August 17-20, 2013
Aug 17 00:36 CNN, NBC and the presidential debate game Aug 17 13:36 Democrats oppose warehouse tax repeal Aug 18 10:30 Dayton the fool, Vikings stadium edition Aug 18 12:53 Durbin, Franken, Schumer use intimidation tactics Aug 19 01:12 Dayton pursues dead end jobs, Part I Aug 19 14:19 Dayton pursues dead end jobs, Part II Aug 20 10:25 President Potter's enrollment nightmare Aug 20 10:52 Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox and the Affordable Care Act Aug 20 16:48 St. Cloud can't afford this boondoggle
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
CNN, NBC and the presidential debate game
Now that the RNC has passed a resolution preventing NBC and CNN from hosting GOP primary debates , it's time to talk about why it's a great decision.
First, highlighting the fact that CNN has reverted to being a Clinton cheerleader (that's how it earned its nickname of being the Clinton News Network in the 1990s) and NBC is planning on airing a Hillary miniseries is a great strategy. There's no better way to highlight these networks' bias than by highlighting these networks' bias.
Second, let's stop pretending that these networks have great debate moderators. Remember Candy Crowley's interference in the Romney-Obama debate by insisting President Obama had called Benghazi a terrorist attack from the start:
President Obama mentioned terrorists in passing. He didn't say that Benghazi was a coordinated, pre-planned terrorist attack. The CIA said that the day after the attack but he didn't. Crowley's performance was one of the worst performances in presidential debate history.
Then there's David Gregory accusing Newt Gingrich of racism for talking about President as the food stamp president:
Anyone that thinks David Gregory or Candy Crowley are fairminded, centrist journalists likely think that George Stephanopoulos is objective, too. For those who've forgotten, here's a reminder of Stephanopoulos' objectivity:
The thought that a journalist would waste time during a presidential debate on contraception policy is appalling. It's a nothing question designed to paint Republicans as hating women. Stephanopoulos wasn't trying to ask a pertinent question on an important issue. His goal was to ask a pointed question to humiliate a presidential candidate.
The best moderators in the presidential debates were Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and the other people from Fox. They asked substantive questions. They didn't hesitate in asking a clarifying follow-up question. They thing they didn't do is ask gotcha questions that didn't inform the voters about the important issues of the day.
Not letting the likes of David Gregory, George Stephanopoulos, Scott Pelley and Candy Crowley moderate the GOP primary debates is a positive step in the right direction.
Tags: Hillary Clinton , Documentary , Miniseries , David Gregory , NBC , Candy Crowley , CNN , George Stephanopoulos , Scott Pelley , Media Bias , Bret Baier , Megyn Kelly , Presidential Debates , Debate Moderators
Posted Saturday, August 17, 2013 12:36 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 17-Aug-13 12:47 PM
Gary:
Lets not forget as Democrats whine about this that in 2008 Fox News was trying to hold debates with the Democrats and the Democrats were ignoring Fox and had pressure put on by their donors.
So in 2016 lets have the Democrats show up on Fox and then we can discuss 2020 for the Republicans with NBC and CNN.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Democrats oppose warehouse tax repeal
Friday night, DFL strategist Richard Carlbom raised eyebrows by saying that repealing the warehouse tax would "blow a hole" in Minnesota's budget. That raises the distinct possibility that the tax won't be repealed. This raises the possibility that Democrats don't want to repeal the warehouse tax.
At this point, it isn't known whether Carlbom's opinion is close to a majority opinion within the DFL. It's possible it isn't. It's quite possible that they'll face legitimate and intense opposition on repealing the warehouse and telecommunications taxes.
Later in the roundtable, Ellen Anderson argued that the legislature shouldn't debate the repeal of the warehouse tax because people who went through the storms in late June "shouldn't be held hostage to politics." What's ironic is that Sen. Anderson doesn't mind that Red Wing Shoes is held hostage by this governor.
Sen. Anderson, do you really want Red Wing Shoes to move their warehousing operations to Wisconsin? That's what will happen if this warehouse tax isn't repealed ASAP. It's ironic that Gov. Dayton is chasing iconic Minnesota businesses from Minnesota. Cargill was first. It won't be the last.
Earlier in the show, Ken Martin defended Gov. Dayton by essentially arguing that we shouldn't discuss the repeal of the warehouse tax during the special session because Gov. Dayton doesn't want them discussed then. That's an incredibly immature excuse. "I don't want to" isn't a justification. It's what I'd expect from a 5-year-old.
This week, it was announced that July's revenues fell short of their projection by 2.2%. That's a significant shortfall. That's a warning sign that the DFL's tax policies are a disaster. Minnesota is sitting on the verge of an economic earthquake. Gov. Dayton is insisting that we not step away from this earthquake because he doesn't want to right now.
Tags: Mark Dayton , Special Session , Richard Carlbom , Ellen Anderson , Farm Equipment Repair Tax , Warehouse Tax , Red Wing Shoes , Cargill
Posted Saturday, August 17, 2013 1:36 PM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 18-Aug-13 10:53 AM
Take up the storm relief and stop right there, no repeal of any tax the DFL and Gov. Dayton signed into law. Let Red Wing and other companies move to WI, CO, IA, etc. and let the truth be known about how incompetent the DFL and Gov. are and their sole reason for existence is to take money through taxes and redistribute it on social programs.
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 18-Aug-13 12:57 PM
That's a distinct possibility.
Comment 3 by walter hanson at 18-Aug-13 01:24 PM
Chad and Gary:
I take the approach of scream out loud and demand that they be repealed. In this case it will force the DFL in public to try to defend the tax and the consequence. Thus when they dig in their heels and refuse to do it every Republican running next year will have the democrat on the record defending this tax increase. After all they have what 5 get out of tax cards in the state House to give out and the governor candidate (assuming that it's Dayton) is linked starting months before ABM starts opening their checkbook.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Dayton the fool, Vikings stadium edition
Joe Soucheray's column is this morning's must reading because it exposes the Dayton administration as being sloppy with the taxpayers' money:
Having learned that the Wilfs were found to be being less than charitable to former partners in a 20-year-old New Jersey real estate deal, our governor now wonders if the fine print of a new stadium contract has been thoroughly examined. Presumably, he means for loopholes through which the Wilfs, not necessarily distinguishing them from a variety of other real estate developers, might crawl.
It isn't terribly reassuring to learn that the fine print had apparently not been previously examined. Wasn't the deal big enough in the first place to have called in a law firm or forensic accountants or maybe somebody from the cast of "The Sopranos" to say these guys are on the up and up? I threw in the Sopranos only to make a New Jersey reference and do not at all intend to infer that the Wilfs hang out at the Bada Bing club.
No, I guess our governor and his supporters thought it was a good deal, and then compounded their indifference to the vetting process by insisting that the state's share of the tab could be fulfilled by the great masses of us playing electronic gambling games. Only to discover that grandma doesn't like playing electronic pulltabs or bingo and the state's funding had to fall on the shoulders of the always available smokers, who are now paying about $54.76 a pack for American Spirits.
Now we are on hold and a law firm, Dorsey & Whitney, has been brought in at about $400 an hour to study as much of the Wilfs' books as they can get their hands on.
After Gov. Dayton signed the Vikings stadium deal, DFL pundits said that this was a great accomplishment for Dayton, something he could hang his hat on. Apparently, they thought that Gov. Dayton did his due diligence. Just like with his tax increases, it's apparent that Gov. Dayton didn't think the Vikings stadium deal through. It's apparent that he got dazzled by the bright lights.
We now know that the funding mechanism is a joke. The state needed to contribute $35,000,000 a year for its obligation. The latest report on the e-tabs revenues shows that e-tabs revenue collected thus far falls $33,000,000 short of what's needed. I ridiculed the package back in February of 2011.
Mr. Soucheray has a great idea:
What Dayton really needs to do is stop the deal and restructure it in such a way that the Wilfs have a personal stake. Too bad if that disappoints them. They aren't going anywhere. No other city in the country would have them under similar terms.
I have a better idea. Fire Gov. Dayton in 2014. He's failed with his biggest initiatives. He's already admitting that parts of his tax increase have to be repealed. Apparently, he didn't know the warehouse tax and the farm equipment repair sales tax were part of the bill he signed into law.
Gov. Dayton's other signature issue, the Vikings stadium, is being exposed as a collapsing house of cards. Nothing about Gov. Dayton's initiatives suggests he's thought his agenda through. Nothing about Gov. Dayton's initiatives suggests he pays attention to details.
In 2010, the DFL wouldn't let Dayton onto the floor of their state convention. That August, when Dayton won the DFL primary, the DFL embraced him.
They should've stuck with their first instinct.
Tags: Mark Dayton , Vikings Stadium , E-Tabs , Tax Increases , Farm Equipment Repair Tax , Warehouse Tax , Repeal , DFL , Zygi Wilf , Mark Wilf , Racketeering , Fraud , NFL
Posted Sunday, August 18, 2013 10:30 AM
Comment 1 by Jethro at 18-Aug-13 12:23 PM
Dayton is clearly not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. He is known to publicly give his home phone number out during town hall meetings. When I called the number, it was capitol security. Either he "forgot" his home number or he lives at the capitol. A third possibly is that he is simply dishonest.
Comment 2 by walter hanson at 18-Aug-13 01:17 PM
Jethro:
I suggest a fourth idea. He just wanted to be seen as doing the detail. Details didn't matter to him.
Unfortunately details matter to the tax payer.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 3 by walter hanson at 18-Aug-13 01:18 PM
Gary:
Forgive me for asking, but what if Dayton doesn't run for reelection. After all we have Amy K in the Senate because he didn't run for reelection.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Response 3.1 by Gary Gross at 20-Aug-13 09:34 AM
Then we get ready for R.T. Rybak as the DFL's gubernatorial candidate. HINT: the ads practically write themselves.
Comment 4 by walter hanson at 20-Aug-13 05:13 PM
Gary:
At least it won't be Coleman. The two must be holding a competition to see who can manage a city worse!
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 5 by Ash at 18-Sep-13 02:57 PM
I voted for Dayton and believe me I won't again. I am so sick of rich people getting our tax money. The giveaway never stops it seems. Wait til the Mall of America expands. The politicians will stand in line to give the malls owners OUR money to expand THERE business. Sickening how the wealthy take advantage of anything they can. Shame on Wilf for taking OUR money. I think he can afford to invest in his business himself.
Durbin, Franken, Schumer use intimidation tactics
If anything's clear about the Democratic Party, it's that they won't hesitate in intimidating their political opponents. Recently, Sen. Dick Durbin tried bullying some conservative organizations :
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois thinks the Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups hasn't gone far enough, and he wants to help. He's doing some bullying of his own.
Mr. Durbin wrote to hundreds of corporate and foundation supporters of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a nonprofit organization that advances conservative policies in the state legislatures, demanding they tell him where they stand on Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' self-defense law. 'Although ALEC does not maintain a public list of corporate members or donors,' he wrote, 'other public documents indicate that your company funded ALEC at some point during the period between ALEC's adoption of model 'stand your ground' legislation in 2005 and the present day.: I am seeking clarification whether organizations that have funded ALEC's operations in the past currently support ALEC and the model 'stand your ground' legislation.'
That's off-limits and Sen. Durbin knows it:
Mr. Durbin's bullying recalls the bullying of the NAACP during the civil rights struggles in the South. In 1956, the state of Alabama tried to force disclosure of the group's members, knowing that many of them would feel threatened if their names became public knowledge. The Supreme Court intervened. Writing for a unanimous court, Justice John Marshall Harlan declared that 'this Court has recognized the vital relationship between freedom to associate and privacy in one's associations .' He agreed that making the names public would expose them to 'economic reprisal, loss of employment, threat of physical coercion, and other manifestations of physical hostility.' Similar economic reprisal is what the senator suggests, and not so subtly, with his letter.
Sen. Durbin isn't the only Democrat to threaten and intimidate conservative organizations. Check out this letter from Democratic senators Chuck Schumer, Al Franken, Michael Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Tom Udall and Jeanne Shaheen. At the top of the letterhead is this threatening line:
Senators Seek To End Tax Code Abuse By Political Groups Masquerading As 'Social Welfare Organizations'
This letter was sent to the IRS. Here's one of these Democrats' 'suggestions':
First, we urge the IRS to adopt a bright line test in applying its 'primary purpose' regulation that is consistent with the Code's 501(c)(4) exclusivity language. The IRS currently only requires that the purpose of these non-profits be 'primarily' related to social welfare activities, without defining what 'primarily' means. This standard should be spelled out more fully by the IRS. Some have suggested 51 percent as an appropriate threshold for establishing that a nonprofit is adhering to its mission, but even this number would seem to allow for more political election activity than should be permitted under the law. In the absence of clarity in the administration of section 501(c)(4), organizations are tempted to abuse its vagueness, or worse, to organize under section 501(c)(4) so that they may avail themselves of its advantages even though they are not legitimate social welfare organizations. If the IRS does not adopt a bright line test, or if it adopts one that is inconsistent with the Code's exclusivity language, then we plan to pursue legislation codifying such a test.
This letter from these senators gives the IRS the political cover they need to harass conservative organizations' (c)(4) applications.
Second, such organizations should be further obligated to document in their 990 IRS form the exact percentage of their undertakings dedicated to 'social welfare.' Organizations should be required to 'show their math' to demonstrate that political election activities and other statutorily limited or prohibited activities do not violate the 'primary purpose' regulation.
The IRS 990 form isn't a public document. It's confidential for the reasons stated in the NAACP vs. Alabama Supreme Court decision.
These Democrats' actions proves that they won't hesitate in intimidating legitimate organizations. They're proof of the Democrats' culture of corruption. Over the last 4 years, 292 conservative organizations have applied for exempt status. It isn't that these applications have been rejected. It's that they've been held so that these organizations can't even appeal the rulings.
Despite this activity, Acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, an Obama appointee, testified that the IRS hasn't engaged in political warfare. At this point, with this amount of evidence, why should anyone believe them?
Tags: Dick Durbin , Chuck Schumer , Al Franken , IRS , Intimidation , Democrats
Posted Sunday, August 18, 2013 12:53 PM
No comments.
Dayton pursues dead end jobs, Part I
I shouldn't be surprised by this but, according to this KSTP segment, some of Mark Dayton's secret jobs trips were expensive wastes of time:
Jay Kolls' report is quite revealing:
Sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that Governor Dayton, or members of his Cabinet, have quietly made numerous trips out West and overseas to try and lure clean energy and technology companies to Minnesota.
Sources tell us there are "several California companies in play" to bring clean energy jobs to the state and those "could number more than a thousand jobs over several years" according to those same sources. We have also been told members of the Dayton Administration also courted clean energy technology in China.
There's no question that these companies are being offered big tax breaks to move here. Similarly, there's no question that these companies' long-term profitability is questionable. There's no question because these companies haven't been profitable without significant government subsidies. There's no reason to think that they'll fare any better in Minnesota than in California or China.
More importantly, why won't Gov. Dayton offer these tax breaks to companies already here? What makes these companies in California and China deserving of tax breaks that Minnesota companies can't get?
Here's a thought: Gov. Dayton should develop the in-state industries just waiting to take off . Unfortunately, the DFL's opposition to industries that've proven themselves is intense.
Tags: Mark Dayton , Green Energy , Technology , California , China , Subsidies , Solyndra , DFL , Twin Metals Project , PolyMet Mining , Iron Range , Mining Jobs , Blue Collar Jobs , Special Interests , Conservation Minnesota
Posted Monday, August 19, 2013 1:12 AM
No comments.
Dayton pursues dead end jobs, Part II
Since he got into office, Gov. Dayton has catered to the anti-mining wing of the DFL. That's because his first ex-wife, Alida Messinger, a) opposes mining, b) opposes Iron Rangers making a better living for themselves and their families and c) writes big checks to fund the DFL and its chief smear campaign machine, aka the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, aka ABM.
According to their website, Alida Messinger is the Vice-President of Conservation Minnesota , a radical environmentalist organization that's opposed to the PolyMet and Twin Metals mining projects.
According to his St. Cloud Times op-ed , Rolf Westgard is "a professional member of the Geological Society of America. He teaches classes on energy subjects for the University of Minnesota Lifelong Learning program." Dr. Westgard has a dramatically different take on precious metals mining. It's dramatically different because he deals with facts, not hysteria:
Environmentalists are lined up in opposition to these projects, viewing them as a serious threat to water quality. The issue is these ores are reactive sulfide minerals. When mined, the sulfur comes in contact with water and oxygen, forming sulfuric acid. This acid can then dissolve and carry away toxic elements, polluting water supplies in a process known as acid rock drainage.
In the past, acidic metal-rich waters from mining have damaged the environment when mining companies did not follow safe practices. Today, mining companies have to be good stewards of the environment, and our laws are made to ensure this happens.
At Ladysmith, Wis., Kennecott operated an open pit copper sulfide mine that operated 140 feet from the Flambeau River in the 1990s. During the mining all of the surface area drainage and pit pumping water went into a treatment plant that successfully purified the water so it could be safely returned to the environment.
Upon closure, to avoid ARD, the pit was backfilled with the waste rock that was stripped from the pit along with 30,000 tons of limestone. Limestone was added to neutralize any ARD that formed while the pit was exposed. There were no violations of its permits in construction, operation and closure. These are practices required in Minnesota.
In other words, these companies are experts at mining the precious metals without contaminating drinking water or causing major health hazards. They have a history of cleaning up after themselves, too. That isn't because they're altruistic. It's because they're monitored by the EPA at the federal level and state agencies in the various states.
While Gov. Dayton pursues 'high tech jobs of the future' in California, Minnesota is literally sitting on a gold mine in northern Minnesota that would create thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars in tax revenue for the state:
Minnesota owns more than 6,000 acres of land in the region, and it stands to collect $2.5 billion in royalties in the coming decades if mining proceeds. This state property is known as 'school trust lands.' Under the Minnesota Constitution, income from such lands is earmarked for the Permanent School Fund, which contributes about $60 per pupil to every school district. An analysis by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources projected that the school fund, with assets of $720 million, could more than triple in size with copper royalties during the next 25 to 30 years.
Why wouldn't we take advantage of this gold mine? Why wouldn't we help the blue collar people of the Range earn a better living? Right now, families in St. Louis County make almost $15,000 a year less than the statewide average. Why wouldn't we want more money going into the Permanent School Fund? It's the easiest of easy money.
If the goals are to fund schools without overburdening taxpayers while restoring prosperity to the Iron Range and economic health to the state, issuing permits for the PolyMet and Twin Metals projects is the way to go. It's the fastest way to get from Point A to Point B.
This route isn't being taken because the DFL's special interest puppeteers aren't interested in funding schools with minimal costs to Minnesota's taxpayers. The DFL's special interest puppeteers aren't interested in restoring prosperity to the Range. The biggest mistake conservatives make is thinking that the DFL leadership is interested in doing the right thing for the right reasons.
It's important to understand that the DFL will always do the right thing...when it's the only option left.
Meanwhile, Gov. Dayton will continue recruiting companies that require massive government subsidies to succeed. It's a shame that he just doesn't put in place policies that help companies already here succeed.
Tags: Mark Dayton , Special Interests , Environmental Extremists , Conservation Minnesota , MiningTruths.org , Alida Messinger , DFL , Iron Range , Twin Metals , PolyMet , Blue Collar Workers , Mining Jobs , Median Household Income , Kennecott Mining , Prosperity
Posted Monday, August 19, 2013 2:19 PM
No comments.
President Potter's enrollment nightmare
The last few years, enrollment at St. Cloud State has declined. When the totals are reported this year, it'll confirm that this is the 4th straight year of declining enrollments. A report compiled by Tom Fauchald using MnSCU data showed that St. Cloud State would experience a drop in revenues of $8,218,0000 for the school year that's about to start .
Another way of looking at St. Cloud State's enrollment crisis is that their enrollment peaked at over 18,400 students for the 2010-11 school year. This year, that total is projected to be 15,600. That's a drop of 2,800 students in 3 years. That's a drop of approximately 15%.
As startling as those figures are, that's only part of the problem. The biggest problem is that St. Cloud State's enrollments won't rebound for at least another 4 years. If that's the case, that means St. Cloud State will lose at least $25,000,000 in tuition revenues before enrollment rebounds. That's assuming that it rebounds soon. If it doesn't, St. Cloud State will lose significantly more revenues.
Attached to that frightening figure is that student fees revenues are tied directly to enrollment. One of the things that students fees help pay for is the football program. If enrollment continues dropping, the student fees that pay for the football program drop, too.
This enrollment decline won't turn around without a change in strategy. That won't happen until President Potter is terminated or retires. President Potter's rebranding initiative is a failure. Their billboards and late night TV advertising essentially delivers the message that St. Cloud State exists.
The ads don't talk about great programs. They don't talk about the skills students will learn to propel them into their career. They don't talk about anything that will get a potential student's attention. That means this advertising won't turn potential students into the next incoming freshman class.
During the first year of declining enrollment, the administration tried spinning the drop in enrollment as part of their rightsizing plan. Clearly, that spin isn't convincing after 3 years of major enrollment decreases.
When Mahmoud Saffari was fired from his position as St. Cloud State's Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Provost Maholtra's letter to Saffari said "During my tenure as provost you have not produced a satisfactory strategic enrollment management plan, despite my continual counsel to you to focus on data analytics and statistical predictive models."
It's almost been 2 years since Dr. Saffari was given his termination notice. Since that day, nobody at the university has been with putting together "a satisfactory strategic enrollment management plan." It's apparent that this wasn't really a priority for St. Cloud State. It's apparent that was just an excuse to terminate Dr. Saffari.
It wouldn't be fair to blame the enrollment decline on Saffari's termination. It's more than fair, though, to say St. Cloud State's enrollment management system is flailing since Dr. Saffari's departure.
If President Potter doesn't turn this enrollment trend around, he'll deserve a termination notice, too. Annually losing millions of dollars in tuition revenue and student fees isn't the right way to rebrand St. Cloud State.
Tags: St. Cloud State University , Earl Potter , Enrollment Declines , College Tuition , Student Fees , Reorganizing , Devinder Maholtra , Mahmoud Saffari
Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2013 10:25 AM
No comments.
Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox and the Affordable Care Act
The Dayton administration has decided to foolishly spend $9,000,000 to get people to enroll in their health insurance exchange, aka HIX:
According to Pat Kessler's report, the Dayton administration is hoping to entice 1,300,000 into enrolling in Minnesota's HIX. That's unrealistic because that's just a bit less than 25% of Minnesota's population. That's especially unrealistic considering the fact that the federal data hub can't guarantee people's privacy :
Last week, two committees of the U.S. House of Representatives held a joint hearing to examine privacy and security issues related to an information exchange system, commonly referred to as the 'data hub.' The data hub is managed by HHS and facilitates access to information currently held in federal government databases that is necessary to determine an individual's eligibility for certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act (health reform). For example, an individual's eligibility for a federal subsidy to purchase health insurance requires verification of income and family size from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), immigration status from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and incarceration status from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The hearing took place only a few months before enrollment will open for individuals seeking to purchase health insurance through one of the new 'health insurance marketplaces' (formerly called health insurance exchanges) and a month after a GAO report found that as of April, HHS had only completed 20% of its work to 'establish appropriate privacy protections and capacity to accept, store, associate and process documents from individual applicants.'
Why should people enroll in a system that virtually guarantees identity theft?
As for the ads, they're what you'd expect from amateurs. It's apparent that they weren't done by creative professionals.
'I think what we are trying to do is reach as many Minnesotans as we can with accurate and positive messages,' executive April Todd-Malmov said.
If that's their mission, they failed miserably.
Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2013 10:52 AM
No comments.
St. Cloud can't afford this boondoggle
Last night, the St. Cloud City Council held a study session prior to their regular meeting. Item #1 on the study session's agenda was the construction of an aquatic center. Here's one of the important details St. Cloud citizens should know about:
In 2007, the City of St. Cloud and its surrounding local government partners commissioned a feasibility study aimed at defining the services, capital improvements, and annual costs associated with a community aquatic center. A number of community stakeholders participated on the study advisory committee to gauge potential partnerships in utilizing and funding of the facility. The study indicates broad community support for the facility but projected capital costs of more than $20,000,000 for the desired amenities and programming.
I question the support for the facility, especially with that price tag on it. I don't doubt that people would think that it's a great-sounding idea. I'm just skeptical that lots of people would think it's worth raising their city property taxes to build a building that doesn't serve St. Cloud's core functions.
I'm even more skeptical of the extent of the support for this proposed boondoggle because the city doesn't share in the aquatic center's profits. First, it's questionable whether people would use the aquatic center. Second, it's difficult to understand why St. Cloud residents would agree to a tax increase to pay for a recreational facility at a time when St. Cloud's roads need repairing.
It's foolish for St. Cloud to take out a loan (that's what bonds are) to pay for a building that a nonprofit will run. It's more foolish to think that St. Cloud would do this without some sort of revenue-sharing agreement. What's essentially happening is that St. Cloud would take out a loan to build the building, then raise taxes to pay for the building that a) isn't part of St. Cloud's core responsibilities and b) will be run by a nonprofit that only benefits the nonprofit organization.
That's more than enough justification to scrap this disaster. Unfortunately, there's more down-side to this project:
The City will bear the costs of the exterior building upkeep and maintenance and major building maintenance and repairs.
Great. The YMCA benefits. St. Cloud taxpayers foot the bill for a building they don't need. Taxes are raised to pay for something that St. Cloud doesn't need.
If St. Cloud wants to spend money, it should be spent on essential services exclusively. Building and maintaining aquatic centers aren't essential services. To take out a loan on something this frivolous, then pay that loan off by raising taxes is the height of foolishness.
Let's hope the City Council shoots this proposal down ASAP. If they don't, I'll lead a campaign to defeat the councilmen and women that vote to fund this boondoggle.
Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2013 4:48 PM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 22-Aug-13 01:26 PM
I think St. Cloud needs to talk to Vadnais Heights and see how well their sports complex is doing and then re-think this whole thing.
