Unintended Consequences

Minneapolis, 2006 Elections The fight for the mayor's office may have a ripple effect for the '06 elections. While the crime issue is a common weapon in mayoral races of large cities, I wonder if Amy's people are quiely asking the boys in Minneapolis to knock it off? Go read KvM and MDE to see what I mean.

Is Being Progressive Bad?

Bloomington In a September 29 letter to the Sun-Current former mayor and current 41B candidate Kurt Laughinghouse and his wife endorse Karen Nordstrom. The letter states there is no party politics involved, but one statement stuck out.

Karen is far and away the progressive candidate for the position - by activity and background.

This fact was not missed by one Tim Keseluk of Bloomington. He responds with this letter.

Klassen: responsible fiscal conservative To the editor: It is interesting how people see things differently. In a recent letter to the editor, the writer cites reasons to endorse a candidate for the at-large City Council position we will be electing this November. The candidate is described as "progressive" and active in the leadership of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and the Fine Arts Council. While these are good organizations, they seem more like conflicts of interests for someone who will have control of the public purse-strings. I am concerned that even more public dollars (yours and mine) will be devoted to things we can't afford. Property taxes are rising and government spending is the reason. Bloomington Civic Plaza is beautiful, but it is more than we needed and we will be stuck paying for it for many years. What Bloomington needs now more than ever is a City Council that can responsibly control costs. "Progressive" is another term for "tax-and-spend Liberal" and Bloomington can't afford it. I am endorsing Loren Klassen for at-large City Council, a fiscally conservative, responsible candidate. Tim Keseluk Bloomington Source: Bloomington Sun-Current 10/13/05

I think Tim makes some good points, and if you are concerned about fiscal matters, Loren is your candidate. However, let me talk about the word "progressive". If you follow the link to the left you will see Webster's definition. I like meaning 1b "making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities" and 3 "moving forward or onward". The question is is Karen "Progressive" or is she just "progressive", there is a difference. While writing this post I did a little research and found that the word "progressive" is often misued and misunderstood. If you are curious, just go here, here, here and here for starters. The bottom line is that Loren will move Bloomington "forward or onward" and he is capable of "making use of or interested in new ideas", but the difference is that Loren has different ideas or methods to move Bloomington "foward" compared to his opponent. This reminds me of a favorite quote, in fact I like it so much it has been on this blog's sidebar since DAY ONE. It even was used for my email address.. theRIGHTprogress at earthlink.net.

Some say conservatives want to turn back the clock, they're not progressive! I would rather get away from that whole idea of clocks. We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive ... [and] going back is the quickest way on."

C.S. Lewis

Loren will be "progressive", but he is also going to move in the right, or correct, direction for Bloomington.

Sun-Current Endorses Klassen

Bloomington We are just 10 days away from election day and Loren Klassen's bid for the at-large council seat and he just received a nod from the Sun-Current editors.

Axtell, Klassen and Peterson deserve support Bloomington voters face tough choices when they head to the polls Nov. 8 to decide City Council elections. Races for two seats are difficult to call, as each of the candidates would bring valuable skills to the council chambers. Loren Klassen and Karen Nordstrom are contending for the at-large City Council post now occupied by Dave Abrams, who has performed admirably. Both Klassen and Nordstrom bring strong records of community service and both have shown themselves to be bright and thoughtful. Nordstrom can probably claim more credit than anyone else for passage of Bloomington's ordinance restricting smoking in the city. Even if one opposes the ban, one has to admire Nordstrom's tireless efforts in moving the city to protect residents and visitors from the effects of secondhand smoke. She's also an active patron and participant in the arts. Klassen, however, brings a business background to the table. He is well-read and has strong ideas about keeping Bloomington's spending down. The candidates have strikingly different backgrounds and styles. Both would serve the city well, but we lean toward Klassen. He has done his homework and has greater knowledge of the workings of city government. In any case, this election should not be a referendum on Bloomington's smoking ban, though some voters may see it that way. The ban is certainly a consideration but there are other critical issues the council must face in coming months and years. Source: Bloomington Sun-Current 10/27/05

I do take issue with the one statement about the smoking ban though. It says opponents of the smoking ban should admire Nordstrom's "tireless efforts", but if that is the best she can offer she is in trouble because Loren Klassen can match her tireless efforts while supporting issue we all should support like spending accountability, supporting the small business community and smalrt re-development project the still respect individual property rights.

Vote for Loren in 10 days!

Update: If you like what you read, sign-up and help him out.

Joyce Henry: Klassen Has Integrity and Boundless Energy

Bloomington Former Bloomington City Council member and state representative talks about Loren Klassen.

Klassen has integrity, boundless energy To the editor: As a former member of the Bloomington City Council, I want to join many other Bloomington residents who are supporting Loren Klassen for the at-large seat on the council. Loren is a man of integrity, creativity and boundless energy. I believe he will bring those qualities as well as a fresh look at how our wonderful city is governed. Loren will be vigilant regarding the way our tax dollars are spent. He will give thoughtful consideration to any new ordinances which affect our everyday lives. Please join us in voting for Loren Klassen Nov. 8. Joyce Henry Bloomington

This letter was sent and not published.

Letter to Editor (Bloomington Sun-Current) I think it is ironic that the Bloomington City Council would turn against one of their own and then try to hand pick her successor. I think Bloomington residents are smarter than that! I don't think Bloomington tax payers want to have their property taxes raised by eliminating charitable gambling. Yes folks that is what they are trying to do! They want toput the non-profit establishments out of the charitable gambling business with their smoking ban. This means the American Legion, VFW, and the Knights of Columbus, etc. This shift theburden to the taxpayers to make up the loss of revenue. Check with these organizations and find out the truth! Then go to the voting booth on November 8. I would urge you to vote for Loren Klassen for City Council (At-Large) and defeat the city council's handpicked candidate. I have known Loren Klassen for several year sand would make an excellent representative of the people of Bloomington. He has an open mind and would bring new ideas to the table. Phil Mortenson Richfield, MN

I Thought I Was MDE?

While I have not been in Italy, I have been AWOL from the sphere lately and so I know this is old news. It was not long ago that I was accused of being MDE. The Snooz is making her latest attempt to "out" MDE. I wonder if DLF Guv, in all his brilliance, believes me now? But maybe I'm just one of the many authors at MDE?

Thankfully She Puts an End to It

Federal

She didn't make it to 11/7.

Was this the end of the appointment?

Does a Dayton Appearance Help?

Minneapolis The DFL is fighting hard for the 13th Ward city council seat. A faithful reader was kind enough to send me the fundraising letter you see below. I have this question though, does inviting Senator Dayton help? Oh yeah, when your biggest supporters are groups like Progressive Minnesota and ACORN, then it does. I suppose someone people are willing to pay money to meet any US Senator, even goofiest one in Washington. If you live in the 13th, you still have two choices. You may not like either option, but it is your duty to find out which one you dislike the least and vote for her.

Copy of the letter.

T-Paw '06 Online

2006 Elections The meager amount of recent posts can be linked to this statement uttered around the SD63 house, "sometimes I feel like the computer is the other woman". Any intelligent, married man knows this statement is not to be ignored. Governor Pawlenty's '06 website is online now. Hatch is in, T-Paw is getting his machine rolling... let the fun begin.

Sgt. Carlsrud and Company A2-135

Miscellaneous Gary at KvM writes about his friend who is preparing to go to Iraq. While Sergeant Carlsrud is not my best friend, I know him well enough to support Gary's statements. Nate is a man of integrity and his wife is amazing too.

Sgt. Carlsrud's Art

Go read the post and consider helping him to provide a Soldiers Bible for each member of his unit who wants one.

DFL Goes with Simple Approach

Miscellaneous I was passed some photos from the La Familia 2005 event this past weekend. The DFL went with the simple approach at their booth for the event (see photo below). Here is the conversation or email thread I imagined Monday morning:

DFLer #1: "So how was La Familia?" DFLer #2: "La what?" DFLer #1: "La Familia 2005, you know at the Rivercentre." DFLer #2: "Uhhh.... I thought you were going? Don't you have the 'Bush is bringing back the draft!' signs in your car?" DFLer #1: "No, I have the 'ReDefeat Bush in 2008' signs?" DFLer #2: "Umm... so who went?"

DFL Booth at La Familia 2005

Below is the GOP booth at the same event.

GOP Booth at La Familia 2005

Principal Johnson Replies #2

Richfield OK, here is the final post regarding this issue that was raised last week. This is an email from the principal which describes their process for inviting speakers.

From: Jill Johnson Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 8:15 AM To: Jr. Jerome Plagge Subject: RE: email regarding DFL party speaking to students Jerome: I talked directly with Lars Oakman, the chair of the social studies department. I'm getting back to you with answers to your concerns. Lars may contact you also. 1. We have had speakers from various political organizations come and talk to our students for at least 21 years. 2. We don't contact anyone directly. We have, and will continue, to work through an organization called the Community Resource Pool. They organize speakers for many school districts. (You might want to let David Weinlick know that know no one from RHS contacted the DFL. The contact was made by the community resource pool for Richfield High School.) I'm sure a contact will be made to the Republican party as we have had them talk to our students every year. 3. We do not allow candidates for political office to speak to the classes. We do allow representative from the various political parties to speak to the classes. Jerome, we work hard to provide our students with a wide-range of political perspectives. We do not favor one group over another. I hope I have answered your questions. If not, let me know what else I can answer for you. Thanks for the email. Jill Dr. Jill P. Johnson Principal Richfield High School

Minnesota Metrodome Meltdown

So the Vikes are almost unwatchable for many reasons right now and I was getting pumped about the Gophers, then yesterday happened. I swear our football teams try to invent new ways to lose a game. I was not asking for the Big Ten title, just the simple feat of winning the three biggest travelling trophies (I didn't realize we had one with Penn State until yesterday). The last time the pig, axe and jug were in Minnesota at the same times was in 1986 and I was just asking for that rare event to occur again in November, but then we come up half a yard short, drop a snap to punt and finally did not have the plan or foresight to plan for a miscue (take the safety and get a "free kick"). Ugh!

Principal Johnson Replies

Richfield The principal of Richfield High School, Dr. Jill Johnson, replied to an inquiry I made regarding this post. Below is her reponse.

From: Jill Johnson [mailto:Jill.Johnson@richfield.k12.mn.us] Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 7:58 AM To: Jerome Plagge, Jr. Subject: Re: email regarding DFL party speaking to students Jerome: We have representatives from all the various political parties come in an talk with the senior social studies classes. It is part of the curriculum. We do not show preference to any one party. Every group gets an invite and most every group chooses to participate. Our goal as a school is to expose students to a wide variety of prespectives. In the past we have worked with the community resource pool to schedule speakers. I will pass your email on the the chair of social studies department to make sure our pracrice of exposing students to a wide range of views, opinions, perspectives continues. Dr. Jill P. Johnson Principal Richfield High School

SGT Ron Long Responds Likes MSM

Media Check out this post where one of the soldiers who was part of the "staged" interview with President Bush responds to MSM.

First of all, we were told that we would be speaking with the President of the United States, our Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, so I believe that it would have been totally irresponsible for us NOT to prepare some ideas, facts or comments that we wanted to share with the President.We were given an idea as to what topics he may discuss with us, but it's the President of the United States; He will choose which way his conversation with us may go. We practiced passing the microphone around to one another, so we wouldn't choke someone on live TV. We had an idea as to who we thought should answer what types of questions, unless President Bush called on one of us specifically.

Six Days - 18 Month-Old Survivor

World This story is amazing. Six days this toddler survived presumably without any water. Thankfully her father survived the disaster and she will not be left alone. It hits home when you have a child the exact same age. This is is truly a miracle, it was not her time to die.

Pakistani rescue workers have pulled an 18-month-old girl alive from rubble six days after South Asia's deadly quake. The unconscious toddler was revived after being found in Balimang in North-West Frontier Province. [snip]

The toddler was rescued by a team that had walked 11km (seven miles) to reach a remote village in Balimang. Team member, Dr Mazhar Hussain, told the BBC villagers had directed them to a spot where they believed people were alive. The world is helping us, but what are we doing? We are looting their trucks Abdul Ghafforullah, cleric The team dug into the rubble and found four bodies, but then pulled the toddler out from underneath a door. She was given first aid and regained consciousness. The bodies of her mother and two brothers were found nearby. Her father, Mohammed Afzal, survived.

Is This Legal?

Richfield Finally, I have found a source similar to sources like MDE. I received an email that was sent by David Weinlick, the chair of the SD63 DFL BPOU to a local mail group. (On a side note, David will soon will be the chair of the Minneapolis City DFL, replacing Lois Regnier Conroy. Remember Lois was the subject of a few Red StarTribune articles and posts here and at MDE.)

From: David Weinlick Date: Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:06 pm Subject: Speaker for Richfield HS davidweinlick Is anyone able to help with DFL education at Richfield High School? They're asking us to pull together a team to talk to seniors about the party, its platform, and its processes. I'm looking for anyone who is available during the school day who is excited about engaging high school students. Do we have any takers? --David

The first thought that comes to mind is the legality of it. Are there any legal issues with the school inviting someone from the DFL to speak? I suspect it may not be an issue, but I am not convinced yet. Secondly, for the sake of argument let us assume it is OK for the school to do this, but only if they also invite someone from the Republican party as well. After I received this email, I contacted David's counterpart, Rob Hewitt, at the Republican SD63 BPOU and he said he not been contacted by the Richfield High School. Finally, if there is nothing "illegal" about it, there is something not right about it. UPDATE: Thanks David for clearing this up. I actually assumed it was something like this. As long a all parties are invited I think this is a good thing.

I actually suggested that all political parties come together to the high school for a discussion, but I was told that the teachers wanted to have each party on a different day. I was told that the Green, Republican, and DFL parties had all been contacted. I told them that the Independence Party should also be invited. Rob may not have received word yet, because the school went straight to the top, rather than to the SD63 party units. The request for a DFL speaker was forwarded to me by State DFL Chair Brian Melendez. I assume that your new Republican Chair will also be diligent in passing the word down the chain to Rob. David Weinlick 10.14.05 - 5:36 am #

UPDATE #2:

Hi David, I checked with our MNGOP field rep, and she said that there was no contact from the Richfield Schools. What really bothers me, is that this appears to be a one sided presentation. Conservatives are always fighting a uphill battle for equal representation on these forums, but seldom are allowed to voice their beliefs. I think that we need more diversity at our public institutions. It's ironic that today conservatives seem to be the radicals, that have to fight to have their opinions heard. Rob Homepage 10.14.05 - 10:08 am #

UPDATE #3:

I have contacted our Deputy Political Director, Steve Jepsen. He will follow up with the Richfield Schools to arrange a speaker. Rob Homepage 10.14.05 - 11:42 am #

Wilcox Voice of Reason

2006 Elections, Bloomington, Richfield At a recent city council meeting Vern Wilcox demonstrated that he can be the voice of reason in the current times of fiscal difficulties for most Minnesota cities.

Members of the Bloomington City Council last week declined to increase their own salaries. But they approved a pay hike for Mayor Gene Winstead after most agreed that the demands of the city's top elective office had grown more complex. Winstead and the council members hadn't had a pay raise since 2002, observed Kent Michaelson, the city's human resources director. Current pay for a member of the City Council is $11,700 annually. The mayor's current pay is $18,700, but it will increase to $25,000 for 2006.

It has been well document that the State's budget woes have resulted in huge cuts of Local Government Aid (LGA) coming from the state to local city budgets. Why would the Bloomington city council vote 5-1 to give the mayor a 33% pay raise? Even if you consider that the mayor has not had a pay increase since 2002, a 33% increase could be split into 11% per yer over the last three. I am not sure about you, but I do not know many people who get an 11% pay raise each year.

Bloomington, the largest Twin Cities suburb, pays the mayor more than any other suburb, according to a survey by the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities of cities with a population of more than 20,000. Bloomington's population is listed as 85,300. In Edina, where the population is 48,156, the mayor is paid $7,050 annually. Brooklyn Park, a city of 68,715, pays its mayor $16,116.

Even figuring for population differences, Bloomington still will be paying their mayor more than Edina. In 25 days Bloomington residents can send another voice of reason to the city council, his name is Loren Klassen. If Loren was there the vote still would have been 4-2, but two votes against would at least be progress. In about 389 days, the eastern parts of Richfield and Bloomington will have a chance at sending the voice of reason to St. Paul to fix the mess that is happening their.

Greens Like McLauphlin for Mayor

Minneapolis McLaughlin endorsed by Mark Andrew, George Crocker, Todd Otis, and Brad Pass, who are all current or former members of local "green" groups. I found their letter posted on the Minneapolis Observer website. Here are some choice excerpts:

We commend Farheen Hakeem for raising the issues ofsustainable economics and energy ("R.T. Sucks Less," 9/20). Already, heat andelectricity are not affordable to many Minneapolis residents. And growing dependence on natural gas makes this situation worse. Our only difference with Hakeem is what we know about Peter McLaughlin, who has delivered on the very things that concern Hakeem. Our confidence in McLaughlin is rooted in real examples. Here are a few:

McLaughlin saw asolution and acted: He was the founding boardpresident just two years ago of the Phillips CommunityEnergy Co-op (Phillips Co-op). It combines residents‚buying power to leverage better prices for energyproducts. This new and growing organization has already benefited its members by greatly reduced prices for energy efficient household goods,weatherization and conservation products.

Notably, Phillips isn't the first co-op in whichMcLaughlin has been active. He was bookkeeper for the Powderhorn Food Co-op in the '70‚s. And as Chair of the Powderhorn Residents Group, Peter helped create a number of affordable housing co-ops, the first of which was the Whittier School Section-8 Housing Co-op, still functioning today.

The letter by these gentlemen went on to document a few other examples. I do not agree with all the positions the McLauphlin takes, but as a conservative I can appreciate some of the examples above. Admittedly I do not know all the details, but it seems like instead of throwing tax dollars at issues such as high energy costs, he chose to lead an effor to pool money and gain leverage for lower energy costs. Assuming little or no public funds were used to establish these co-ops, it makes perfect sense and fits in with the free market model. The more interesting item to note about this letter is that these gentlemen seem to think it is more important for "greens" to support McLauphlin, than to listen to the Green(Farheen Hakeem) candidates advice. One of my reader's, a conservative (I believe) named Steve, also supports Peter McLauphlin. Closed circuit to Steve, if you want to write a similar letter and send it to me, I'll post it.

KvM on Miers - Must Read

Judicial The posting at KvM was light the end of last week due to a little R & R by Gary, but early this morning he delivered an excellent post. You may not agree with his post, but one can certainly cannot argue with the way it was delivered. Much like Gary, I am frequent consumer of "pro-family" items myself, but I found myself agreeing with the following statements in his post.

We do not want a Justice Miers overturning Roe because she (correctly) believes abortion is the dismembering of innocent human life. We would want her to do so because the plain text of the Constitution is entirely silent on the matter and, thus, should be left up to the people in their respective state legislatures.

We do not want a Justice Miers period because it is clear that she lacks any coherent worldview outside her obviously heartfelt religious transformation. Evidence shows she would be every bit the conservative activist we have correctly been taught to fear from decades of watching liberals make law based on whim and whimsey. Should evangelicals or devout Catholics be prohibited from serving on the highest tribunal? By no means. But they must be able to render and articulate a decision based not on scripture but on another inspired text — the Constitution of the United States. As we opined a week ago, the Administration’s defense of Miers because she is “one of us” to evangelicals is the most insulting affront to people of faith in many, many years. Simply put, the nomination must be stopped. For a sense of how the Miers nomination is fracturing the conservative movement (and causing untold political harm), you will want to read HERE. We implore you, Mr. President. For the sake of the Constitution and your party, withdraw the nomination now.

Some may disagree with Gary and I on making and supporting such statements, however I do not think this is a problem. I worked for and supported the President in '04 and I still will and do, but if I cannot respectfully disagree with a President or person I support then we have other issues to talk about. The difference of course is the word "repectfully", most people who disagree with President Bush fail miserably on that standard and therefore are not worth our time.

The More I Hear...

Bloomington The more I hear about Loren Klassen, the more impressed I become. I do not live in Bloomington, but you can be sure I encourage all of you who do live their to support Loren. He works hard and will fight for common sense at city hall. Some others agree:

Klassen offers fresh voice, new view To the editor: I have been a resident of Bloomington for 25 years and am excited to see a candidate like Loren Klassen running for a seat on the Bloomington City Council. I have worked with Loren for several years and because of his work ethic and experience in a high technology industry (computer disk drives), he has the ability to work problems to resolution, define problems, state goals, collect data/information, generate solutions to a problem, generate a timeline and track a project to completion. This kind of attention to detail is what I think would make Loren a good candidate for City Council. I think it is time for a fresh voice and new viewpoints to help guide the city through the tremendous revitalization currently in progress, while promising fiscal responsibility.I think Loren would listen to all people/ideas and champion Bloomington's continued growth and development for years to come. Thomas M. Gasser Bloomington Source: Sun-Current Bloomington Edition, October 6, 2004

Another View

Minneapolis Here is another view of the first debate for Minneapolis mayoral candidates. It comes from the Minneapolis Observer. I strongly urge you to consider the source when reading.

Mayoral Debate #1

Minneapolis Just in case you missed it, here is an article about a debate between the mayoral candidates for Minneapolis. If any of my readers attended this event I would love to hear if you think this article does a good job representing the event. Check boy mayor's website for other debates that are scheduled.

Rybak, McLaughlin Sharpen Differences Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune October 6, 2005 The two Minneapolis mayoral candidates, who often are thought to be similar, tried to detail their differences in response to a question at a debate Wednesday night. "First and foremost, I match my socks," said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, bringing a smattering of laughs, but none from Mayor R.T. Rybak, who generally wears mismatched socks. McLaughlin continued, saying the mayor doesn't understand public-safety issues and the need for a world-class education system. He characterized himself as a strong supporter of neighborhoods. "I have a great track record of getting tough things done," McLaughlin said. Rybak said that the choice is between two "good public servants" but that he's been mayor for four tough years and still managed to get major work done, including the redevelopment of the former Lake Street Sears building as well as developing a revitalization plan for north Minneapolis. "I respect your work, commissioner, but I've been in charge. I've balanced budgets," Rybak said. "I've been a cheerleader and advocate for this city. ... Please don't tell me I don't understand public safety. These residents know I have." The two DFLers met for the first time since advancing from the Sept. 13 primary when the mayor outpolled the commissioner 44 to 35 percent. McLaughlin has ground to make up before the Nov. 8 general election, and conventional wisdom would have had him launching harsher criticism of the mayor, but that's not what happened at the debate before about 100 public housing residents in the city's Cedar-Riverside area. The Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council sponsored the two-hour event that included a chance to mingle and nosh afterward -- especially important for the many residents in attendance observing Ramadan who couldn't eat until sundown. Surprisingly, though, the mayor appeared as focused and pointed as he has the entire campaign season, giving clear responses while the commissioner often gave meandering, repetitive answers. The two were asked by an audience member what they would do if the state forced the city to choose between state aid for the Shubert Theatre or supportive housing. Rybak literally jumped up to answer, saying, "We can't allow the state to get away with that." He said that it's an unfair choice and that he would lobby and build coalitions to fight it. McLaughlin said the mayor had been presented with a similar option -- money for veterans' housing or a planetarium -- and failed to do the lobbying necessary to delivery. Rybak rebutted, "You misquote me. Don't do that. Tell the truth." The mayor said the city provides more supportive housing than other municipalities and should not lose out on arts funding because of it. "We've both done good work on housing," Rybak said. He also responded pointedly to a question of whether he would support new revenue for affordable housing. "Beware of politicians who promise things to the group they're in front of and don't repeat it the next time," Rybak said, accusing his opponent of doing just that. The mayor said that he had put millions into supportive housing and that he would continue to do so. McLaughlin said he would continue to invest in the security of buildings. He didn't directly answer the question but countered that he's balanced many budgets and created partnerships for more resources. Rochelle Olson is atraolson@startribune.com.

Source: Star Tribune, October 6, 2005

Three Way Race Still?

Minneapolis Just before I left for Edinburgh, this appeared in the Opinion section of the Red Star. How does this affect the race? I will admit I do not know Minneapolis enough to provide any reliable comment, however I suspect this will prompt a significant write vote for Hakeem. Clearly Hakeem does not think much of either of the remaining candidates and from my vantagepoint it appears the "boy mayor" and McLaughlin do not offer much to separate themselves from each other, so if you are a Hakeem supporter why not "vote your conscience" even though Hakeem cannot win.

Farheen Hakeem: Instead of voting for a clueless candidate, write in me for mayor Farheen Hakeem September 24, 2005 First, as a Green Party endorsed candidate, I would like to thank all who supported me in my efforts to run for mayor of Minneapolis. Second, I am not endorsing or supporting R.T. Rybak or Peter McLaughlin. I met with Peter last weekend, where he tried to convince me that I have more in common politically with him than with R.T. So I decided to make a quick analysis of whether this is true. Let us take the four issues that I focused on in my campaign. First is sustainable economics. My vision for the city is to become financially independent from state and county funding by creating more revenue. This included organizing community members to start a Wind Energy Cooperative, which would be managed by the city. This has been extremely successful in many cities throughout the United States, and makes sense given that Minnesota is the second highest wind-producing area in the nation. Peter stated that he has started co-ops in the past. Cooperatives, by definition, can not be started by an individual; rather they are a creation of community-based economics made up of community members. I have never witnessed R.T. Rybak say anything about cooperatives. Second is a living wage. I fully support the living wage ordinance and will continue to fight for this outside of City Hall. Peter has shown up at events where a living wage is the topic of discussion but has yet to make a commitment. I do not know his record on the county level, which is worth investigating. R.T. stated in his Democracy for Minnesota screening that there was no issue with a living wage, and we have a living wage policy. Third, is affordable housing. I have no idea if Peter has worked on any of this as Hennepin County commissioner, but do know that his good friend Jackie Cherryholmes is a lobbyist for developers. R.T. is clueless about the potential crisis we are heading toward. Neither of them have talked about how homelessness and affordable housing are linked, how 30 percent of the people who live in Minneapolis cannot afford any type of housing, and certainly not the many overpriced condominiums that are randomly being built. Last, there was an anti-racist approach to public safety. The nicest way I can put this is both of these candidates just don't get it. The federal mandate, the shooting of Abu Kassim Jelani (R.T. still can't pronounce his name correctly), and the fact that only one of the 40 discipline recommendations given to Police Chief William McManus by the Civilian Review Authority was acted upon, shows R.T. is completely incompetent in this area. Peter wants to increase the police force, has not stated anything about reforming the police, and does not see the difference between diversity and racism. In his own words, he explains that if we diversify the police force, then we are fighting racism. I know plenty of situations where there is diversity and rampant racism (like the South African apartheid). Those of us who have worked hard for years to fight racism find this approach to be frightening. To be honest, all three of us are guilty of not mentioning one important point, for which we have Marcus Harcus to thank: police accountability. In the history of Minneapolis, no police officer has ever been indicted for excessive force. Yet, we've paid millions of dollars in settling lawsuits against the city. So in the final analysis, politically, I don't think that I have too much in common with either of the two DFL candidates. As for whom I will be voting for as mayor, I am writing in myself. Anyone who is willing to spell F-A-R-H-E-E-N H-A-K-E-E-M is welcome to do the same. Most important, please remember to vote! Don't let the usual suspects assume they have power they have never earned. Every person who lives in the city is the boss to the mayor of Minneapolis. Your vote enables you to be part of the hiring committee. My candidacy proves that people are thirsty for the issues and want to see action and results. So please, vote on Nov. 8, and watch for me in next year's elections. The movement has only just begun, and I'm not done yet. Farheen Hakeem received 14 percent of the vote in the Sept. 13 primary.

Source: Star Tribune, September 24, 2005

Richfield Hits 'Old Gray Lady'

Richfield Thanks to Zakcq for pointing me to a article about Richfield and Eminent Domain that appeared in thy NY Times today. Registration required, so I'll put who story at the end of this post. I have lived just north of the Best Buy campus area for nine years so I believe I entered Richfield just when the redevelopment projects were getting started. During this time I was "growing up" politically, meaning due to home ownership, marriage and children I was just beginning to learn how the government affects my life. I was always torn by the prospects of the Best Buy project. I can understand the reason for the project, but something just seemed to bug me about it. I think I am still in that same position. The thing that was bugging me was principle. On principle, I believe what was done to the Walser company was completely wrong, clearly that property is one of the best in the metro for a car dealership and they were force out of it. On the other hand, I knew that one could argue this would be good for the city in the long run. Sadly, the city will have to wait 25 years for the tax benefits, but as the article states there are other benefits. These other benefits can be difficult to measure because things like average house prices are not necessarily a good indicator due to the large number of other influencing factors. About a month ago, I did receive some anecdotal evidence in favor of the Best Buy project. I was at the Penn Cycle bike and fitness store just north of Best Buy and the store manager mentioned that the five years before Best Buy saw steady declines in sales for his store, however since it opened the trend has reversed. In fact, I believe his store is now the top selling store in of the five or six Penn Cycles around the Twin Cities. He is confident this is due to the community becoming "younger" and therefore more "active". So where do I fall? Am I still on the fence? Primarily as a result of the Supreme Court case, I have landed on the principle side of the fence. The whole "slippery slope" idea comes to play here too. Yes, the Best Buy project might be the best thing for me as a homeowner in Richfield, but at what cost? Will my house be next? Too bad the developers/Best Buy and the Walser group could not settle on a price, then we wouldn't be talking about this.

Eminent Domain Revisited: A Minnesota Case By TERRY PRISTIN Published: October 5, 2005 RICHFIELD, Minn. - Few recent Supreme Court opinions have aroused as much public outrage as Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., the June ruling that reaffirmed the use of eminent domain to promote economic development. Critics on both the left and the right politically have said that the Kelo decision potentially endangers every home and business. Bills to limit condemnation powers have been introduced in 31 states, according to the Institute for Justice, a property rights group. Had such a statute been in place in 2000 in Minnesota, however, a single auto dealer might have been able to block Best Buy, the fast-growing national electronics retailer, from building a $160 million corporate headquarters in Richfield, a suburb of 34,000 people that borders Minneapolis. The 1.6-million-square-foot campus, made up of four buildings shaped like ships, was completed in 2003 and currently houses 4,500 employees. City officials say it has given a big boost to an aging community that had been steadily losing population since the 1970's.

Richfield, Minn., in 2003 after the $160 million Best Buy headquarters was completed. Photo: Bordner Aerials

Though there was loud opposition to the project from employees of the holdout property owner, Walser Auto Sales, and others who feared its effect on traffic, much of the community supported it. After a campaign in which redevelopment was a central issue, the mayor, Martin Kirsch, was re-elected in 2002 by a wide margin. In addition, the owners of the other 82 homes and businesses on the site sold their property without a fight, for what several said was a fair price that included relocation costs. "The homeowners weren't exactly on our side," said Bradley J. Gunn, the Walsers' lawyer. With local government officials throughout the nation struggling to defend themselves against the storm of criticism unleashed by the Kelo decision, the International Economic Development Council, a professional group based in Washington, cites the Best Buy headquarters to illustrate why eminent domain is sometimes a crucial tool in combating urban decay and sprawl. Some of the displaced homeowners, including Michael and Cindy Triggs, who said they received $24,000 above their house's market value, agreed that the redevelopment was in the best interests of Richfield. They said it also benefited the metropolitan area by moving thousands of employees from scattered suburban offices to a more central location within reach of bus transportation. "It would have been a lot easier for Best Buy to deal with one farmer in Lakeville," said Mr. Triggs, referring to a more distant suburb. To property rights advocates, though, the Best Buy case is a troubling example of municipal overreaching. Mr. Gunn said the courts merely took the city's word that the neighborhood was blighted. "In too many of these cases, the courts seem to believe they must defer to the very agency whose conduct is at issue," he said. In response to cases like this one, the Institute for Justice will support bills in the coming session "to prohibit the taking of property for so-called economic development," said Lee McGrath, the executive director of the Minneapolis office. That effort will be opposed by the League of Minnesota Cities. Nevertheless, the league will seek to make the condemnation process more transparent and require "that the government entity has to declare in writing whether the public benefit is more than the private benefit," he said.

The same area in 1999, before the construction of the Best Buy headquarters. Photo: Bordner Aerials

In Richfield, officials say they have occasionally resorted to using eminent domain only to help ensure their city's survival. Adjacent to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and surrounded by highways, the city is largely made up of small bungalows and ranch homes built in the 1950's. As the officials saw it, the housing supply was too homogeneous, and its shopping districts too dated. In the 1990's, they began an aggressive redevelopment program as they sought to reverse the population decline. Since then, new or redeveloped shopping centers, prime office buildings, condominiums and apartment houses have sprung up in place of obsolete structures. Many of these projects were subsidized through tax increment financing, or TIF, with the city agreeing to forgo a certain amount of the increase in property tax generated by the new developments. In 1998, a local developer proposed turning a site near the juncture of two busy highways, 35W and I-494, into a mixed-use development, replacing many of the modest homes and businesses. Homeowners said that a majority of their neighbors were willing to be bought out. Over the years, the Walsers had expanded their car dealerships, causing friction in their once-tranquil neighborhood. (The Walsers declined to be interviewed.) Some residents had already bought new homes when the developer withdrew, so the subsequent Best Buy proposal came as a relief. "This whole thing had dragged on for four years," said Cathy Bergin, who found herself with two mortgages. "They had worn us down. We were happy to get out of there." Only the Walsers, who had been offered $9.4 million for their two car dealerships, took the city to court, challenging the condemnation as well as the use of a TIF. Under Minnesota law, a city housing and redevelopment agency can condemn property only to provide housing or eliminate blight. But the definition of blight is broad enough to give public officials a lot of leeway. Testifying at the trial, Bruce Palmborg, the city's community development director, cited the proximity of the auto dealers and the houses as an example of blight. A consultant said the commercial spaces were obsolete. The blight finding was upheld, but city officials were chastised by one appeals court for failing to prove that half the buildings were "structurally substandard," a requirement for a TIF district. The case was settled when the Walsers agreed to move the dealerships to nearby Bloomington for an additional $9 million. Real estate brokers and residents say having a Fortune 100 company has been a boon to Richfield. Prices of single-family homes have risen 8 percent in the last year, with the median now at $224,000, according to George Bodnia, a residential broker for Century 21 Luger Realty. Best Buy has been "substantial for the community," he said. But critics like Mr. McGrath point out that it will be a long time before Richfield benefits from the higher property tax revenue generated by the complex. Annual revenues have risen to $3.2 million, from $700,000, but under the TIF agreement, Best Buy gets to keep the difference for 25 years. Mr. Palmborg acknowledged that it was hard to put a dollar figure on what Best Buy has meant to Richfield. The company has instituted mentoring and other programs and it also helped pay for a badly needed bridge spanning I-494. At the same time, its employees have been encouraged to spend money within their self-contained campus, which has its own large health club, pharmacy, bank branch, billiard tables, dry cleaner, day care center and restaurant-like cafeteria. But he said the headquarters had proved its worth by permanently changing the town's image and prompting residents to invest in their homes. "Best Buy is not going to be in a town that's perceived as a loser," he said.

Source: NY Times October 5, 2005

I'm a Flickr Now

Chapel Window, uploaded by sd63.

I created a flickr account so that I could share all my Edinburgh photos. Some have expressed interest so that is the reason for the post and the photo album.

Wash Out!

I had good intentions to post some stuff tonight, too bad I was forced to deal with house issues thanks to all our rain. It has been some time since we had water in the basement, but tonight was not a good night. The posts will have to wait again.

Klobuchar Economics via KvM and King

2006 Elections, Federal Go read a King posting at KvM to learn a little about economics and Klobuchar. It is well beyond anything I could post.

SD63 State Capitol Roster for Republicans in '06?

MN Senate, MN House, 2006 Elections They are not endorsed yet, but the races for the state legislature have candidates now. I previously mentioned Vern who is seeking the endorsement for 63B, but now we can add names seeking the Republican endorsement for 63A and SD63.

Ed Field (Senate 63)

David Alvarado (63A)

All I have is names for these gentlemen, but I will sure begin to learn more. In fact, Ed has already appeared in comments of one of my recent posts. I am even consider a first for this site... an interview with questions and stuff like that.