Bachmann Lies About Earmarks

Think Progress has a fun post up about Congresswoman Bachmann's lying ways.

CLAMAN: How about a no-pork bill? Will that ever be a reality?

BACHMANN: I think it is possible. I took a pledge in my own district. I have not taken earmarks in the last three years that I have been in Congress because the system is so corrupt. It’s possible to make that pledge.

The truth:

In fact, according to Legistorm, Bachmann has requested 7 earmarks in Fiscal Year 2008 costing tax payers a total of $3,767,600. Some examples:

- $94,000 for Sheriffs Youth Program of MN
- $335,000 for Equipment Acquisition for Northland Medical Center
- $803,000 for Replacement Small Buses, St. Cloud Metro Bus

These aren't earmarks to be distraught over. It would appear that these are legitimate needs for the district, yet Bachmann flat out lies about the earmarks.

Oh Bobby...

After watching Governor and Former Congressman Bobby Jindal I gotta say...

Wow.

What a frickin hypocrite.

In 2005 and 2006, then Congressman Jindal voted for EVERY spending bill in Congress except for one, and actually, that was an amendment. Yep, the staunch fiscal conservative who wants to lessen the burden on our kids, voted against an amendment that would restore funding for Public Radio.

That's it! There was no other wasteful spending in 2005 or 2006 other than an amendment to restore Public Radio funding?

The phrase "half of Louisiana being under water and the other half under indictment" comes to mind...

As a member of our Statewide Student Association, we actively lobbied against the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2005. Jindal voted for that too...and thus supported:

$11.4 Billion in cuts in Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program)
$14.3 Billion in cuts in Student Loans
$1.8 Billion in cuts in Farm and conservation programs
$3.2 Billion from repeal of Byrd Amendment that provides aid to local employers hurt by foreign trade violators

After Democrats gained control of Congress after the 2006 elections Jindal's voting record took an interesting turn.

The man so worried about the burden on our nations kids, supported spending bills 9 times, opposed them 15 times, and had the courage to not even vote 29 times.

So while Republicans chastise President Obama for voting present on a handful of votes, their new poster child for fiscal conservatism, failed to even vote 29 times.

He failed to vote on 53% of spending bills in 2007.

And this is the guy the GOP sent up to scold Democrats?

Shimanski on Budget Forums

I sure wish they had held one of these in our Senate District, Willmar and St Cloud are a bit far for me to drive during the work week.

Our State Rep on the other side of the district, Rep Ron Shimanski, had this to say about the Willmar forum.

Meanwhile, the House-Senate listening session in Willmar Thursday night was well attended by an estimated 250 people. The issues they raised revolved around the state budget, spending programs and taxes and the results were close to what we expected.

We have a state deficit which could be approaching $7 billion by the time we receive the end of February forecast, so a lot of people used the event as an opportunity to explain why the group they represent should be spared from potential budget cuts. Other people talked about the need to slow the rise of state spending; it has increased 140 percent since 1992; or hold off tax increases. There were no truly innovative ways presented to either reduce state spending or increase revenue.

The West Central Tribune covered the same budget forum.

Some public employees asked for a fairly drawn tax increase to maintain programs that serve vulnerable people.

Others said that no tax increase was acceptable, and that across-the-board budget cuts would be a better solution.

County and school officials asked for relief from mandates — requirements the state hands down without providing the money to carry them out.

State employee's chimed in, talking about the importance of their work.

In the words of Christie Kurth, executive director of the Willmar Area Food Shelf, “We’re all here asking you not to cut us any more than you have to.”

Several state employees who provide services to mentally ill and developmentally disabled people asked that those programs be spared from budget cuts. If basic services are not available for the people who are living on their own in communities, they said, the cost of their care could be much higher in the long run.

Frank Lawatsch, administrator at Swift County-Benson Hospital said the hospital has already seen its bad debts increase.

“More and more people can’t pay their medical bills,” he said, and a proposal to remove 84,000 adults from state insurance programs will make the problem worse. People without insurance often seek care at emergency rooms, where the costs are much higher than at clinics, he said.

Public defenders, prosecutors and judges told the legislators stories about the problems created in the judicial system by cuts made in the past few years.

Glen Jacobson, a Renville County attorney, told a story about a woman whose felony conviction was overturned because she was denied her constitutional right to a speedy trial. The trial had been delayed repeatedly in an overworked system, he said.

If more cuts are made, “you will be killing the rule of law as we know it in Minnesota,” he said.

I love the idea of townhall meetings. I don't like the perception that these meetings will offer the magic bullet solution to our budget woes.

Although I believe that Governor Pawlenty's proposal is insufficient, I'd like to see the proposal from my fellow Democrats.

I had lunch with a friend of mine that ran for the House this past year. We both had some interesting thoughts on Senator Pogemiller's response to free Senate hiring and announce that pay cuts could be voluntary.

Please...

Voluntary? What a sacrifice!

When my pay was cut, the only voluntary act was to stay employed.

Like I've said in previous posts, cut the per diem and other perks.

Impose term limits so that we can rid our hallowed chambers of stagnant ideas that didn't work 20 years ago and won't work now.

The frustration level amongst run of the mill citizen is immense.

I'd like to see a real proposal soon...and no more rhetoric.

Legislative Pay Cuts?

Caught this yesterday on the radio, Dave Mindeman over at mnpACT! has an interesting take on the proposed legislative pay cuts.

Well, as long as they are going to discuss pay... why stop there? Let's cut the legislators base pay down to $21,500. Then they can officially fall below the Federal poverty line and will at least qualify for food stamps.

Good point Dave.

I have mixed feelings about a pay decrease, only because the elected officials will make up for said decrease by taking more in per diem and other fringe benefits.

My view on this: Keep the pay the same, but completely cut the daily per diem. It's a "part time" job, how many people do you know making $60,000 a year at their "part time" job?

Instead of dining at Mancini's and the Monte Carlo every night of session, hit up that White Castle over on Rice and University, nothing like a sack of sliders to get the legislative process churning...

Anyone catch the Bachmann comments?

From her Startribune op ed titled "The perils of spending like it's 1929"?

It's really all about Bachmann fear mongering and pimping tax cuts ala Ronald Reagan.

A few interesting comments from the cheap seats...

So in other words, Bush and the Republicans run up the debt and create the financial crisis, and Obama and the Democrats are held responsible for making the hard decisions and biting the bullet. I was a worker during the Reagan years and I can say that the boom times didn't happen until Clinton was in office. Reagan did run up a good-sized debt, though. My grandparents and parents lived through the Great Depression, which started with Republican Hoover in office. They worshipped FDR, because at least he did something and tried to help families. As one of FDR's advisers pointed out, eating is always a short-term solution. FDR made sure that nobody starved to death and he kept people's hopes up during the long depression. What have Republicans Hoover, Bush, or Bachmann done to compare with that?

I like the handy dandy graph showing how these compassionate conservatives have run up some significant debt.

The false equivalencies in this ridiculous article are just shameless nonsense. The economic challenges that Reagan and Kennedy faced were nothing compared to the prospect of total financial meltdown that Obama faces now thanks to 8 years of failed Bush economic policy. MASSIVE TAX CUTS are not the magic solution. Do you not understand that the entire financial system is on the verge of collapse? I wish your constituents had learned from history and not re-elected you.

Don't get me started on the Congressional race in the 6th...

Why is it everyone thinks the President will fix the economy? It's the House and Senate that determine fiscal policy and write the checks. A President can ask, beg, and plead for his ideas and programs. But it is up to the Congress to decide. If you want assign blame, look to the fools in Congress. If you are looking for rescue and economic salvation you need to look to Congress. Though I personally doubt that particular body of government is up to the task. Like most things, the economy is like a pendulum. It swings from feast to famine. It has been here before numerous times, and it will recover to start the swing all over again.

Now this comment got my attention! It leads me to ponder, if Congress has a 16% approval rating, how in the hell do 95% of the incumbents get reelected? I know...it's the mantra that "my guy is doing well", it's the rest of Congress that sucks. We need to shake things up a bit...

Bush had an agenda 8 years ago. Congress marched in lock step under Bush's "leadership" and led us into the perilous situation we face today.

Obama has filled the leadership void in the White House, I'm willing to give him a fair shot at this, even though I have some deep reservations of the stimulus package.

So while facing a crisis of epic proportions, Congresswoman Bachmann wants tax cuts...

Why not hold all the financial groups that financed her campaign accountable?

Morbildly Obese Levels of Spending?

Congresswoman Bachmann dropped that bomb this morning on Fox news, describing the "Economic Surge" by saying it had "morbidly obese levels of spending".

She also discussed that it was difficult for her to look at 20 or 25 year old in the face and tell them that this package was good for them.

While I have some problems with the package, I do believe that we need to do something. We cannot collectively sit on our hands and hope that Adam Smith and his invisible hand rescue our troubled economy.

After 8 years (6 of which under strong Conservative control) of failed Bush foreign and domestic policy, corporate waste fraud and abuse, and no accountability, an invisible hand will do nothing to right this sinking vessel.

A strong and tight fist is what we need.

Now back to Congresswoman Bachmann...

She can't look a 20 or 25 year old in the face and tell them this is good for them. Gotcha Michele, although that's pretty hard when one rarely sees the Congresswoman in district and when she does come back, it's via a first class flight.

The hypocrisy kills me here...

So, spending nearly a trillion dollars in Iraq, first destroying it and now rebuilding it, meanwhile having no accountability for the Military Industrial Complex and it's war profiteer's Halliburton, Blackwater and other defense contractors is a good physically fit, fat free way of spending?

Spending money to create jobs and help Americans impacted by 8 years of failed Bush foreign and domestic policy is the fast food version, a "morbidly obese" way to spend?

Ok...

By the way, the next time Congresswoman Bachmann steps into the 6th to look a 20 or 25 year old in the face may well be here first!

Shimanski on LGA

Senator Dille and Representative Shimanski were in Glencoe recently discussing cuts to Local Government Aid and state mandates.

A participant asked Shimanski if local governments should plan on the eventual elimination of local government aid (LGA) to cities, counties and townships.

"As long as Tim Pawlenty is governor, it will be a target," said Shimanski. Shimanski said he recently saw a spreadsheet of cuts proposed by the governor that included a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in LGA each year.

However, Shimanski said, the Legislature currently has a Democratic majority, and the governor's proposals will be "balanced" by counter-proposals by the Legislature, so there will likely be cuts in LGA, but the program will probably not be eliminated altogether.

Let's remember that the vast majority of these small towns in Dille and Shimanski's district voted for Governor Pawlenty and love the "no new taxes" pledges.

However they fail to realize that Pawlenty and Shimanski's cuts to LGA actually result in property tax and other fee increases, in order to fill the void left by LGA cuts.

So Shimanski's message to small town Minnesota?

Get rid of Pawlenty.

And at last...we agree on something!

Bachmann's First Class Flight?

Anyone want to wager that this will be the one and only DB post that has Bachmann and first class in the title?

Congresswoman Bachmann, "defender of the taxpayer", flew back from DC after voting against the stimulus package which included job opportunities.

Ollie at Bluestem has the scoop!

Ah hell, we're the workingest state anyway right?

Sadly, nothing with Congresswoman Bachmann surprises us anymore...

Pawlenty's Ponzi Scheme

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich had this to offer yesterday in regards to Governor Pawlenty's budget proposal:

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, offered the strongest legislative criticism, saying he fears the Pawlenty plan will boost local property taxes, increase college tuitions and force needy people off health programs.

“What we don’t want to happen is any ponzi schemes in the governor’s budget,” Sertich said, referring to an investment fraud in the news recently.

Ponzi schemes?

Back on December, Pawlenty took a shot or two at the possibility of using federal stimulus money to balance the budget.

"The federal government of the United States of America is broke," said Pawlenty. "What they are proposing to do is pay credit card debt with more credit card debt."

And

However, Pawlenty is one of a handful of Republican governors who thinks that is the wrong way to go.

"They are engaged in a very elaborate Ponzi scheme," said Pawlenty. "It is a house of cards and it is eventually going to collapse, I will predict to you, sooner rather than later."

So why is Pawlenty relying on something he's calling an elaborate "Ponzi scheme"?

His dangerous and irresponsible "no new taxes" pledge relies on a "Ponzi scheme"?

Nice work Pawlenty...

Reminds me of Dumb and Dumber when Lloyd trades the van for a scooter...

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber, you go and do something like this... and totally redeem yourself!"

Back to the Future: Pawlenty's LGA cut

A budget only Marty McFly would be proud of...

That whole "no new taxes" pledge from 2003 still hits small towns throughout Central Minnesota. Even back in 2006, the most popular thing to talk about when we knocked on doors was the sharp increase in property taxes.

Double digit increases were the norm between 03-06. It seemed as though things finally had stabilized a bit.

Now, Governor Pawlenty is proposing a 15% cut to LGA in 2010 and a 31% cut in 2011.

How does this impact us locally?

Annandale loses $70,826 in 2010 and $158,062 in 2011.
Cokato loses $73,735 in 2010 and $164,553 in 2011.
Dassel loses $43,955 in 2010 and $98,094 in 2011.
Hutchinson loses $414,947 in 2010 and $926,037 in 2011. Double whammy with all the job losses at HTI as well...
Litchfield loses $204,042 in 2010 and $455,360 in 2011.

You get the picture.

Arguably, larger cities have an easier time taking these cuts in stride. Small towns like Silver Lake, Howard Lake, Darwin, Grove City, Cosmos, etc, have a more difficult time absorbing blows like this.

Ultimately, they made choices like Wadena's mayor Wayne Wolden.

In Wadena during a recent weekend snowfall, the city waited until Monday morning to plow streets rather than pay overtime. With its proposed LGA cut in 2009, the city is likely to close its parks department, said Mayor Wayne Wolden. In the second year, its $230,000 cut would mean plowing streets after every other major snowstorm, he said.

Pawlenty spoke of priorities during his budget presentation, saying military, Veterans and public safety were the highest priority in his budget.

Despite Pawlenty's intentions, it would at least appear to me that leaving 6 inches of snow in the streets wouldn't be the safest thing to do, but with Pawlenty's "no new taxes" fetish, choices like that need to be made.

On those kitchen table conversations...

A bunch of right wing groups have come together and put up a website to propose actions to fix our state's budget deficit.

It's a veritable who's who of Minnesota conservative organizations, headlined by Minnesota Majority, Minnesota Family Council, and the Taxpayers League.

The website has an excel function that allows you to cut each area of the state budget to trim down the $4.8 billion deficit.

We've heard numerous Republican legislators parrot Governor Pawlenty's line about families having tough conversations at the kitchen table.

That part is true, we are having those conversations. We're cutting back on eating out and other activities, relying on some of our savings as well.

But the Republican leadership fails to recognize the other part of the conversation.

We're looking at how to raise "revenue" as well. I'll work more hours at work or maybe take on some more part time work opportunities.

Increasing the revenue side of the picture has to be in play and the folks at Minnesota Budget Solutions refuse to even acknowledge that possibility.

I get it, you don't want to raise taxes, even for those in the Top 1%.

But please, don't play this silly game that real Minnesotans are only having conversations about what to cut.

Pawlenty: Poser Mobile or hidden fees?

Same "Stuff" Different Day, we've seen this trick before.



Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Thursday the budget he will unveil next week contains no tax increases and little in the way of fee hikes.

The GOP governor said he will erase a projected $4.8 billion deficit through a package of cuts, accounting shifts such as changes in payment schedules and an “all-time historic low” in fee increases. He previewed the budget to reporters in his Capitol office, saying the bad economy calls for dramatic change.

“You’ll see a budget on Tuesday that is aggressive and takes on some risk in exchange for trying to strategically reposition Minnesota to try to be more competitive and to try to maintain as many of the commitments to our priorities as possible,” he said.

As for tax increases, he said, “We’re able to balance the budget without them.”

Perhaps Pawlenty would be a better mobile phone salesman?

Accounting shifts?

"Fee's shorty...fee's"

SC Times hits per diem and other compensation

Again!

Recall the posts on this last year.

According to a SC Times investigation, 18 legislators received more in per diem and other compensation than their annual salary, $31,140.

I opposed the sharp increases in per diem back in March 2007. I believe that our legislators are not properly compensated for the work that they do. However, the back door pay increases like raising per diem from $66 a day to $96 a day look like ways to skirt the system, especially since no receipts are required.

So, let's take another look at what our local leaders hauled in last year!

Bruce Anderson: $18,066. He's noted to be a "friend of the taxpayer".
Tom Emmer: $7,322.
Mark Olson: $13,794.
Ron Shimanski: $14,372.
Dean Urdahl: $19,793. How many church potlucks did he claim?

With more than $3.45 million spent on legislator per diem thus far in 2008 and the state facing a significant budget deficit, rumored to be in the $4-$6 Billion range, will our elected leaders do the right thing and reduce the spending on per diems?

Will they create a stronger system of accountability?

We'll go into a more detailed account of the per diem follies in a later post, just as we did last year.

Urdahl and Shimanski: Back on New New Taxes Pledge

Larry Schumacher has a post up about the pledge.

Looking at the website, "Live Within Our Means", local Reps Urdahl, Shimanski, and Emmer have signed onto the pledge.

I hope everyone remembers what happened the last time our beloved local officials took the vow to not raise taxes! Big cuts to higher education, health and human services, and other vital areas had an adverse impact on working and middle class Minnesotans.

Severson Opposes Tax Equality

We've had our share of run-in's with Rep Severson. He was a frequent visitor to SCSU Student Government meetings, especially if a GLBT issue was being discussed.

Just as Rep Severson opposes any sort of marriage equality, he also opposes equality in taxation, as discussed in a LTE in the SC Times today.

Rob Jacobs, DFL endorsed candidate for 14A offered his opinion today.

My campaign is focusing on a vision of a fair distribution of the tax burden for all Minnesotans.

Most people I have spoken with agree that Severson has failed to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes.

We have seen a very unfair shifting of the tax burden. The things we value most — education, health care, transportation and public safety — have all been shifted to our local property taxes.

This shift has occurred under Severson’s watch and he has consistently supported this regressive method of taxation, all the while telling us there are “no new taxes.”

He has supported an increase in fees that will cost Minnesotans an additional $530 million this year.

Indeed. The property tax increases during Severson's legislative career are enormous.

Go check out an interview by Poitical Muse!

More on Bachmann's latest taxpayer funded lit piece

Llyodletta posted the piece earlier in the week. It arrived at the Blueman household about that same time.

It seems that the nice pie chart on the back of the piece caught some attention. It caught my eye as well.

According to the chart Bachmann cites, it takes 74 days of work in America to pay for our Federal Taxes, yet only 60 days for our housing, 50 days for health care, 35 days for food, and 29 days for transportation.

60 days for housing? Really? I'm not sure what kind of housing the Tax Foundation is using for their pie chart, but our rent is significantly more than 2 months of pay.

Digging around the Tax Foundation site was rather interesting. I found a March 2007 report that lists the tax burden by Congressional District. The numbers for Minnesota are interesting.

Using 2004 numbers and the 110th Congress:

CD 3 is the highest taxed CD in Minnesota, and 25th in the nation.
CD 2 is second and 79th in the nation.
CD 6 is third and 111th.

Note the 3 CD's with GOP elected Congressional leaders are the highest taxed CD's in Minnesota.

CD 4 is fourth and 120th.
CD 5 is fifth and 136th.
CD 1 is sixth and 249th.
CD 8 is seventh and 342nd.
CD 7 is last and 353rd in the nation.

Also, the Tax Foundation shows us that Americans saw their tax burden lessened by 3 days while the House and Senate have been under Democratic control!

Commenter's at the original DB thread weighed in, including having a discussion on the who and what are the Tax Foundation.

More to come on the Bachmann mailer...

Bachmann in Monticello Times

Congresswoman Bachmann is featured in two articles in the Monticello Times.

Bachmann speaks before the Monticello Chamber over lunch.

On the differences between the 06 race and 08

“In 2006, we were at a pivotal stage in the Iraq conflict,” she said. “We were preparing to answer the call for more troops in the region, and I got to be there shortly after that happened in 2007 when I spent Fourth of July in Iraq with our troops. I went back again in for Christmas Eve. And the progress we made in that six months was astounding.”

On taxes

She said her home district has been especially hard by taxes. The middle and upper-middle class share a tax burden that is at historic highs. In some cases, her constituents are paying in the 40 percent tax rate.

“That’s a number that needs to go down to about 20 to 25 percent,” she said. “That’s going to move the economy.”

So she pushes her friends in Congress to continue the Bush tax cuts, implemented before she arrived and phased out as the Democrats took control last year. She said she’s heard no discussion to keep them going, which is wrong, in her opinion.

Her background

“I guess, with my background, I wasn’t a complete neophyte,” she said. “I think owning a business with my husband helped a lot. Raising our foster children gave me experience with government. Working as an attorney and a federal tax attorney helped. So I had a good sense of what was to come.”

She added that six years in the Minnesota Senate was also a huge help overcoming the partisan “poison” that is so prevalent in Washington, as well.

“Coming from Minnesota, you learn to reach across the aisle,” she said. “Some of my closest friends there are Democrats. The problems we’re going to face in the next term are so big, no one party can solve them all. You have to work together. I think I’ve made that a priority and will continue to do that.”

When the campaigning begins, Bachmann said she’s ready to “come home” and spend time with “real people.”

“Conversations with the people you meet back here are where real legislation comes from,” she said. “I get excited to come back. I can’t wait. This is the fun part of the job. You get feedback and learn from real people. That’s the best.”

Bachmann reaching across the aisle? Seriously? Her voting record would suggest otherwise.

The "conversations with people you meet back here" bit is equally as alarming. 16 months into her term as Congresswoman and we have yet to have an open forum with the Congresswoman.

While public citizens don't have the opportunity to talk to their Congresswoman, Bachmann did take some time to meet with the Monticello Chamber Government Affairs Committee.

“This is great,” she said. “This is where legislation comes from, conversations
like this. I’m honored you would ask me to sit down with you.”

Yet she won't help with DeSoto Bridge funding.

On immigration and Iran

Q & A session

Prior to the roundtable, Bachmann held a brief Q and A session after giving her remarks to the Monticello Chamber of Commerce.

She touched on various topics, including the Iraq war, immigration control, healthcare and energy conservation.

She was particularly emotional about immigration, a subject that she made headlines with back in February when she was very critical of the system that allowed the woman charged with crashing into a bus in Cottonwood, Minn., to continue driving.

“We’re losing our country,” she said. “People are not assimilating themselves to America. They’re not speaking English, and you must speak it if you want to succeed here in this country.”

A Monticello businessman asked about a fence along the southern border of Texas and Arizona.

“The money is there. Why haven’t we seen anything?” he asked.

“Exactly. The money is there. It’s our (Congress’) fault. We aren’t doing our job here,” Bachmann replied. “And the argument that fences don’t work doesn’t hold water. Look at Israel and Palestiine Fences work. Maybe people have too much interest or benefit from open borders.”

She also was questioned on the status of a conflict with Iran.

“War will be the last resort,” she said. “We can’t afford to be the lead on it this time. We have work to do in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Bachmann replied.

The article also stated that the Chamber and Bachmann had a lengthy discussion on the mortgage lending crisis and the epidemic that has risen from this in Wright and Sherburne Counties. No details were given.

Fear mongering on immigration...it will get much worse as the 2008 election cycle continues.

No Bachmann earmark for DeSoto?

It did not surprise any of us when we learned that Congresswoman Bachmann would not support a Congressional earmark for the repair or replacement of the DeSoto Bridge in St Cloud.

Bachmann said she would do what she could to help offset the state’s cost of replacing the bridge and to help several upcoming local transportation projects, but ruled out earmarking, St. Augusta Mayor Bob Kroll said.

I understand some of the contempt for Congressional earmarks. However the DeSoto Bridge is not a "bridge to no where". It serves as a major thoroughfare in the St Cloud area. It's vital to the St Cloud area. If Congresswoman Bachmann cannot understand the importance of projects such as this, then she is completely incapable of serving her constituents.

I'm certain both Bob Olson and Elwyn Tinklenberg would be stronger advocates for their constituents.

The 6th CD may be a lean GOP district. I've heard from many that Bachmann cannot be beaten in 2008, by either Olson or Tinklenberg.

While Bachmann's no earmark position may have been noble in her eyes, it's a key position that could come back to haunt her.

Iran-Iraq controversy...

Presidential groping...

All funny stuff that grabs headlines.

Failing to support the repair or replacement of a key bridge in Central Minnesota because Bachmann is too good for earmarks?

It could be a significant flaw in Bachmann's 2008 re-election efforts.

Dille on the Transportation Bill

Wright County: $2.7 million more per year.
Meeker County: $700,000 more per year.
McLeod County: $1.1 million more per year.

Urdahl voted no.

From Senator Dille:

I voted for the transportation bill that was vetoed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and then overridden by the House of Representatives on a 91 to 44 vote and by the Senate on a 47 to 20 vote. I would like to take the opportunity to explain why I supported this legislation.

This bill will provide an additional $660 million per year for 10 years to help catch up on delayed maintenance and reinvestment in our transportation infrastructure. Some of this money will be used by cities, counties and townships and decrease the need to increase property taxes. For example, Wright County will receive an average of $2.7 million more per year, Meeker County will receive $700,000 more per year, and McLeod County will receive $1.1 million more per year.

The lack of action to improve roads and transit is costing us all real money as the cost of construction continues to increase and we lose out on potential federal funds. Investing in transportation will create jobs and boost economic activity. Also, we can make improvements to the safety of our roads and bridges and reduce fatalities and injuries.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce supported this bill and stated in their support letter that "Transportation is a critical issue for Minnesota businesses. Chamber members are users of the system -- they recognized that it is important for businesses to move freight and other goods efficiently and safely, and for employees to get to work in a timely and safe manner."

Over a 140 organizations and many individual citizens supported this bill including the Minnesota Truckers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, and Minnesota Farmers Union. This bill was supported by almost all of the farm commodity organizations including Minnesota Corn Producers, Minnesota Soybean Producers, Minnesota Wheat Producers, Minnesota Potato Producers, Minnesota Sugar Beet Producers, and Minnesota Pork Producers. In addition, this bill was supported by 21 environmental protection organizations and many local government organizations such as the Minnesota Association of Counties, Minnesota Association of Townships, and the League of Minnesota Cities. The transportation bill was opposed by two organizations, the Republican Party and the Taxpayer League, as well as, many individual citizens.

The final bill summary contains the following:
• 5 cent per gallon increase in gas tax.
• 3.5 cent per gallon surcharge on gas for servicing the trunk highway bond debt.
• $1.8 billion in trunk highway bonds over 10 years.
• Eliminating caps on license tab fees and changing the depreciation schedule.
• Dedicating sales tax on leased vehicles to greater Minnesota transit and local roads.
• Providing a $25 tax credit for low-income residents.
• Authorizing metropolitan area counties to impose a 0.25 percent sales tax for transit without a referendum.
• Authorizing counties in greater Minnesota to levy a sales tax of up to 0.50 percent for transportation purposes with a referendum.
• Increased authorization for MnDOT to spend trunk highway funds in FY08 and FY09 to reflect federal emergency funding related to the I-35W bridge project.
• $60M in general obligation bonds for local roads and bridges.

This increase in revenue may sound like a lot but it is only 1/3 as much as Governor Pawlenty's own Department of Transportation estimated is needed which is $1.7B more per year for 10 years. Also, if you calculate the increased revenue against the state and local units of governments' annual budgets, it comes to only a 1.5% annual increase in government spending.

In most years, budgets increase much more than that.

Many opponents claim this bill is the largest tax increase in state history, which isn't true. The fiscal analysts from the non-partisan Senate Counsel identifies the Minnesota Miracle of the early 1970s that reformed K-12 education funding as the largest tax increase in recent state history. State and local taxes went up 16 percent. Adjusted for inflation, this would be a $3 billion annual increase in 2008 dollars.

Minnesota currently ranks 30th among the 50 states in the amount they tax gas. When the 5 cents per gallon gas tax takes affect in October of this year and assuming no other states increase their gas tax, Minnesota will rank 20th among the 50 states.

Some argue we should fix our roads by selling bonds or, in other words, borrow the money instead of increasing our taxes. The bill that passed includes some bond sales, but the debt must be paid back so a surcharge was added of 3.5 cents per gallon of fuel to service this debt.

Bob Olson interview

Mn Blue's, "The Big E" has an excellent interview of Bob Olson posted.

Bob is a tax lawyer and a banker. He understands tax incentives for business and how best to cause a business sector to grow. He's also been an advocate for renewable energy for 20 some years so he understands just a wee bit about that, too. He wants tax incentives, grants and etc. to make Minnesota a center of a green economy building wind turbines, solar panels and other green technology. He believes that we can generate billions of dollars in income by solving global warming, exporting that technology to the world and rescuing our economy from what I consider a recession.

Check it out!