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Unallotment: a product of a less friendly Minnesota that wants to be average
Unallotment has come. Yesterday, in a fiery press conference Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his unilateral solution to the budget debate he was unwilling to negotiate during the legislative session. Yay, executive power! Good luck in ’12, bub. But the outcome is devastating and the governor and his allies are unwilling to admit the role they’ve…
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New GOP chair is from Iron Range
It bears mentioning that Tony Sutton, the new Minnesota Republican Party chair, is originally from Hibbing, right in the heart of the Iron Range DFL bastion. The Hibbing Daily Tribune reminded me of this today. I’m embarrassed I didn’t recall that detail on my own. Though the Iron Range reliably produces 2-1 DFL majorities, it’s…
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Marty and Gaertner interviews on the way
In the next week I’ll be featuring more interviews with DFL Minnesota gubernatorial candidates. Today I’ll be talking to State Sen. John Marty. That interview synopsis and analysis will be posted in a few days. In the next week or so I hope to be in touch with Susan Gaertner. I’ve done four interviews already…
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South St. Paul and the Iron Range: shared fate, forgetful governor
This Jon Tevlin column in the Sunday Star Tribune explains the effect of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unallotment and Local Government Aid cuts on Pawlenty’s hometown of South St. Paul. I have new affection for South St. Paul since my dad moved there. I’ve visited several times now and I always remark on how this working…
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Range paper offers praise for Bakk’s campaign
The Iron Range’s largest newspaper, perhaps not surprisingly, has reviewed the gubernatorial campaign strategy of State Sen. Tom Bakk(DFL-Cook) and likes what they see. Related posts: No related posts.
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Massive college cuts threaten Iron Range’s flagship theater program, and much more
Amid a 15 percent budget cut due to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unilateral state budget unallotment, Hibbing Community College has announced plans to downsize its celebrated theater department. Because I work for HCC (in the communication department no less) I am dangerously close to the politics of this. As such I won’t comment much on this…
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Meantime, over at that other blog: another Bakk post
By special request I wrote a post on State Sen. Tom Bakk’s gubernatorial campaign over at the Minnesota Progressive Project. Not much new, but saying things that aren’t new about one of the 8,768 gubernatorial campaigns is so hot right now. Related posts: No related posts.
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Bakk to run for governor, will honor DFL endorsement
It’s official: the Mesabi Daily News reports that State Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) is running for governor. Probably not surprising for most, but here’s a twist. He’s going to honor the DFL endorsement and pursue a convention strategy. If he doesn’t get the June 2010 endorsement he will run for re-election to the State Senate.…
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How T-Paw’s call is playing up north
Not many surprises in the reactions of Range legislators to Gov. Pawlenty’s decision not to seek a third term. (Story in today’s Mesabi Daily News) The real question will be in how his unallotments affect all manner of public services across the state … all to protect the already favorable tax rates of people who…
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Huge rural district faces tough questions on June 8
A press release from St. Louis County Schools about the board’s crucial June 8 vote on a facilities plan for this struggling rural school district: ISD 2142 school board to choose plan for realigning district school locations on June 8; public to vote on the plan in the fallAfter more than a year of study…
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Pawlenty won’t seek third term, foul gas released on the Iron Range: coincidence?
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has enjoyed an antagonistic relationship with the Iron Range and, for that matter, the government he runs during his two terms. Pawlenty announced today he will not seek a third. In honor of the occasion, the Iron Range taconite mine MinnTac released a 10-mile-wide cloud of foul-smelling odorant that reached from Mt.…
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The perils of Excelsior’s appeal
The Hibbing Daily Tribune follows up on yesterday’s news of Excelsior Energy’s disappointing day at the state Public Utilities Commission. Excelsior will appeal, of course, but the story points out that such an appeal could create as many problems as it could solve for the beleaguered economic development boondoggle. Related posts: No related posts.
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HOPE for the broadband of the future economy
Here’s a fascinating story about the Obama FCC’s new report on rural broadband. Somebody is finally at the switch. Related posts: No related posts.
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And that’s all I have to say about that
The state PUC has closed the docket on Excelsior Energy’s foolhardy Xcel Power Purchase Agreement demands for its Mesaba Energy Project. The start-up company will now appeal the decision in hopes of sustaining its government sanctioned boondoggle. All those who have supported this monstrosity will face increasing questions of competence and accountability as economic development…
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The welfare wrasslin’ match
From Across the Great Divide a fascinating addition to the perpetual argument over welfare and whether people pour into Minnesota just to take advantage of our benefits. The post argues no more than average and no more than other states. What follows is a pretty good representation of the core issues of this debate. I’m…