officials on green energy, according to the House DFL Caucus.

Kalin co-chairs a green jobs task force and has been active and visible at the Minnesota Capitol working on green energy and green jobs policy initaitives.

“This is an exciting and important time in our energy history,” said Kalin in a press release.

“By collaborating with the federal government and states across the nation on green energy policy initiatives, Minnesota
can more quickly reap the benefits a clean energy economy,” he said.

I am going on record as saying that the Minnesota Vikings will win two games this year because of Brett Favre. And they might get a new stadium.
That is to say, they will win two more games than they would otherwise.

Granted, he might contribute or be the cause of three or four losses — throwing a key interception late in the fourth or three interceptions in the first half of a game which takes AP out of the equation in the second half — but he could be 50 years old and still be worth at least one win on his own.

I grew up in Appleton, Wis. (25 miles south of Green Bay), and slowly learned to hate the Packers which evolved into a hatred for the face of the franchise.  On the 9 o’clock news in Green Bay, this is how they open up:

“Tonight, a school bus filled with elementary students rolled over on I-94, killing 15 kids and injuring 20 more… but first… Brett Favre’s status for Sunday’s game is unknown as #4 has been sidelined from practice this week with a sore thumb.” Read more »

The Department of Transportation announced today that some 13 statewide rest areas and travel information centers will close temporarily — some short term, some for more than a year — this year and next.

Closings include: the St. Croix Travel Information Center; the Forest Lake Safety Rest Area; and the Central Minnesota Travel Information Center on Hwy. 10, near Highway 23.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza has hired former Tinklenberg campaign official Dana Houle as campaign manager.

Houle officially joins the Entenza campaign today.

“I’m very happy to be able to stay in Minnesota and help Matt earn the DFL endorsement and then win next November,” Houle said in a press release.

“I’m ecstatic to be able to work with someone who’s a great candidate and will be a great governor,” he said.

Houle has wins in 2006 and 2008 managing Democratic congressional campaigns.

He’s also worked on Capitol Hill and as a blog editor.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) today (Aug. 17) announced that a closing of a runway at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will have Eagan residents likely noticing more take offs to the southeast from Runway 12R/30L.

Reconstruction on the 3,800 feet of the middle section of Runway 12L30R is expected to keep that runway closed through the end of October, according to the MAC.

Because of this, the Federal Aviation Administration will redistribute air traffic to the remaining three runways — hence the extra noise over Eagan.

There wil also be a noticeable increase in air traffic noise over Minneapolis and St. Paul, the MAC points out.

When work on the middle section of Runway 12L30R is completed, the entire runaway will consist of at least three feet granular material layered with a foot of crushed limestone and 20-inches of concrete.

Cost of the project is about $17 million.

The Minnesota School Board Association reported today (Aug. 17) that about 20 more school districts than last year are considering referendums this fall.

According to the association’s referendum survey completed today, some 62 school districts compared to 42 last year are weighing placing a referendum on the ballot.

Some 279 school districts out of 340 responded to the survey.

Because school districts have until Sept. 11 to make a decision, the 62 number will likely change, the association notes.

According to the association, the following local districts are considering referendums: Anoka-Hennepin, Becker, Big Lake, Buffalo-Hanover-Sunburg, Cambridge-Isanti, Centennial, Lakeville, Milaca, Mora, North Branch, Rush City, St. Francis, and South St. Paul.

The conservation team at Camp Ripley, the National Guard facility near Little Falls, was recently honored by the Secretary of Defense for their environmental efforts on the 53,000-acres military facility, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The DNR, Guard, St. Cloud State University, and others team together at Fort Ripley and have worked on various environmental projects.

A radio telemetry study at the fort has found that gray wolves — two packs live within the sprawling facility — will breed and raise pups relatively close to military activities, said the DNR in a press release.

Black bears are also studied at the fort, with some 20 to 25 bruins living within its borders. Currently, 11 black bears are sporting radio collars.

Camp Ripley has been the protector of the Mississippi River and its ecosystem for many years, the DNR opined.

DFL State Party Chairman Brian Melendez in a statement today (Aug. 12) criticized the tone of a letter Gov. Tim Pawlenty sent yesterday to DFL leaders declining an invitation to attend a Leadership Summit in September at the Capitol.

“The state already has an annual ‘Minnesota Leadership Summit,’” wrote Pawlenty in a letter.

“It’s called the legisaltive session and it lasts approximately five months,” wrote the governor, further writing that DFLers have done a thorough job “admiring” the state’s budget difficulties.

Melendez, in his reading of the letter, said Pawlenty had “sarcastically mocked” the contributions of past and present state leaders.

“This leadership summit is an opportunity for the governor to set aside his national ambitions and work with leaders of all parties to solve the worst budget crisis in state history. But once again, he chose ambition over leadership,” said Melendez, referring to the governor’s recent travels.

According to the state party chairman, two former Republican governors, three former Republican speakers, one former DFL governor, and nine former DFL legislative leaders will attend the conference along with current legisaltive leaders.

The summit is planned for Sept. 8.

The Department of Transportation announced today (Aug. 11) that the St. Croix Valley Railroad will receive some $750,000 in federal economic stimulus funding to repair a railroad bridge over the Snake River in Pine City.

The piers and timber foundation of the bridge date to 1906, according to the department.

The bridge was shutdown earlier this year because of its poor condition. Because of this, the Horizon Flour mill, which relies on railroad freight service, had to close.

But according to the transportation department, the mill will reopen later this year after the bridge is fixed.

All told, three freight transportation projects in Minnesota snagged more than $6 million in federal stimulus funding.

The largest slice went to the Duluth Port Authority, some $3 million, for dock and navigation improvements.

Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson announced today (Aug. 11) the sale of four separate series of bonds totaling about $598 million.

“Today’s sale was an unqualified success,” Hanson said in a press release. “The large number of bidders and excellent rates are a reflection of improved financial markets and our reaffirmed excellent credit rating.”

About $192 million in general obligation bonds were sold to Barclays Capital at a “true” interest rate of 3.40 percent.

The bond revenue will pay for capital projects throughout the state.

Additionally, $80 million in general obligation trunk highway bonds were sold to Merrill Lynch at a slightly higher interest rate.

Two other bonds series of outstanding bonds were sold to make use of lower interest rates — Merrill Lynch purchased the largest series, buying some $298 million of general obligation bonds at a true interest rate of 2.52 percent.

Refinancing will save the state about $30 million, according to the department.

Hanson noted that the state planned to sell about $460 million in general obligation bonds for various purposes in October.