Here is a link to the Tour de Tonka bike ride. It will be starting from the Minnetonka High School this year due to the growing size of the ride and the need for more parking. Whether you want to ride for 15 miles (only about an hour at a modest pace) or go for the 65-miler, this is your chance to participate in one of the more popular and growing active events in our neighborhood.
www.tourdetonka.org
Tour de Tonka: August 2, 2008
Best of Lake Minnetonka Awards
I'm trying to find an online link, but many of you have probably already seen the hardcopy Lake Minnetonka Magazine circulated in late May. Several South Lake Minnetonka businesses did very well, including 318 Cafe (Best Kept Secret and Best Service), Gatherings of Excelsior, Maynards, and several others. My apologies -- I'm writing this from memory and don't have the details.
If you find a link, please let me know in the comments to this post.
Art on the Lake 2008 - Excelsior
The 28th Annual Art on the Lake will be held this weekend, June 7 and 8, at the Excelsior Commons. Come and enjoy the art, the food, the kids activities, and the people.
http://www.excelsiorartonthelake.com/index.html
Entitlement Reform in Wall Street Journal
Federal Entitlement Reform....... You sleepy yet?
Not a sexy topic, but one that should scare any American. Entitlements -- those programs which are gauranteed to Americans year after year such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare -- are growing at a rate that is unsustainable for the next generation and the ones after that. Think about these three sobering realities that adults in the year 2050 (not that far away) will face if these programs are left as they are today:
1. Raising tax rates by 57%, (in today's dollars, each American family would need to pay $11,000 per year more in taxes), or
2. Spending Federal money on nothing (no education, no defense, etc.) except for Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, or
3. Increasing our federal debt, which is already too high, by about 13 times (this is already adjusted for inflation -- it will be way, way more than 13 times when you just look at the raw dollars)
Wow. I'm usually not a "sky is falling" type of person, but this is big. Nations don't survive this type of crisis. The demise of the Soviet Union was caused by... can you guess?.... spending too much of their GDP on one government expenditure. In their case, it was defense. In our case, it could be these entitlements.
The reason I'm writing all this is because it is my long way of telling you that Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin had a great OpEd in the Wall Street Journal on things we can do to fix this massive problem. Subscription is required to read it online, or you can find a copy of the 5/21/08 WSJ. I encourage anyone to read it. Kudos to Congressman Ryan for calling out the elephant in the room. Now let's start talking about how to fix it.
Three Properties For Which I'd Like to Choose Tenants
As I make my way through the South Lake Minnetonka area, I invariably see commercial properties turning over or being developed. It is hard not to wonder what types of businesses would do well in those vacant storefronts. So here, with absolutely no bearing on what will actually happen to these buildings, is what I would do if I could snap my fingers and fill the storefronts:
1. Excelsior, corner of 3rd and Water (old Color Center building): The shop that moved in for just a few months has relocated across the street, leaving this building empty. I'm not sure what drove this decision, but I have an idea for how to refill the building. This location would make the perfect D'Amico and Sons Deli. I love that I can get fine Italian, Sushi, and an Irish entree with a pint in Excelsior, but I need more takeout options. 318 does a splendid job, but I find myself picking up food in Chan or Minnetonka when I'm in the mood for something different. A D'Amico in town would mean I bring more of that business back to Excelsior. (Author's note: I would also be able to snap my fingers and solve the parking ratio issue that could make this type of occupancy difficult under current rules).
2. Shorewood, strip mall along Hwy 7 near Holiday (former Minnetonka Outdoors): The operators of the well-run fishing store that used to inhabit this location were excellent. I just think that the location wasn't right for fishermen. If you think about it, there was no boat launch onto Minnetonka in the area, so they had to mainly rely on locals for all the business. They were onto something, however: Sports. Just change the focus from fishing to more of a sporting goods store -- running shoes, soccer gear, workout gear, hockey and baseball equipment, and you'd have good traffic. Right now, to buy a pair of non-Target workout shorts, I have to go to a mall. I'd rather keep that business in Shorewood. With the number of school-aged atheletes in the immediate area, and how active the area people tend to be, I think it would do well.
3. Deephaven, that brand new building going up at Chowen's Corner (the hard curve on Minnetonka Blvd): This one seems like a no-brainer -- the highly successful and always packed Beanhaven Cafe, in need of about 30 more seats, could be relocated just down the street and use the first floor of this new building. It would be the same neighborhood, so nobody would be put off when they realized their favorite breakfast joint had moved, because it would have only moved 1/2 a block. Some would argue that the smallish nature of the current cafe adds to its ambience. I say it would still have great, independent, single-proprieter ambience if it had 30 more seats.
John Berns not seeking reelection
Rep. John Berns, the legislator representing House District 33b, announced earlier this week that he will not seek reelection. He cites personal, family, and financial reasons as the driver behind his decision. I first saw the news in the Sun Sailor.
Rep. Berns has represented the district well, in a moderately conservative fashion that suits the district's profile. It is understandable that the office's impact on income and the demanding peak period of legislative work doesn't capture a young family man like Berns. Berns served his district, did a good job for his term, and will now give someone else their chance at public service.
Thank you to Rep. Berns for his service, and I'm sure we'll provide plenty of coverage of this November candidate field as it becomes a bit clearer.
Washington Post ranks Pawlenty as #1 VP contender
The Washington Post has ranked Tim Pawlenty as the top contender to be John McCain's VP nominee. I'd post a link, but subscription is required. Other names on the list include Florida Governor Charlie Crist and South Dakota Senator John Thune. There is a theme emerging -- youthfulness. It is clear that the VP nominee will need to balance McCain's more, shall we say "seasoned" quality.
On the Democratic side, the top ranking for the VP slot goes to Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. In 3rd place is Hillary Clinton, so it is assumed that Obama is the nominee.
At the state level, one has to wonder if Pawlenty on the ticket would give coattails to local and congressional Republican candidates.
Is it still called property tax if it is tied to income?
As we go through the month of May, we'll see several prominent bills discussed at the state capitol. One such bill is the effort to change the way property taxes are paid. http://www.twincities.com/ci_9165066
The bill, authored by Ann Lenczewski, a DFLer from Bloomington, would shift property tax relief to those earning under $200,000 and whose property taxes account for more than 2% of their income. Who pays for it? Those whose property taxes are less than 2% of their income, and those whose households earn more than $200,000.
I don't like this bill on two levels: First, property taxes, along with sales taxes, are one of the last taxes tied to a discretionary purchase. You buy a $500,000 house, you probably will pay a few thousand dollars a year in property taxes. Likewise, if you are frugal and buy a $150,000 condo, you will have a lower tax bill. Your choice.
This bill would create a disincentive to live below your means and save money. If you earn a healthy income but choose to live in a modest home, you would see your property taxes increase to help cover the taxes of the person who was not as frugal on the housing front. It essentially eliminates anyting resembling a property tax and adds to an already considerable income tax here in Minnesota.
The second reason I don't like this bill is because it includes a cap on the amount of increase for local taxes as a component of the property tax. Under the bill, local taxes could only increase by 3% or the rate of inflation. In fairness to Lenczewski, this was an addition suggested by Governor Pawlenty. As I've written before, I don't like the state telling the cities what to do. If Shorewood decides to build a state-of-the-art community center that will require property taxes to increase by 6% a year, they should be able to. (for the record, I would disagree with this type of spending, but I think the council should be the ones to veto the idea, not a state-set cap). I'm not a tax-and-spend liberal, but I also believe in local control of fiscal matters.
I don't like this bill. We already have a plenty progressive tax code in Minnesota, and the property taxes you pay are one of the last taxes determined by something other than how much you earn. I'd like to see property taxes continue to be tied to property values and local levies, not earnings.
Shorewood gets PR on Garage Logic
Garage Logic, the Joe Soucheray drive-time show on AM-1500, spent a fair amount of time on Monday's show discussing the latest Shorewood city newsletter. Soucheray was skeptical that a city government needed to offer as many services as it does. He questioned if things like a city clean-up day, youth activities, or prairie grass planting was really something that a city government needed to offer.
He made the point that he was using Shorewood as an example, but many if not most state cities have become primary providers of many services which he clearly views as "fringe". It is worth a listen. Click on the Monday, May 5, 3pm-4pm hour to tune in.
http://www.am1500.com/podcasts/index.shtml#garage
(editorial) Pavilion Vote: Not an Indication of Anti-Development
Excelsior has, rightly or wrongly, long had a reputation of being a difficult place to redevelop. Land use restrictions, historical preservation, and building codes have been cited as reasons why developers don't see Excelsior as a profitable place to invest.
With the recent rejection of the lakefront Pavilion, I can envision that outside developers will add it to their list of examples of why Excelsior is not developer-friendly. I can hear it now: "Someone was willing to build a lakefront pavilion and a parking ramp for the city at no cost, but the residents didn't want change."
Wrong.
In dealings with residents of Excelsior, I find that people are very open to renewal. Be it a run-down home or a burned-down hardware store, there is more than enough support to redevelop the city in a tasteful and gradual manner. I can name several sites, probably a dozen, in the city limits of Excelsior where there would be near-unanimous support for redevelopment of an underutilized lot. The problem is that the lakefront isn't one of them.
This was a nice idea for the wrong site. Excelsior's identity is that of a lakefront village. If you take the lakefront or the village aspect away, residents will speak up. The pavilion proposal was akin to wanting to develop a building in Washington DC -- at face value, sounds great. But then we learn that the desired location is on the Mall, in between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Out of the question.
That example might be a bit extreme, but scale it down several times and you begin to understand the impact that lakefront development has on Excelsior's identity.
I hope more ideas come along that would make use of underutilized Excelsior lots, and do so with private developers being creative on how to enhance the city. They may not all be approved, but the ones that are will become part of Excelsior's identity for future decades and will be met with enthusiastic support from residents.
Pavilion Proposal Rejected
The proposal for a pavilion on the Excelsior lakefront has been rejected by the city council. This is following a very lively public debate over the past four months, and examination by several Excelsior commissions.
A full story can be found here: http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/ex01cncl.txt
Look for an editorial to come soon, but for now we'll keep it to just the facts.
Erik Paulsen Endorsed by Jim Ramstad
Erik Paulsen, State Representative from Eden Prairie, had a big weekend. First he was endorsed by the Republican Party. Then he was endorsed by Jim Ramstad.
“We have the right person to represent the Third District at this critical time in our nation’s history. Today, friends, it is my distinct privilege to pass the torch of leadership to a new generation… To a leader who has the integrity, energy, vision, experience and character… A leader who will serve the people of our district with distinction at this critical time in our nation’s history,” Ramstad said.
Paulsen definately has the endorsements that matter, with Ramstad giving the wholehearted endorsement and Ramstad's predecessor, Bill Frenzel, having already endorsed him. One had to wonder if Ramstad, who has grown disenchanted with the GOP in recent years, was going to hold anything back on the endorsement of his old aide, Paulsen. He didn't.
Paulsen is running against DFLer Ashwin Madia of Plymouth and Independent Dave Dillion of Shorewood.
The Meeting
The long-awaited Excelsior City Council Meeting where public input was taken on the Pavilion proposal occured last Wednesday. The only information I can find on it is what was printed in the StarTrib, but I'm sure there will be news in the local papers soon.
If anyone attended the meeting and is willing to share your thoughts or observations, please do so for the benefit of the readers. Thanks.
Merger
The Delta - Northwest merger appears imminent. While I hate to see a headquarters leave the Twin Cities for one of our competitor regions, maybe there is a silver lining. Northwest has been an erratic employer in the past decade. We all know someone who has been laid off, furloughed, or decided to leave because the pay was squeezed and the future was too uncertain. I am empathic toward the plight of Northwest employees, but lets weigh how much we need to fight and spend to keep a legacy airline headquarters in town.
First, let me clarify that the hub and the headquarters are two different things. The Twin Cities needs a hub for business reasons. Having a hub plays into company decisions on where to locate their operation, hold company meetings and conferences, or increasingly with the creative economy on where to allow its workers to live. Denver and San Francisco are two cities that don't house an airline headquarters but are closely identified with their United hubs. Minneapolis needs to be a key Delta hub for decades to come.
On to the money: If this merger happens, the State of Minnesota is due approximately $445 million in immediate loan repayments and forfeiture of future concession discounts. That, at this point, is the only leverage we have left. We can use that leverage to ensure that some high paying jobs are left in the region, that Delta continue to participate in local philanthropy, or even push for a dual headquarters. But I think I have a better idea.
The State of Minnesota should let the merger occur and use the $445 million to create a recurring revenue stream dedicated to developing and enabling private sector businesses which will carry the state deep into the new century. If invested, that amount of money could generate over $20 million per year which could help attract innovative knowledge businesses in creative fields such as medical technology, bioscience, environmental technology, and others. Those sectors would create desirable jobs which would be around for decades and help the region remain economically vibrant for generations.
Bolstering our medical technology success and attracting more biotech and environmental engineering businesses, in addition to other creative economy businesses, would do more to ensure an airline wants to keep a hub here (voluntarily) than any legislative actions could.
It is unfortunate that a merger is the most likely conclusion to the long Northwest saga, but the State should take this opportunity to energize our private sector economy for the next 50 years, not try to prolong an industry that is fraught with fundamental operating issues. Northwest was a 1900's company. We now have the opportunity to reinvest in companies that are perfect for the new century.
Race for Ramstad's Seat Becomes Clearer
After a tight, eight ballot process yesterday at Wayzata Middle School, Senator Terri Bonoff stepped aside and cleared the way for Ashwin Madia be endorsed by the DFL for the 3rd district congressional seat. Madia was the least-known of the three initial DFL candidates, but gained steam after an early VoteVets endorsement and much campaigning in the 3rd CD.
Madia brings a dynamic to the race that previous DFL nominees have not had. He is a former Marine who spent time as a military lawyer in Iraq. He is young (30) and stays close to his talking points. Whereas Wendy Wilde and Deborah Watts were longshots who needed to be extreme in order to have a chance at competing, Madia will be able to fall back on his military experience to draw credibility to his candidacy. Here is this blog's quick and dirty take on his candidacy:
The Good: Madia's military experience brings an obvious strength to this race. He is succinct with his talking points and doesn't veer much from his script. Madia has good speaking skills and should perform well in debates. His youth could play will with a section of the 3rd district voters, and the fact that he spent time in Iraq could bring him much of the Veteran vote. He has proven that he can get union endorsements, something which plays well in parts of the 3rd but maybe not well in others. He doesn't have the disadvantage of his opponent, Representative Erik Paulsen, when it comes to previous voting records causing questions. Madia is starting his political career from scratch, outside of a stint as Student Body President at the U in the late 90's.
The Bad: Madia is an unknown to anyone outside of DFL circles in the 3rd. Whereas a Jim Hovland or Terri Bonoff were active in the community for a period of time prior to running for congress, many independents' first impression of Madia will be when he is asking for their vote for a huge job. He is not a typical 3rd CD resident -- he is 30, single, and really hasn't lived here much. He attended High School in Osseo, and moved back to the district to run for this race. Outside of defense issues, which he has an advantage on, there is no indication his experience prepares him more for other federal issues as much as Representative Paulsen's experience at the Capitol has.
Conclusion: Madia is in effective campaigner and will work hard to make himself visible. His lack of any track record and minimal exposure as a citizen in the 3rd CD prior to this run may turn skeptics off. His ideology is unclear -- we know he was a Republican in the past but some of his views in debates were the most liberal of the three candidates. Still, with Democrats having the momentum this year, Republicans need to take Madia seriously. All three DFLers who started the race, Hovland, Bonoff, and Madia, were stronger than any candidate the DFL has put up in the 3rd for a few years. I say this race will be won by less than 5 points. By whom? It is too early to tell.
Mrs. Excelsior Does Us Proud
Natalie Hagemo, Mrs. Excelsior, made a strong showing at the Mrs. Minnesota International Pageant winning the Director's Choice, Peoples' Choice, and Best Interview awards.
More information on Natalie's activities and drug awareness platform can be found at her website, http://www.nataliehagemo.com/
A new foodie site
A local site worth checking out is www.minnetonkadines.com. It links to the menus of several local restaurants, in addition to the Edible Express, a source for food delivery from places such as Big Bowl (a personal favorite).
MinnetonkaDines is a directory that is not directly affiliated with any of the restaurants it covers, to our knowledge. Check it out.
Excelsior Pavillion Meeting
The meeting to hear resident input on the Excelsior Pavilion is fast approaching. It will be this Wednesday, April 16, at 7pm. The meeting will be held at the Excelsior Elementary School.
Reports will be given by each city Commission who studied the issue, and then public comments will be taken.
If you have a feeling either way regarding the Pavilion proposal that you would like expressed, the 16th would be the time to do it.
South Lake Minnetonka: An Active Place
The South Lake area will once again play host to many active events this spring and summer. As we have noted on this blog before, these events are a nice change of pace for the community, and bring a respectful group of people to the area who may not otherwise come. Each summer, we can count on having the boating crowds, tour boat crowds, festival crowds, bar crowds, and wedding reception crowds in the area on a regular basis. Adding the active crowd to that list adds a new dimension of visitors, and uses the South Lake area in more of an off-peak manner (most of these events take place early on weekend mornings, when most people are still sleeping off the evening before).
Here is a partial list of active pursuits in the area, and we'll try to keep this updated:
Sunday, April 27: Excelsior Criterium Bicycle Race. This is a sanctioned bike event put on in conjunction with Excelcycle, the local bike shop. First event of its kind in the area.
Sunday, May 4: Wells Fargo Half Marathon. Begins in downtown Wayzata, runs along the western edge of lower Lake Minnetonka, through Navarre and Tonka Bay, and ends in downtown Excelsior. Registration Full.
Saturday, June 21: Lake Minnetonka Triathlon. Start / Finish line is at the Excelsior Commons. This event is fast becoming a premier Twin Cities Triathlon. Sprint distance - .5 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3 mile run.
Saturday, June 7: Wenmarks ALARC Legends 5K and 10K run race, Deephaven. Annual event.
Wednesday, July 4: Firecracker 10K and 2 mile run. Excelsior. Popular, well-attended event.
Saturday, August 2: Tour de Tonka. 15, 33, and 65 mile bike ride, beginning at the Deephaven Education Center. In its 3rd year, it has become a very popular cycling event regionally.
55331 City Data
For statistics junkies out there, you need to visit www.city-data.com. It is a great site with, you guessed it, data on cities. You can get down to the zip code level of data and dig in to the profile of your specific area. The "Top 100" lists are also great -- they compare zip codes across the nation in many interesting and obscure categories.
Among a few interesting items:
- Two age groups dominate the populus of the 55331 zip code: Early teenagers, and those in their mid-thirties to mid-forties.
- The average home value is about $460,000, a little over twice the state average
- The average resident of this zip code makes about 3 times the state average income, and pays about 4.5 times the state average tax amount
- On average, a resident of this zip code gives about 3.7% of their income to charity
- 84% of us drive to work alone
- The most common ancestry reported is 1) German (#1 by alot), 2) Norwegian, 3) Irish, 4) Swedish, and 5) English
I just can't get enough of numbers like this. I'd recommend the site.
CD3 Congressional Election Preview: What Color is Our District?
This year promises to be one of the most exciting campaign seasons we have seen, and will probably have one of the highest voter turnouts in recent memory in the 3rd Congressional District. With contested Presidential, Senate, and Congressional seats, there is much reason to vote.
The 3rd has always been slightly Red. Several decades of representation in Washington have been served by moderate Republicans like Jim Ramstad and Bill Frenzel. While recent numbers show that the 3rd is still red, it is red by a sliver. Although the Democrats have fully controlled the House and the Senate since the last election cycle, bad economic news usually manifests in the Presidential vote. And then there is Iraq. The bottom line -- if ever a Democrat had a chance to pick up this seat, for the short or long term, it is this year.
How much vote is out there to swing? I'm no statistician, but I'll try to make a case. In 2006, a year when Republicans couldn't buy a vote and the world was Blue, Mark Kennedy pulled 41% of the 3rd CD vote. With the name recognition and flawless campaign Klobuchar had, I'd say that 41% was pretty close to the rock-bottom Republican base. That equated to 118,000 votes.
Likewise, Wendy Wilde and Deborah Watts each pulled 35% against Ramstad in 2006 and 2004. The 35% by Watts in 2004 was in a year that wasn't yet at the Democratic period of electoral domination, so I'm pegging that as the low end of what they can pull. That 35% equated to roughly 100,000 votes.
With that imperfect logic established, that means that this district leans Republican, but only by about 6%. And that also leaves a healthy 24% of voters up for grabs.
In 2000, a year that had contested Presidential and Senate elections in the district, just under 345,000 votes were cast in the 3rd. Since Obamamania and the intensity of local races may get more out to vote, I'm going to say there are 350,000 votes out to be had. That would equate to voter turnout of about 79%, which is very very good. If we (again imperfectly) apply our "base" ratios to this race, that means Paulsen would start with about 144,000 votes, and the Democratic nominee about 123,000. Of the remaining 83,000, the Democratic nominee would need to swing 63% of them to win; Paulsen would need to pull 38% to win.
There is no huge student population to get out to vote in the 3rd, but the Democratic nominee could swing some votes based on their characteristic. Terri Bonoff could appeal to the female voter, a sizeable block. Ashwin Madia could pull some of the Veteran and Immigrant vote.
The bottom line: This is still a red district, but only by a sliver. A very strong showing from a Democrat could make this seat Blue for the first time in generations.
Public Meeting on Commons / Port Development
The public meeting to discuss development at the Port of Excelsior is scheduled for April 16, from 7pm - 10pm at Excelsior Elementary School. The venue was secured because of the expected high public turnout. The city requests that any resident wishing to make a presentation contact them in advance so they can plan the time effectively.
Mrs. Excelsior
For anyone wondering why all the buzz around Mrs. Excelsior, Natalie Hagemo, in the past year, I'll refer you to an editorial in the Sun Sailor. In it, Mike Hanks does a great job of explaining the signficance of it, and how it is different from your typical pageant competition.
3rd Congressional District Update
We are entering an interesting two weeks on the local Congressional District scene. Each of the next two weekends will have a host of local Senate District DFL caucus activity. In those caucuses, delegates are earned toward the endorsement. It is very conceivable that after the 16th, we'll have a good idea of who is running in the general election.
Here is our summary on the candidates:
Erik Paulsen (R) - Eden Prairie: Paulsen is the Republican candidate for the seat. He is a longtime State Representative and a former Ramstad staffer. His voting record indicates that he is further to the right than Ramstad, but his campaign messages have painted a more moderate picture. Paulsen is known to be a student of the issues, well-prepared, and more measured than passionate. He has a strong start to his fundraising effort.
Terri Bonoff (D) - Minnetonka: Bonoff is a two-term State Senator from Minnetonka. She took the seat in a special election, where she upset the Republican candidate in a mostly red district. Her reputation at the capitol is as a fighter for children and education. Bonoff secured many of the prominent DFL endorsements through her campaign, such as that of Walter Mondale. While some view her as the establishment candidate, it is important to note that until her 2005 legislative run she was a citizen activitist with no public office.
Ashwin Madia (D) - Brooklyn Center: Madia is an attorney in Minneapolis and new to the local political scene. He is a former Marine with Iraq experience. It is tough to find alot of information on him other than what his campaign is disseminating. He brings youth (he is 30) to the race and is a polished debater. He is also running an impressively organized campaign. The fact that he moved from Minneapolis to the 3rd CD only after Ramstad announced his retirement may raise questions with some.
Jim Hovland (D) - Edina: The Mayor of Edina was a Republican for many years, but officially switched parties at the time of his Congressional announcement. He is an law firm partner and visible in the Edina area serving on several commissions, including the one focusing on the 494 transportation corridor. The buzz is that he could have some momentum but his campaign has been a bit disorganized in the important delegate race.
We would like to see a Paulsen - Hovland race, as we think it would give the voters of the 3rd a contest most closely mirroring the district ideology. Hovland is relatively moderate, maybe to the left of Ramstad, while Paulsen is further right, closer to Bill Frenzel (Ramstad's predecesser). We will keep you posted on DFL developments as they occur.
State Politics: Not a Week for Moderation
This week at the capitol has had its share of drama and suspense. Earlier in the week, the legislature overrode Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill with a narrow vote. Today, the Senate voted to reject Molnau's appointment as MNDOT head (yes, she had been on the job for five years).
If this week is any indication, political moderation is not a virtue in St. Paul at the moment. The veto override passed largely because of the "six defecters", the six Republicans who voted with the Democrats. They were promptly punished by being stripped of committeeship appointments and have been slammed left and right by partisan talk show hosts and some fellow legislators. Today's Molnau vote appears to have been along party lines, with Democrats getting the public "firing" that they've been drooling after for months.
One of my favorite books is "A Man's Reach" by late Governor Elmer Andersen and Lori Sturdevant. In it, Andersen talks about how politics didn't get so personal in his day. A shared interest in moving Minnesota ahead transcended the winner-take-all mentality that we see more of today. Sure, politics weren't squeaky clean back then -- Andersen's failure to get re-elected as Governor wreaked of his opponent sharing questionable information and effectively manipulating what was a long news cycle back then -- but you have to think it was more collaborative than it has been in the past decade. Moderates were viewed as the powerful bridge between the two parties, not a weakness within partisan caucus.
The irony of this week's situation is that Tim Pawlenty, a Governor viewed as some in the state as ultra-conservative and unbecoming of a Minnesotan on spending issues, was shot down with a thud at his National Governor's Association meeting in DC. His ideas for controlling greenhouse emissions were apparently much too radical for some of his more conservative peers. A Governor who is being labeled as too conservative here at home is being labeled as too moderate on the national scene.
While this week has been one of the more partisan-charged ones St. Paul has seen in a while, we can hope for a few more moderate developments during the remainder of this session:
1. Governor Pawlenty not being deterred by the poor response to his moderation in DC. That type of approach will certainly fall on a more receptive audience at home.
2. The "six defecting" Republicans continuing to be the difference on key votes during the session, continuing to vote for their district on every issue, and not being further punished by the Republicans if they vote to the left or being bashed by the DFL if they vote with the right.
3. A debate on how to treat the looming $1 billion deficit which is not simply a call to raise taxes again (from the DFL) versus a call to cut state investment to the bone (from Republicans).
4. A bonding bill which displays comprimise from both parties.
Here's to moderation.
Ice Fishing Houses Must Be Off Soon
Although ice levels on Lake Minnetonka are in the 30-inch range, ice fishing houses must be off the lake this Saturday.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/15978687.html
Transportation Bill Passes
In what was one of the more interesting vote sequences at the Capitol, the Legislature overrode Governor Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill yesterday.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/02/25/veto/
Democrats felt that a cash infusion was needed, in addition to the bonding which Republicans supported, to accelerate the improvement and expansion of transportation in Minnesota. Republicans felt that bonding would allow for a better investment, and felt that the taxes in the bill were regressive.
In the end, we'll have the first gas tax increase in years and a small metro-wide increase in the sales tax.
Excelsior Commissions study lakefront development proposal
All four Excelsior commissions -- Planning, Heritage Preservation, Finance, and Park and Recreation -- have studied and entertained opinions on the proposal to development the lakefront plot at the edge of the Commons.
We are interested in eyewitness accounts from anyone who attended: Were the meetings well attended? What was the tone? Was a strong case made either way?
George Will: "Fairness" in the Democratic campaign
Interesting column by George Will in today's Star Tribune discussing such issues as Obamamania and the caucus system.
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/15821992.html
Shorewood to Tape Work Session Meetings
Shorewood has made the decision to tape and broadcast work sessions. See the article in the Sun for details: http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/02/12/news/ex07shor2.txt
This is the first city in the immediate area that will take this step. While work sessions might not be the most exciting primetime viewing available on TV, we commend Shorewood for finding new ways to keep residents informed.
Report: Excelsior Planning Commission Hears Pavillion Proposal
The Lakeshore Weekly News did a recap on last week's Excelsior Planning Commission meeting where they heard about the Pavillion proposal.
http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=4268
Excelsior Facing Future-Shaping Decisions (Editorial)
The City of Excelsior is considering two proposals for prominent developments in its downtown. One is for the development of the Port of Excelsior into a Pavillion resembling what once stood there, and the other is for the redevelopment of the Pizza Hut building which is being rumored as a proposed boutique hotel.
Excelsior has a long reputation as a place where development and redevelopment of property can be a hassle-laden process. Relatively strict guidelines for things like building heights and a vocal base of residents who deeply value the history and character of the city create an approval process which requires patience. Over the years, some developers have walked away from the commissions or Council feeling personal design preference was too often injected into the debate.
With both of these projects, however, the developers are asking for alot. In the case of the Pavillion, there would be the loss of lakefront views and the selling of prime lakefront property that is currently open space. With the proposed hotel, although details are sketchy, we are hearing there would be a significant height variance requested (as much as 20 feet). The new Council, while showing signs of being redevelopment friendly, is faced with proposals that are anything but routine or incremental.
If one or both of these proposals are ultimately denied by Excelsior's Council, nobody can accuse them of being anti-development based on these projects alone. The developers are asking for much more than a nominal setback variance or a slightly unusual building facade. They are asking for the City to grant them the authority to make major changes that would redefine the city for generations, using major exceptions to agreed-upon development codes which have been guiding development up until now. While we are not advocating for or against either project at this time, we believe Excelsior's Council is well-served to tread carefully and gather all the input before moving ahead.