March 22-25, 2013
Mar 22 03:23 Meandering through a world with a different colored sun? Mar 22 04:03 Rep. Winkler: Let's throw away the taxpayers' money Mar 22 05:27 Assessing Allegiant Air's hiatus impact Mar 22 10:13 Thissen's laughable statement Mar 22 16:02 Thissen's temporary tax increase: how temporary is it? Mar 23 17:10 Wild surge continues Mar 24 08:12 Do we all "want the same things"? Mar 24 09:38 TV stations need better pundits Mar 25 04:07 SCSU Faculty Association challenges administration on student transcripts
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Meandering through a world with a different colored sun?
While watching Vice President Biden talk on the substantive issues of the day, I often get the impression that the color of the sun in his world is different than the sun that this earth orbits. This interview is one for the ages:
Block: Let's start with the assault weapons ban that does appear to be dying in the Senate. Is the White House still pushing to have that passed? Do you assume that it's now not going to happen?
Biden: I am still pushing that it pass. We are still pushing that it pass. The same thing was told to me when the first assault weapons ban in 1994 was attached to the Biden Crime bill; that it couldn't possibly pass. It was declared dead several times. I believe that the vast majority of the American people agree with us. The vast majority of gun owners agree with us. That military-style assault weapons are - these are weapons of war. They don't belong in the street, and the recent decision declaring the right of someone to own a weapon in their home for self-protection, Justice [Antonin] Scalia acknowledged that you can constitutionally banned certain type of weapons. And, so, I haven't given up on this.
Block: You are going to push for it. The Majority Leader Harry Reid says he doesn't even have 40 votes for the assault weapons ban.
Biden: Look, last time we passed it we only had seven Republican votes in 1994.
Block: But he doesn't have the Democrats.
Biden: Well, again. I have never found that it makes any sense to support something and declare that there is no possibility of it passing. There is a lot happening. Attitudes are changing, and I think the president and I are going to continue to push and we haven't given up on it.
Having only 7 Republicans vote for the 1994 assault weapons ban is one thing. Having all 45 Republicans and 15 or more Democrats voting against Sen. Feinstein's bill is quite another. Apparently, Vice President Biden hasn't figured that out.
As foolish as that is, the part that's more telling is when he says that "attitudes are changing" about assault weapons. If he's thinking that attitudes are changing in the administration's direction, he needs to hop in his spaceship and return to this solar system.
Then again, perhaps we're better off with him off in that distant galaxy.
Tags: Joe Biden , Gun Control , Assault Weapons Ban , Harry Reid , US Senate , Democrats , Antonin Scalia , SCOTUS , Heller , Second Amendment , Gun Rights
Posted Friday, March 22, 2013 3:23 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 23-Mar-13 12:38 PM
Gary:
Lets not forget with the way they have tried to pass bills without Republican support 7 is a high target number. Maybe he thinks those democrats will march blind step with them.
Of course not mentioned in 1994 the Republicans took control of both the house and the senate because the public kicked out a lot of the democrats who did vote for the ban. Didn't they learn anything from the health care vote.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Rep. Winkler: Let's throw away the taxpayers' money
I've been a hockey fan since the mid-1960's. In 1967, I bought a copy of the Minnesota North Stars Yearbook. That yearbook had a picture of Bill Masterton, the only hockey player to die as a direct result of an injury sustained in a hockey game. I watched the U of M, then coached by Herb Brooks, win 3 national championships. Those games weren't broadcast on ESPN. I'm enjoying watching the Minnesota Wild play (and defeat) some of the strongest teams in the NHL.
In short, I've got the credentials to prove that I'm a hockey fanatic.
That said, it irritates me when a meddling legislator, in this instance Rep. Ryan Winkler, wants to spend $800,000 to continue the rivalry between the U of M and the University of North Dakota :
Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, introduced a bill on Thursday that would give the University of Minnesota the money if at least one game is scheduled against the University of North Dakota that year.
'We have to maintain that hockey tradition,' said Winkler, who grew up in a hockey family in Bemidji. 'I think it's enough to get the athletics department attention.'
Winkler said he was trying to make a statement with the bill; nothing will happen with it. The two teams faced off in their final conference game on Jan. 19. North Dakota will depart for the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference, while Minnesota will join five other Big Ten teams with hockey programs.
That's BS. If he just wanted to "make a statement" about keeping the rivalry going, a simple resolution and a press conference would've gotten the teams' attention.
Attaching a dollar amount, especially $800,000, won't just get the teams' attention. It'll get the teams' hands out with the expectation of getting paid to continue the rivalry.
It's also likely to stir up some bad blood with St. Cloud State. SCSU's rivalry doesn't have the lengthy history that the U of M-UND rivalry has but it's had some memorable games in its history, starting with the 2-2 tie in the first SCSU-U of M game. Nobody gave
St. Cloud State a chance in that game, which was the first game played at the then-brand new National Hockey Center.
But I digress.
Here's a suggestion for Rep. Winkler: Quit meddling in collegiate sports. Allegedly, you're a legislator dealing with serious budget issues. Perhaps your time is best spent figuring out how to save money. Better yet, perhaps you could focus on not spending money this foolishly.
Apparently, Rep. Winkler's priorities and time management need adult supervision. It's clear he's spending too much time focusing on trivialities and not enough time on Minnesota's priorities.
Tags: Ryan Winkler , Hockey Rivalry , Minnesota Goldend Gophers , North Dakota Fighting Sioux , Zach Parise , Neal Broten , WCHA , SCSU , DFL
Posted Friday, March 22, 2013 4:03 AM
Comment 1 by Mike Dellwo at 22-Mar-13 11:40 AM
Man this one got my blood boiling. Sent Winkler an email expressing my outrage and concern over his clear disconnect from our fiscal reality. Doubt I'll get anything but a canned letter back, if even that.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 22-Mar-13 12:10 PM
Good for you, Mike.
Comment 2 by Chad Q at 22-Mar-13 03:46 PM
I think Winkler got ripped off with his ivy league education if this is the crap he's dreaming up. Oh and the whole DFL party needs adult supervision based on the bills being introduced, not just Winkler.
Comment 3 by walter hanson at 22-Mar-13 04:01 PM
Does this mean we'll spend $800,000 each to play a game with Mankato state, Saint Cloud state, Benjamdi, and Dulth State?
Oh and just maybe God forbid this didn't cross Winkler's mind that maybe the Gophers and North Dakota were working on getting their schedules to include the game already and didn't care about having $800,000 which they will now demand if they hadn't made it official.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Assessing Allegiant Air's hiatus impact
Allegiant Airlines' announcement that they were temporarily shutting down air service from St. Cloud Regional Airport caught people by surprise:
Allegiant Airlines will suspend its service between St. Cloud and Arizona from Aug. 14-Oct. 9, the company confirmed Thursday.
The news came in response to an inquiry from the St. Cloud Times. Allegiant Media Relations Manager Jessica Wheeler said the cost-cutting move is not unusual for the company that specializes in point-to-point flights to leisure destinations, although it's more common on Allegiant's Florida routes.
'It's something we do as part of our business plan to keep costs low when we do fly,' Wheeler said.
She said the timing of the suspension is driven by the cyclical demand for leisure travel. Vacations tend to drop off as a new school year approaches, rebounding as holiday travel periods approach.
Based on the statistics, it looks like Allegiant isn't having difficulty filling their flights:
During January and February, Allegiant handled 5,142 passenger departures and arrivals in St. Cloud, according to data requested by the Times. The data suggests the flights, on McDonnell-Douglas MD-80s that carry about 150 passengers, have been near capacity. Airlines generally don't release passenger load information for specific routes.
The airport's data shows use was fairly evenly split among travelers headed to Arizona and those coming to Minnesota: 2,686 going south in those two months and 2,466 headed north from Arizona.
Attracting St. Cloud to Chicago air service relies on a different dynamic. Airlines are significantly less likely to move into a market that doesn't provide workforce training, especially pilots and mechanics. The healthier the pipelines for pilots and mechanics, the more attractive the market is to an airlines. This article illustrates how important that pipeline is:
In an email to prospective job seekers on Friday, American Eagle Airlines announced that it is offering a $5,000 signing bonus for newly hired pilots. At present, Eagle plans to hire 600 new pilots in 2013. New FAA rules require that new airline pilots meet Airline Transport Pilot license standards.
American Eagle notes that American Airlines, its parent company, is planning to hire 2,500 pilots over the next five years. Approximately half of the current list of Eagle pilots is expected to be hired by American or other major airlines.
The $5,000 bonus is paid at the beginning of training and requires a two year commitment to Eagle. According to Airline Pilot Central, American Eagle's first year pay is $25 per hour with a 75 hour reserve guarantee. This works out to about $22,500 for the first year, not including the bonus. Pay is relatively flat for turboprop first officers, but FOs on jets, the majority of the fleet, will see an increase to $34 per hour and about $30,600 annually for the second year. Currently, the most junior captain has a hire date of May 2006, but as the major airlines ramp up their hiring, upgrades could potentially move much faster.
In short, Allegiant's reason for its hiatus has nothing to do with St. Cloud's ability to attract regional air service between St. Cloud and Chicago. If St. Cloud has a healthy aviation program, it stands a fighting shot at getting air service. If it doesn't have a healthy aviation program, it can't compete with other markets competing for regional air service.
Rather than shutting down St. Cloud State's Aviation program, MnSCU should be talking about opening up a program to train air maintenance workers at the St. Cloud Technical and Community College. Strengthening, not eliminating, St. Cloud's aviation workforce program is the only decision that makes sense.
Tags: Allegiant Air , Tourism , Arizona , Regional Air Service , American Eagle , Starting Bonuses , Pilots , Mechanics , St. Cloud State , MnSCU , Earl Potter , SCTCC
Posted Friday, March 22, 2013 5:27 AM
No comments.
SCSU Faculty Association challenges administration on student transcripts
The minutes for the November 1 Meet and Confer meeting point to the growing tension between the Potter administration and the SCSU Faculty Association. Here's the testiest confrontation from the meeting:
Admin: The record of taking the class is dropped from the transcript. It is not a letter grade but an action.
FA: One thing not here is retrospective decisions being made over several years. We understand the requests come in from people who want records changed from over a decade ago.
Admin: The time of the request is the time the decision would be made. You can decipher what semester it impacted by the refund. I'm told that doesn't happen but only in the current year. This is organized by the fiscal year of request.
FA: Refunds that were processed in year 2012, that would be for courses taken in 2012 because refunds are not issued. But this is not information from a drop.
Admin: The incident is recorded when the student makes the request.
FA: You haven't answered my question. This is only about refunds.
Admin: That is correct.
FA: Refunds are only issued in the year they are taken. For fiscal 12 409 would have been courses in 2012. It doesn't tell us about drops or withdrawals.
Admin: That's correct.
FA: This chart doesn't tell us anything.
Admin: I don't think SCSU is unique to this data problem of finding an easy way to record and sustain the decision. When the decision is made a communication would be made to the student. In short of rummaging in every student file the information is difficult to obtain. Going forward we will have a better way.
FA: We asked for this two years ago. This is a problem of integrity. There are legitimate reasons for dropping courses, but what about five years ago? Someone fails a class and why would they come back five years later to change the grade?
Admin: I'm not disagreeing. Let me work with Phil.
FA: Mitch gave us that report that showed that data.
Admin: The magnitude of the analysis was smaller than what is going on today. It was easier for Mitch to go and manage than it is today. There were 409 refunds issued in 12 months and that doesn't count all the transcript changes and it doesn't include all the times the transcript was asked to be change. We need a system. We cannot today get summary data.
The quote that hits hardest is when the FA says "This is a problem of integrity. There are legitimate reasons for dropping courses but what about five years ago? Someone fails a class and why would they come back five years later to change the grade?"
Challenging the administration's integrity isn't a tiny issue. It's troubling that the SCSU administration didn't dispute the fact that students from "five years ago" got their failing grades deleted. What's worst is that the administration is struggling to find a solution to this problem:
FA: I think we should be thinking proactively with data cubes: ?
Admin: No. I've been working for two days and Image Now is fatally flawed.
FA: I don't disbelieve you. But we can set up spreadsheets, this shouldn't be rocket science. I understand the move but we need to start putting this into some form that can be tracked and pulled. These numbers are astonishing. Can you speak about the reasons why people are given refunds?
If the University's software isn't effectively tracking this information, why didn't they set up a system utilizing spreadsheets or other types of software? Might it be that the administration isn't interested in tracking this information? It certainly can't be ruled out based on the Faculty Association's assertion that it's "a problem of integrity."
This exchange won't flatter the administration, either:
FA: Giving the way we are watching numbers, the idea that we don't have command of this data is scary.
Admin: Yes.
FA: We asked for a representative sample so we could look at some of these. I sent that to both of you. I hear that people are counseling faculty for people who can do this with low grade point averages so that they can go and do this.
Admin: You would have to give me specific examples.
TRANSLATION: FA to the administration: It's frightening that you don't have a system for tracking transcripts. Administration: You're right. FA to the administration: We asked you for information about this. Administration: We'll get you the information. Trust us.
Given this administration's mishandling of the students' transcripts, the FA shouldn't trust this administration's tracking of the students' transcripts.
Tags: St. Cloud State , Meet And Confer , Faculty Association , Administration , Student Transcripts , Corruption , Integrity , Earl Potter
Posted Monday, March 25, 2013 4:07 AM
Comment 1 by Jethro at 25-Mar-13 12:46 PM
To say this is an embarrassment would be an understatement. The question remains: Who is going to get fired?
Thissen's laughable statement
Speaker Paul Thissen has made several statements that deserve ridiculing. Here's Speaker Thissen's latest laughable statement :
House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he shares some of Lenczewski's concerns, but considers himself a strong supporter of Mayo's expansion.
'I very much want to see these investments made in Rochester, but I want to do it in a way that also protects the interests of the state of Minnesota,' he said.
Speaker Thissen's statement is laughable considering his enthusiastic vote for last year's Vikings stadium. That funding mechanism was fraught with perils. The latest projections show the e-tabs revenue is falling far short of what's needed to pay the state's share of the stadium. Theren are even worries that Minnesota's taxpayers will pay for it through the general fund.
Speaker Thissen's concerns for protecting Minnesota's taxpayers is selective at best. We'd be far better served if Speaker Thissen consistently paid attention to protecting Minnesota's taxpayers. Minnesotans don't need politicians who selectively pay attention to funding mechanism for the Mayo Clinic but ignore the Vikings stadium funding mechanism. I wrote here that one DFL legislator called the Vikings stadium funding mechanism as "being held together with 'duct tape.'"
It's amazing how silent Speaker Thissen was then, especially considering the possibility of Minnesota taxpayers getting hit with a bill well in excess of $100,000,000. 'Watchdogs' that miss a $100,000,000 bill to the taxpayers aren't the type of watchdog that I'd trust.
Tags: Paul Thissen , Mayo Clinic , Vikings Stadium , Public Funding , Minnesota General Fund , State Subsidies , DFL , Taxpayers' Watchdog
Posted Friday, March 22, 2013 11:21 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 22-Mar-13 03:56 PM
Gary:
You should've called it more accurately.
A blind watch dog that can't see waste which can't smell waste also.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 22-Mar-13 04:06 PM
It's impossible to find what you refuse to look for.
Thissen's temporary tax increase: how temporary is it?
This MinnPost article doesn't inspire confidence that Speaker Thissen's 'temporary' income tax surcharge will be that temporary. This is the part that caught my attention:
'I think the key [to making a tax temporary] is the Legislature has to take responsibility for enacting any kind of a surtax and making sure there's a workable blink-on or blink-off, or remove it when they don't need it anymore.'
That's frightening. When has the DFL ever found that they couldn't find something else to spend the revenues on? It isn't a matter of the DFL not needing the revenue. It's a matter of the DFL finding another political ally to pay off with the revenues.
With the DFL addicted to spending other people's money, there's no reason to think that they won't find other 'investments' worthy of supporting. It's like the moth-flame thing. The
When you consider the fact that Rep. Winkler proposed spending $800,000 to keep the U of M-UND hockey rivalry going, the likelihood of the DFL exercising fiscal restraint doesn't seem that strong. If you consider the fact that the DFL wants to spend 11% more on this budget than the biggest budget in state history, the odds that the DFL will exercise anything resembling fiscal restraint are steep, if not prohibitive.
Even if the Thissen income tax surcharge legislation includes a sunset date, that doesn't guarantee that the surcharge will be temporary. It would only take a majority vote in the House and Senate, then Gov. Dayton's signature. Picturing DFL legislators voting for a tax increase isn't difficult. Picturing Gov. Dayton signing another tax increase isn't difficult, either.
Tags: Income Tax Surcharge , Tax Increase , Income Tax , , Sunset Provision , DFL
Posted Friday, March 22, 2013 4:02 PM
Comment 1 by Speed Gibson at 22-Mar-13 04:17 PM
It never was about fairness. They want to spend more and how much is determining whether the top 1 or 2 or 3 percent get hit. (Directly. We all get hit indirectly.) 3% probably didn't poll well, given all the 2% postulating they did. A higher rate on 2% takes MN to #1 in country. OK, so let's lay off some of it on insurance fees (pensions). And we'll stiff the schools another 4 years. Metro taxes for transit but of course, Mpls/St. Paul will get secret new funding to offset it. And we'll promise the surcharge is only temporary, thinking the targeted will believe them and therefore won't move themselves or their businesses. When you look at what the money's for, this is some of the most raw, dirty public greed and graft in MN history.
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 22-Mar-13 11:32 PM
That's exactly right, Rex. You've totally nailed it.
Comment 3 by Chad Q at 23-Mar-13 08:51 AM
While I'm not in the top tax bracket yet, I'm not waiting around to become the next part of the "rich" the DFL wants to tax so I will be moving out of MN in the near future. If people like me are moving out of the state, just think about all the people in the top tax bracket that will move to avoid paying a permanent higher tax along with this so called temporary surcharge. The so called better quality of life that higher taxes are supposed to bring is not worth it and even rich liberals will be moving to other parts of the country to avoid it.
Wild surge continues
The Minnesota Wild continued their surge in the Western Conference standings with a convincing 2-0 shutout of the San Jose Sharks. Niklas Bakstrom stopped all 33 shots for his first shutout of the season. Ryan Suter and Mikko Koivu assisted on a pair of power play goals and they didn't let their foot off the gas pedal in the third period. Here's Zach Parise's power play goal from Koivu and Suter:
What a great pass from Koivu. That's the type of pass that doesn't connect unless the chemistry between Koivu and Parise is good. It's the type of play only confident players make. The fact that they made it look that easy says that they're playing with lots of confidence and that they've got great chemistry together. The other impressive part of that goal is that Niemi, the Sharks' goalie, didn't have a chance on the play. That was a sniper's goal, one that only the most talented players have a chance of making.
Jared Spurgeon's goal isn't posted yet but Niemi didn't have a chance on that shot either. Koivu won a battle in the corner, then saucered the puck out to Suter. Suter collected himself, then sent a touch pass to Spurgeon for a one-timer from the top of the left face-off circle. Though Spurgeon's shot was a one-timer, that doesn't mean it was a wrist shot. Spurgeon's shot was a booming slapper, where he wound up as the puck was going from Suter to Spurgeon.
Still, it's impossible to say that Niklas Bakstrom wasn't the first star of the game. He was tracking the puck exceptionally well. He stopped a penalty shot early in the game when the outcome was anything but certain. He handled all the first shots with ease, then directing the puck to his defensemen.
Early in the season, the Wild played well for a period, occasionally playing well for two periods before letting down in the third period. They haven't gotten rid of that bad habit during their current 5-game winning streak, though today was about as strong as they've played all season. It was a 60-minute, complete-game performance.
Charlie Coyle continues his impressive play. He isn't scoring tons of points but his play along the wall and in the corners is impressive, especially for a rookie. He certainly doesn't look like the game's too big for him. The same must be said for Jonas Brodin, who is leading NHL rookies in ice time.
Even though they didn't figure in the scoring tonight, Matt Cullen, Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley played strong games. Each played good physical games, throwing their weight around when they got opportunities and establishing a strong forecheck from the opening face-off to the final buzzer.
The Wild continue to be the hottest team in the Western Conference the last three weeks. Their defense is playing with confidence. Niklas Backstrom is a human vacuum cleaner between the pipes. They've got 4 lines that are each filling their niche. The Mitchell-Clutterbuck-Brodziak line had a strong game on the forecheck. Torrey Mitchell got under his former team's skin much of the game, with the highlight being this fight with Tommy Wingels:
As they've gained more confidence, the Wild have started putting more pressure on in the offensive zone. They still have yet to play their perfect game, though today's game was easily their strongest game this season.
The playoffs are still a ways off. Still, if the wild continue playing at this level, something I think they're capable of doing, they'll be a nightmare for most teams in April and beyond.
Tags: Minnesota Wild , Zach Parise , Power Play , Jared Spurgeon , Niklas Backstrom , Penalty Shot , Shutout , Charlie Coyle , Jonas Brodin , Minnesota Wild , San Jose Sharks , Stanley Cup Playoffs
Posted Saturday, March 23, 2013 5:10 PM
No comments.
Do we all "want the same things"?
This recent LTE is titled "We all want the same things." It's possible that the LTE was written by someone wanting to be polite and professional. It's possible that it's accurate most of the time. It's impossible to say, though, that it's right the vast majority of the time.
This part of the LTE shouldn't be underexamined:
When he came into the room to speak to the Chamber of Commerce, all the members stood up and applauded. He could have owned that room if he would have said a few things: Thank you for all the jobs you provide in Minnesota; thank you for being the economic engine that drives this state; thank you for taking out time in your schedule to talk about the issues today that are important to Minnesota; and we can work together to make some difficult decisions and compromises to make Minnesota the greatest state to do business in.
It's true that Gov. Dayton would've been a hero had he said those things. Likewise, it's true that that isn't in his, or the DFL's, nature. Gov. Dayton and the DFL have repeatedly stated that funding K-12 and higher education was the cornerstone to a thriving economy. At other times, they've said that funding transportation was integral to prosperity. While it's true that those things contribute to economic growth, there's no question that they're only part of the equation that delivers economic prosperity.
Based on the DFL's actions and the actions of their political allies, the DFL apparently thinks that crippling regulations, especially on precious metals mining and frack-sand harvest, won't hurt Minnesota's economic growth. The frack-sand moratorium will hurt job and income growth. North Dakota has a booming need for this sand. Minnesota's environmentalists' response has been disdain or outrage. They want to prevent this industry from getting started.
That's hardly the picture of "everyone wanting the same things."
Conservation Minnesota (with special emphasis on the CON) is doing everything possible to prevent Iron Rangers from providing for their families. Though other states have proven that it's quite possible to harvest copper, gold, nickel and other precious metals in an environmentally friendly way, Conservation Minnesota has fought hard to prevent the PolyMet and Twin Metals projects from starting.
That isn't the picture of "everyone wanting the same things."
I'd agree that everyone professes to wanting the same things. President Reagan was right, though, in saying you can't love jobs but hate the employer. Though that was said 30 years ago, President Reagan's statement accurately depicts the DFL/ABM/Mark Dayton/Paul Thissen/Tom Bakk mindset perfectly.
Gov. Dayton and other likeminded politicians think that businesses aren't contributing "their fair share" to Minnesota's economic health. They've taken the jobs these companies have created for granted. The thought of actually appreciating the benefits these companies provide Minnesota's families and communities doesn't cross the DFL's mind.
The truth is that the DFL doesn't consistently want what Minnesota wants. The DFL frequently talks about using a "balanced approach" to balancing Minnesota's budget. That's a nice-sounding thing but it doesn't make sense. That implies that Minnesota's problem is revenue-based, not spending-based.
For instance, Don Betzold was on At Issue With Tom Hauser. He was discussing Michele Bachmann's plan to expand I-94 and Highway 10. He said "She (Bachmann) can't have it both ways. I wish she had supported extending the North Star Corridor to St. Cloud."
Betzold's argument is fatally flawed, starting with the undeniable fact that all transit lines, North Star included, require massive taxpayer subsidies. Betzold also ignored the fact that, without the taxpayers' massive annual bailout, North Star ridership wouldn't put a significant dent in the I-94 traffic.
I'm not alone in thinking that North Star shouldn't be extended to St. Cloud. I'm not alone in thinking that the taxpayers' subsidies, aka the taxpayers' annual bailout of transit, is a good investment. By definition, that means the DFL doesn't want what Minnesotans want on this issue.
It's time Minnesota's taxpayers stopped pretending that the DFL pretty much wants what they want. The facts don't bear that out.
Tags: Mark Dayton , Tax Increases , Don Betzold , North Star Corridor , Taxpayer Subsidies , Bailouts , Conservation Minnesota , Frack-Sand Moratorium , Unemployment , DFL , Michele Bachmann , Transportation , Interstate Highways , Public Safety , Minnesota Chamber of Commerce , Economic Growth , MNGOP
Posted Sunday, March 24, 2013 8:12 AM
No comments.
TV stations need better pundits
Most of the pundits on local TV shouldn't be on TV. Former state senator Don Betzold is one of those pundits. While criticizing Michele Bachmann for not supporting expansion of the North Star Corridor to St. Cloud, he insisted that extending the corridor would solve I-94's congestion problems. He hinted that expanding I-94 wasn't a priority.
That last part parrots a line from MnDOT Spokesman Kevin Gutknecht :
But Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Gutknecht said the I-94 widening doesn't rank high on the agency's long-term list of priority projects. 'There are projects like this all across the state - really good projects, really important projects, projects that have tremendous support like this,' he said. 'It all really boils down to the funding piece.'
Anyone that thinks fixing I-94's congestion problems isn't an important problem worthy of solution isn't qualified for a MnDOT job. Either that or he's a political hack attempting to undercut a sitting US congressperson.
But I digress.
Betzold's commentary suggested that expanding North Star was a solution. It isn't. In fact, it's a death trap that should be avoided at all costs. In addition to the construction costs, the taxpayers' subsidies that help bring the cost to riders down total tens of millions of dollars over the next decade. Without those subsidies, the cost per rider would be wildly expensive.
Then there's the consideration that people don't like transit that much. The DFL frequently insists that transit is the wave of the future. It isn't. Americans love the freedom of driving. We love being in control of our lives. That includes the ability to go where we want to go when we want to go there. Transit doesn't give us that option.
What transit lacks in mobility, it makes up for in subsidies. We shouldn't be in the business of subsidizing private industries. If they can't make it without subsidies, that's proof they aren't viable. A key economic principle is that if something isn't sustainable, it can't be sustained indefinitely. I'd take that a step further. If something can't be sustained, it's likely heading for a quick collapse.
The only thing as painful as listening to Betzold was hearing Tom Hauser call the I-94 project an earmark. Earmarks typically are dropped into a conference committee report in the dead of night. They don't go through the scrutiny of a committee mark-up. The I-94 project Michele Bachmann proposed went through the committee process. It was done in the light of day. Most importantly, the I-94 project isn't pork designed mostly to prove she's 'bringing home the bacon.' The I-94 project Michele proposed is actually a solution to a major problem.
Contrary to what Mssrs. Gutknecht and Betzold said, anyone who's been trapped at the bottlenecks where I-94, 694 and 494 connect knows that that's been a major problem for a generation. Anyone who's tried getting on I-94 near Bass Lake Road or Highway 101 knows that those have been problem areas for a decade.
If that isn't worthy of prioritizing, then nothing is. Mr. Hauser is usually a pretty good reporter. This time, though, he slipped.
Tags: Transportation , North Star Corridor , Subsidies , MnDOT , Kevin Gutknecht , DFL , Michele Bachmann , I-94 Expansion , Bottlenecks , Public Safety , Transparency , GOP
Posted Sunday, March 24, 2013 9:38 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 24-Mar-13 01:01 PM
Gary:
I'll add another part to your "Go to where we want" line. One reason why mass transit as setup for me doesn't work is that the MTC has two bus lines for me that I could try to use to get to my office. One will drop me off right at the office site, but I will have to walk about fifteen minutes to get to a spot to catch that bus. The second one I can catch by walking one block to catch, but then will have to walk about fifteen minutes after I get off because it won't take me close to my office.
When part of my work grade is being at work on time that is something you can't afford to take into account for trying to catch a bus (Oh by the way sometimes they are late)
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Speed Gibson at 24-Mar-13 05:57 PM
The question never even asked is, OK, so you take the train to St. Cloud. Now what? You have no car to take you to the mall, SCSU, etc., bus options being very limited, taxis obviously expensive, and then there's the weather.
Comment 3 by Gary Gross at 24-Mar-13 06:44 PM
Rex, it's all about chanting their mantra, then not getting questioned about how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
A real journalist would ask that tough follow-up question.
