Archive for February, 2011
IN ATTEMPT TO SQUASH VOTER ID BILL, DFL ARTIFICIALLY BLOW OUT FISCAL ESTIMATES
Monday, February 28th, 2011Something about the fiscal notes for Rep. Benson’s Photo ID requirement bill (HF 89) smells very fishy. Sources confirm the House State Government Finance committee will hold a hearing on the bill (one of many similar bills currently flowing through the legislative process) today after the scheduled floor session (sometime after 5pm). The hearing will [...]
IN ANOKA COUNTY, OBERSTAR’S BILLION DOLLAR TRAIN TO NOWHERE DERAILING FAST
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011(Part of a series) Rail advocates have been pushing the idea of a high speed commuter rail project between the Twin Cities and Duluth since Amtrak discontinued its passenger service in 1985. The cost of such a line has been discussed since the early 2000′s, and has included figures such as $120 million, $360 million, [...]
DAYTON BUDGET SLASHES NURSING HOME FUNDING AFTER CALLING IT ‘EVIL, IMMORAL, AND WRONG’ DURING THE CAMPAIGN
Monday, February 21st, 2011Mark Dayton’s proposed budget cuts funding to nursing homes, a move that has shocked even Dayton’s most loyal supporters given his strong stance against such cut during his run for Governor. The Star-Tribune highlighted these cuts and the outrage from those involved in the industry: …Some facilities “almost certainly will close” if it is approved, [...]
MINNESOTANS JOIN UNION CHEESEHEADS WHILE ED MINN LEADER CONFUSES EAST WITH WEST
Saturday, February 19th, 2011MDE has obtained an email being distributed to union members in Minnesota by a local union leader and Education Minnesota Board Member, encouraging them to join organized protests and door-to-door advocacy walks this weekend in Hudson. At the end of her note to activists, Blaha confuses Wisconsin’s geographic location in proximity to Minnesota and calls [...]
SPINELESS ‘SCONIES: DEM WISCONSIN LAWMAKERS FLEE CAPITOL TO AVOID VOTE ON UNIONS
Thursday, February 17th, 2011Where are the Democratic Wisconsin State Senators? That’s the question as the capitol building in Madison goes into apparent lock-down mode for public officials and staff as protests grow over a pending move by Gov. Scott Walker to limit union bargaining rights of public employees. The AP’s Scott Bauer covered the story, here’s part of [...]
HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS: DAYTON TAXES ARE UNNECESSARY JOB KILLERS
Thursday, February 17th, 2011The Star Tribune ran a commentary piece from the Minnesota Senate leaders, Sen. Amy Koch and Sen. Geoff Michel. See below for the full commentary. We told you yesterday about the many flaws in Dayton’s proposed budget which would raise taxes by billions and prevent necessary cuts to some areas of the state budget. Higher [...]
EVEN THE STAR TRIBUNE CAN’T BACK DAYTON PLAN TO RAISE TAXES AND PROTECT UNION LOYALISTS
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011The Star-Tribune released an editorial on Dayton’s budget plan (announced yesterday) and their disagreement with his plan to drive capital out of Minnesota through higher taxes. The full story is below, but here is a piece of it: ..Dayton’s proposal would also give Minnesota the highest top-tier income tax rate in the nation in the [...]
NOW REPRESENTING YOU: THE ENERGY FIRM OF FALK, FALK AND FALK
Sunday, February 13th, 2011State Representative Andrew Falk (DFL-Murdock) has stayed under the radar on most issues during his two terms in the legislature. As an energy developer with close ties to powerful special interests, it just isn’t worth his time to make a scene if business is good and nobody asks any questions. Falk has had a questionably [...]
MN GOP BPOU SEASON UNDERWAY
Saturday, February 12th, 2011It’s that time of year again. Shortly after the groundhog emerges annually from his winter dwelling for a peak at the outside world, Minnesota’s most active and informed Republican activists also emerge to gather in their basic political operating units (BPOUs) and conduct the business of the Party. To submit any information from your BPOU, [...]
TENSIONS ESCALATING OVER NORTH WOODS GOVERNMENT RUN BROADBAND
Friday, February 11th, 2011(Update on Previous Post) The Lake County Board of Commissioners has officially voted to terminate contract negotiations with National Public Broadband over a proposed $70 million public broadband project for desolate pockets of far northeastern Minnesota. After months of inconsistencies from NPB’s CEO Tim Nulty, the Board finally agreed it needed to search for a [...]
DESPITE COMMON SENSE AND OVERWHELMING PUBLIC SUPPORT, DFL FALL ON A SWORD TO STOP VOTER ID BILL
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011A House committee will take up Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer’s Voter ID bill this morning-just one of several similar pieces of legislation introduced in the first month of session. Kiffmeyer oversaw the State’s election process for eight years as MN’s Secretary of State. One huge opponent has been Rep. Ryan Winkler. HF210 would bring Minnesota’s election [...]
CLEANING HOUSE: SEN. ELLEN ANDERSON DUMPED FROM LCCMR, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST MAY HAVE CAUGHT UP TO HER
Monday, February 7th, 2011Sen. Ellen Anderson (DFL-St. Paul) was dropped today in her request to be re-appointed to the Minnesota LCCMR. Every two years, the Senate Rules and Admin Committee appoints members, and this year’s slate was unanimously approved by the group, which includes DFL Senate Minority Leader, Tom Bakk. Politics in Minnesota covered the story today when [...]
DFL PARTY ELECTION RECAP: FELONY CHILD MOLESTER NOT RE-ELECTED AS PARTY OFFICER
Sunday, February 6th, 2011Minnesota’s DFL Party held their State Central Committee meeting on Saturday to elect new leadership. Political operative Ken Martin was elected Chair of the DFL along with the other new officers below. You may remember Ken for his work pulling the strings to fund Mark Dayton’s gubernatorial campaign behind the curtain of the Alliance for [...]
HISTORIC EDUCATION REVITALIZATION CONTINUES AS SENATE TAKES UP ALTERNATIVE TEACHING PATHWAYS
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011A bill to authorize alternative pathways for teachers has made its way to the MN Senate floor, just one of many pieces Senate Republicans have rolled out to reform Minnesota’s education system. Senator Dave Thompson, a leader on education in the Senate, tweeted about floor action this afternoon. Education Minnesota, the state’s educators union, strongly [...]
TROUBLE IN THE NORTH WOODS: LOCAL DEMS IN DISARRAY
Tuesday, February 1st, 2011(UPDATE) Minnesotans and the voters of House district 5B are understandably frustrated with residency questions that continue to go unanswered by recently endorsed DFL candidate Carly Melin. Sources confirm that Melin listed a St. Paul address (on Hewitt Ave) as her address in St. Paul when she voted in the August 10th primary. This address [...]