Politics in Minnesota: The Weekly Report - Vol. 3, Issue 15 - 10/12/2007
Mulling Over Molnau
Another week, another meeting of the "Transportation Contingent Appropriation
Group." More badgering MnDOT, particularly Commissioner Carol Molnau.
This is painful.
Our thoughts about her future are
here.
The current collective sentiment among Republicans we talk to (including lots
of GOP legislators) is that "should she stay or should she go?" is the wrong
question. The better question is "why should she stay?" And, better yet, "why
would she want to stay?"
It's become patently clear that DFL leadership, including House Speaker
Margaret Kelliher (DFL-Minneapolis), Senate Majority Leader Larry
Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis) and Senate Transportation Committee Chair
Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) have no intention of changing their minds
in wanting Molnau out. So, what's the point of staying if that's the
case?
Here's a recap of Molnau's status (with many thanks to the always helpful
assistant director of Senate Information, John Trombley). Because the
Senate wasn't acting on gubernatorial appointments, several years ago the
Senate changed the confirmation rules. If the relevant policy committee hasn't
acted on a confirmation in 60 legislative days, it automatically goes to the
full Senate on the "Confirmation Calendar." In Molnau's case, Murphy's
committee didn't vote on the appointment, and the confirmation was withdrawn
from the committee May 9, 2007. No action was taken by the full Senate when
the session ended May 21, 2007, and so, there the matter resides. The
Legislature reconvenes February 12, 2008, and the Senate can take up the
matter at any time. The Senate could also choose not to take up the matter,
but we put that in the fat chance column.
In our view, House Speaker Kelliher is right: GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty
should take the lead and Molnau should resign, instead of the Senate denying
her confirmation. In so doing, Pawlenty has two opportunities. One, he should
be very clear and make no mistake that Molnau has done a good job, the bridge
is not her fault, and give her something new to do as Lt. Gov. in a meaty
policy area (recall that Independent Gov. Jesse Ventura let his Lt.
Gov., Mae Schunk, take the lead on education). Pawlenty's second
opportunity is to conduct a national search for a new commissioner, one with a
long, strong transportation resume.
In your GOP publisher's view, this is all horribly unfair to Molnau. But if
the Democrats are hell bent on getting rid of her, why prolong the inevitable?
Gophers In A Foxhole?
Several months ago, we wrote about the launch of the Big Ten Network (BTN). In
"Rah,
Rah, for Ski-U-Mah," we noted that "the BTN will feature the 11 schools of
the Big Ten Conference on a national television network that will include not
only football, basketball and other traditionally covered sports but also
sports that rarely get any play including volleyball and wrestling. Half the
sports programming will cover women's sports and each school will get
substantial time for nonathletic programming (academics, music, etc.).
Gopher fans should keep cheering (who's not for the U of M home team getting
better media play?), but we all might want to check our pocketbooks.
The BTN is playing hardball with the cable companies. BTN wants them to carry
the network as part of a basic cable package, which would add about $12 a year
per subscriber to the price of that package. The big cable companies, Comcast,
Time Warner and Cablevision, are willing to offer the network, but only as
part of a premium sports cable package.
So what's this story doing in PIM? The politics are fascinating.
This is a
private
sector issue, a very big bucks private sector issue. The BTN is owned by
the Big Ten Conference and Fox, most likely in a deal where the Big Ten
currently has a 50.999 percent stake, and Fox, 49.001 percent. But Fox has
spent a fortune building the network -- with the idea that the company could
railroad the cable companies into buying the network and passing the cost to
consumers via higher monthly basic cable rates.
To do that, BTN has conducted an extensive grassroots campaign, including a
big
fancy web site to get consumers to complain directly to the cable
companies. Enter your zip code and you'll note that satellite dish provider
DirecTV is a big "YES" on offering BTN, while Comcast is a big "NO." Notably
absent is any notation that Fox owns DirecTV.
BTN has also -- brilliantly, we might add -- tried to make this an issue about
supporting the University. BTN has held free pizza and pop events at the U's
McNamara Center to watch Twins games televised on a big screen. The U, via the
Big Ten Conference, has officially sanctioned what BTN (and Rupert
Murdoch) want: The cash cow of a 20-year deal as part of basic cable.
What an awkward position for the University. As we understand it, the University
of Minnesota Athletic Program stands to make about $7.5 million a year on the
deal. Certainly the University Athletics Department has cut a zillion deals with
private sector companies to sponsor things, but the proposed BTN deal is
definitely different. In effect, the U is asking basic cable subscribers--all of
them, not the just sports fans--to subsidize their programs. The U, of course,
as a land grant university, is already a publicly funded institution. As such,
Minnesota basic cable subscribers are also taxpayers already helping to fund the
U.
The cable companies are starting to fight back. Comcast ran an ad in last week's
Star Tribune and has launched its own web site,
"Putting
Fans First." At this point, we're not clear about whether BTN has succeeded
in making Gopher fans think that BTN is about supporting the U and/or whether
Comcast can undo that perception. However, your publisher does know that as a
University grad and Gopher booster, I can think of better ways to support the U
other than her cable bill. As the cable companies bill it, paying for the BTN is
a "Big Ten Tax." And what about all those liberal Gopher fans? Do they galvanize
against funding anything Fox?!
On the other hand, the BTN and the U can make a pretty good case for inclusion
in basic cable. In the current roster of channels in basic cable, consumers
didn't get to pick what's there. For example, as the U's senior associate
athletic director Tom
Wistrcill wrote
in the Minnesota Daily, senior citizens didn't get to make choices about
MTV and the Disney Channel. Another card in the BTN's deck is that some
consumers have a tough time with the general concept of the cable guys being the
good guys, looking out for consumers. And, in Minnesota, there is no competition
in the cable business. [Under Minnesota law, if a cable company wants to compete
with the current provider, the company has to offer the same terms as the
existing provider, including building out the entire area, not just
cherry-picked neighborhoods.] So, if someone wants the BTN, that person has to
switch to satellite.
Two final points. One, the stakes here are much larger than just the Big Ten
Network. There are 15 other conferences that could similarly put the squeeze on
the cable companies, a thought we're sure Rupert had in mind when he inked the
deal with the Big Ten Conference.
Two, it's unclear what the legal ramifications are for the U directly or
appearing to be lobbying for the deal. Also unclear is how much public money
(via state-sponsored universities) has been spent or will be involved. U.S.
House Commerce Committee Chair Rep. John Dingell (D-MI 15) has reportedly
sent a letter to BTN asking those questions, along with how any future revenues
might be spent.
Betty On Education Finance
Democrats think that GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Mark Buesgens (R-Jordan) have difficulty digesting Article VIII, Sec. 1 of the Minnesota Constitution: "The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state." ...Duty... make such provisions by taxation... thorough and efficient... hmmm...
Buesgens hurled bombs in the Cannon Falls Beacon, implying that if we just re-jigger existing dollars, sucking money from Minneapolis and funneling it into District 35B, all will be right. That doesn't wash when comparing graduation rates in the two districts in question. The Pawlenty solution seems to be: use all $200 million in the reserve for transportation needs, leaving nothing for our kids. The question was: Should all reserve general fund money go to transportation?
Maybe, just maybe, with a near-record 100 school districts having to approach the community hat-in-hand for referendum dollars, it’s time for the Governor and GOP legislators to do their duty. According to K-12 Finance Chair Mindy Greiling (DFL-Roseville) only 78% of public education is state funded, down from the 100% goal of Gov. Jesse Ventura when he attempted to put Minnesota on the road to true equity utilizing a sales tax increase. That effort was quickly squashed by Pawlenty, who prefers pushing public education off on property taxes. But pushing education funding onto local school districts remains an inequitable method of funding if ever there was one, since school districts with stronger property tax bases can afford better schools.
How’d we get here? Greiling's letter in the Pioneer Press this week stated, "In 2003, Minnesota faced a budget deficit of $4.5 billion. To address it, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Republican-led House cut school funding by $185 million and shifted another $437 million of state responsibility for funding back to individual school districts." These actions precipitated cuts to many programs and a per-pupil funding freeze, while costs of district health insurance and transportation continue to spiral.
Now 28 districts in the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD), under current law revenue, will be cutting $82.4 million from district budgets. Add to that the Anoka Hennepin SD (with 41,000 kids, it's the largest school district in the state) which will cut $42 million and 400 teachers if their referendum does not pass on November 6, and things look desperate for public education.
Board Chair Patsy Green of Robbinsdale School Board said, "No-new-taxes Pawlenty and far/near right Republicans are turning a deaf ear, refusing to understand the greater implications if public education crumbles like our bridges."
Bottom line: make such provisions by taxation, like the Constitution says.
It's the state's duty. (BTW: The Robbinsdale School District referendum was
given a leg up when word got out about Paul Dorr from Iowa, a ringer
who was hired to help defeat it. Sometimes dirty politics backfire, and good
reporting may have reversed Dorr's influence.)
Typically we let readers know about events of interest in our "Bits & Pieces" section. However, every now and then an event warrants a story. The Humphrey Institute has planned such an event: "Navigating Conflict: Planned Parenthood's Strategy in South Dakota." Presenters and then conversants in a discussion moderated by the Star Tribune's Lori Sturdevant are Sarah Stoecz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, and former GOP House Speaker and current Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry, Steve Sviggum, a long time pro life advocate.
Recall that all political eyes were on South Dakota in 2006. The state's strongly pro-life legislature overwhelmingly passed a ban on abortion (except to save the life of the mother). Pro-life advocates all over the country wanted Planned Parenthood and others to challenge the law in court, thinking that it was their best shot in years at testing the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. But rather than going to court, Planned Parenthood took it the people and South Dakota voters stunningly voted 55-45 to get rid of the law.
Stoecz plans to address questions like "Why did Planned Parenthood choose an electoral strategy rather than file a lawsuit? Are there broader political implications on how to handle divisive issues in our country?" Given both Stoecz and Sviggum are smart, civil people, this is sure to be an enlightening conversation on the hottest issue that has dominated politics all these years. The event is at 7 p.m. on October 24. Here's more information on the free event open to the public.
Gas Tax Poll Mania
We think the best way to understand polls is to compare them over time. This week, public sentiment on a gas tax increase.
PIM dispatched Web Editor Dan Feidt to the Capitol Legislative Reference Library to check out the carefully maintained poll archives, an interesting collection.
Here are the goods. Polls varied a bit in their language. After all, far more people are willing to 'put up with' rather than 'support' new tax proposals. They're taxes. People usually don't like taxes, but when it's obvious that the money has to come from somewhere, they are willing to put up with the taxman. The political reality of the gas tax lies within this frame.
The recent KSTP polls clearly proved this reality: The polls asked "how much more in gas tax would you be willing to pay?" The August poll asked: 'less than 5 cents' / '5-7' / '7-10' / '10+' came in at 47% / 35% / 9% / 8%.
The October poll offered different responses: 'less than 3 cents' / '3-5' / '5-10' / '10+' came in at 33% / 39% / 15% / 13%.
A majority of the Legislature, including a large bloc of responsible GOP fiscal moderates led by Reps. Ron Erhardt (R-Edina) and Neil Peterson (R-Bloomington) would go for at least five cents. Many previous polls addressed then-floated five cent proposals (some of which passed the DFL-controlled Senate). Others asked more generally if a gas tax should distinguish between helping transit and exclusively road-oriented spending. With different phrases, frames and proposed (or unspecified) tax levels, we're trying to compare apples and oranges here.
| Polls | Strib 12/87 | Strib 1/90 | Strib 3/93 | PioPress 9/02 | PioPress/ MPR 5/03 | Strib 1/04 | Strib 5/05 | KSTP 4/07 $.10 | KSTP 4/07 $.05 | KSTP 8/07 | KSTP 10/07 |
| Support | 46 | 52 | 66 | 53 | 43 |
|
41 | 17 | 36 | 38 | 34 |
| Oppose | 48 | 45 | 32 | 43 | 51 |
|
55 | 77 | 59 | 57 | 64 |
| No opinion/unknown | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
|
4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Male support/oppose |
|
|
|
51 / 47 |
|
|
|
|
|
41 / 56 | 35 / 64 |
| Female support/oppose |
|
|
|
53 / 41 |
|
|
|
|
|
35 / 59 | 34 / 63 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DFL support/oppose |
|
|
|
|
|
|
47 / 50 |
|
|
40 / 57 | 39 / 61 |
| GOP support/oppose |
|
|
|
|
|
|
36 / 60 |
|
|
38 / 54 | 20 / 76 |
| Indep. support/oppose |
|
|
|
|
|
|
40 / 56 |
|
|
37 / 59 | 42 / 56 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Support gas tax for new lanes / vs. toll roads |
|
|
|
|
|
23 / 69 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gas tax for roads only/transit too | 53 / 52 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
66 / 29 |
|
Minneapolis Television Network On The Ropes
Legislators love public access TV; it gives them more airtime for coherent discussion of real issues than anywhere else. But it's genetically impossible for the commercial media to cover what happens to public access; that's like asking Time Warner to get concerned about postal rate hikes for small publications. (Time Warner ensured that they wouldn't get bitten by recent rate hikes as badly as the small guys, for example.) It's an alarming time for MTN, Minneapolis' venerable public access television network, which draws financing from cable franchise agreements and the City. Mayor R.T. Rybak's budget, released on September 24th, said "The Mayor recommends reducing the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network contract by $100,000 on a one-time basis; this funding is directed to the Minneapolis Wireless Portals Project. The department will reduce its capital expenditures by $25,000, a reduction not anticipated in the financial direction for 2008." So the wireless Internet project will apparently stomp public access TV; not exactly a win-win situation. Check out the dire note from Pam Colby, MTN's executive director.
Lending a bit more sway to MTN's predicament, two City Council members, Elizabeth Glidden (Ward 8) and Ralph Remington (Ward 10) agreed to join a new MTN Study Commission which will look at the big picture of long-term strategy. They're having public meetings at MTN Studio A (located within the riverfront St. Anthony Main complex) on October 23rd and November 27th at 5 p.m. Sign up to give a statement about how MTN helps you and your community by emailing Doug Cain or call (612) 331-8575 x0. MTN's had a good year otherwise; they helped host a national public access TV convention recently, as detailed in their fall newsletter (PDF).
Bits & Pieces
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer officially cast his hat into the U.S. Senate ring (JackForSenate.org). He is an articulate, passionate, anti-war, assistant professor of Justice and Peace Studies at St. Thomas who will garner first support from many on the far left. He'll have a hard time persuading more than the party left to get the DFL endorsement. There is wiggle room to run up the middle between Mike Ciresi (ciresiforsenate.com) and Al Franken (alfranken.com), as indicated by their low statewide approval ratings in recent Strib polling. It could take someone with a little more proven public policy track record than all three of these lads possess to do so. Alternatively, we could see another independent Democrat with deep pockets circumvent the endorsement and buy the primary.
Betty Says: It was fun seeing fellow U of St. Thomas mom Coleen
Rowley in the Star Tribune
encouraging
U President Father Dennis Dease to reconsider inviting Bishop
Desmond Tutu to speak. Glad to see he changed his mind and let freedom
of speech prevail.
Rowley
also wrote on the Huffington Post.
The latest issue of The
Rothenberg
Political Report characterizes Minnesota's 1st Congressional District (CD)
as "leans Democratic," the 3rd CD as a "pure toss-up," the Sixth CD as
"Republican favored."
Former Iraq veteran/former Mayor of Watertown Steve Sarvi (stevesarvi.org) is running for Congress in the 2nd CD against GOP Congressman John Kline. Steve is city administrator of Victoria, and could be the dark horse in the '08 House races.
State Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka), now running to replace retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN3), has stacked up an impressive $88,500 from 130 supporters in the last ten days of September (she announced on the 21st). The third fundraising quarter ended on September 30. Campaign director Ken Sanguin trumpeted the news; he was a deputy campaign manager for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) last year, and joined Bonoff this week. Here's the digital FEC report.
Former United Methodist minister/former Blaine Mayor/former Transportation Commish Elwyn Tinklenberg (tinklenberg08.com), threw his hat into the Sixth CD race. El (Tink to some) is a heavyweight, and will challenge Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann who is perceived by many as a lightning rod (and shoulder-grabbing enthusiast). He somehow already got endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota. El Tink's press is being handled by campaign veteran John Wodele.
As of this past week, DFL sources reported that Sen. Norm Coleman
(R-MN) has voted against measures to change course in Iraq a total of nine
times. His stance doesn’t bode well for his re-election prospects. A large
majority of Minnesotans want this war ended. And with GOP leaders distancing
themselves as much as humanly possible, Coleman's overall voting record shows
that he's agreed with President George Bush 90.5% of the
time. That might placate his Republican base, but leaves moderate Democrats,
Independents etc. cold. And it’s good for both sides to be reminded from time
to time that you can’t just play to your base and win elections.
U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison's (DFL-MN5) campaign announced a rally with Howard Dean on Tuesday, October 16th at 7 p.m., in the WHOLE Music Club, with entertainment by The New Congress and guest speaker Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. DNC Chairman Dean is in town to preview the November roll-out of "8 in '08", the national Democratic strategy (8 ways to ensure success in the '08 elections), at the Teamsters Local 120, 2635 University Avenue West in St. Paul at 2:30 p.m. There's talk of a fundraiser somewhere in-between as well.
Watch for the new citizen journalist non-profit group: The UpTake.
The UpTake had big success with their Critical Mass video with several people
taping. 'Political Video Journalism Basics' training happens on
Saturday October 27th, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., at
the Galaxie Library,
14955 Galaxie
Avenue in Apple Valley. Call (952)
891-7045 or go to
theuptake.org.
They're having a fundraiser on Oct. 20th at the 331 Club in Northeast
Minneapolis at 3 p.m., as well.
The 1st CD DFL's 2007 Living Green Dinner & Auction will be on Saturday, October 27th at 135 Oakdale, Owatonna VFW, 5:30 p.m. with speakers and a silent auction.
Helpful - and cheap - tech tips for nonprofit organizations can be found at the Nonprofit Open Source Initiative. For the uninitiated, they've just released a great primer introducing what the heck open source software is, and how it can impact work in the nonprofit sector; includes case studies and examples. Free open source software doesn't cost any money; that alone should put it into any cost-benefit analysis alongside more expensive tools.
The Minnesota College Republicans rolled out the character 'Al Frankenstein' to tease Al Franken when he appeared at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus. Check out the video. The music was pretty good, and Franken himself was game enough to have a photo with Frankenstein. See more direct GOP action at mncr.org. (Minnesota Daily did a story too.)
The Third Annual Paul & Sheila Wellstone Dinner, with speakers Vice President Walter Mondale and Garrison Keillor, is coming to the St. Cloud Civic Center on Sunday, October 28th at 6:00 p.m. For information, go toSD15DFL.org or call (320) 293-3935.
Minnesota 2020, the new think tank headed by former DFL House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, is hosting John Podesta, President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff, in a speech at Macalester College's Weyerhauser Chapel on Thursday, October 18th from 12-1 p.m. Podesta will examine the regional and statewide impact of the Bush Administration's economic policies. RSVP to invite@mn2020.org.
Former President Bill Clinton will be in town on Tuesday, October 23rd to attend private receptions on behalf of Hillary Clinton at the Graves 601 Hotel at 5 p.m. for donors who give $1,000 and $2,300 per person. Then, at 6 p.m., he will be holding a conversation at the State Theatre; student tickets are $25 dollars, and general public tickets will be sold for $50-100. To register on-line and get a ticket, go to hillaryclinton.com. (And speaking of Hillary, last night over 400 Team Hillary meetings were held around the country to kick off the grassroots campaign. Several were held in Minnesota).
The Citizens League says "policy happens everywhere," and so members
and non-members are welcome to attend the Citizens League Annual Meeting on
Wednesday, October 24th at the Milwaukee Depot Ice Rink, 225 Third Avenue
South, Minneapolis. Registration and reception begins at 5 p.m. and the
program at 6:30. It's free to register at
www.citizensleague.org
or by calling (612) 293-0575 x16.
Le Sueur, Scott, and Sibley County Republicans (and their faithful dogs) eager
to get some early season pheasant action—as well as support their
representative Laura Brod (R-New Prague)—will have the opportunity on
Friday, October 19th. After a 2 p.m. registration, the Team Brod Pheasant Hunt
and Wild Game Dinner will kick off at Traxler's Hunting Preserve in Le Center.
Registration costs $150/person for the hunt and $50/person for dinner,
prepared by Chef Mark Moore. RSVP to
laura@laurabrod.com
or to Wade at (952) 201-1293.
Cable provider Comcast will sponsor the MediaWise lunch and program on
November 29th. Dr. David Walsh, President of National Institute on
Media and the Family, will share a presentation about media, technology, and
what the future holds. Register at
mediawise.org
or by calling (612) 672-4731. Amelia Santaniello and Frank
Vascellaro emcee.
The October 18 luncheon presented by Center for the American Experiment with
W. Bradford Wilcox on the topic of Religion and Marriage in Urban
America has been postponed indefinitely.
Minnesota's Intelligent Transportation Society will hold its Fall Industry
Forum on October 16th from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Experts from the
transportation industry will discuss various current topics—this year focusing
on the I-35W bridge collapse, response to the disaster, and the traffic and
engineering challenges that the industry faces. Invited presenters include
MnDOT and design-build team project managers, as well as industry reps from
USI Wireless, Motorola, Traffic Technologies, and more. Details and
registration at itsmn.org.
The student-run cablecast station
UTVS at St. Cloud
State University received a College Emmy Award from the Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences Foundation. Huskies Tyler Bieber and Jody
Norstedt accepted the award for best newscast, beating entries from Cal
and Emerson.
Read
the story in the St. Cloud University
Chronicle.
MinnPost has announced a number of new contributors: Pat Borzi, Ron
Way, Pamela Espeland, Brian Voerding, Molly
Priesmeyer and Les Paul (Jake) Oetting have joined the
soon-to-launch daily source of Minnesota news and insights. See
minnpost.com
for bios of this diverse group of writers and editors.
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a hefty $238.9 million bonding request. Notably, the U is going to ask for $100 million for "safety and maintenance issues," or or Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement Funds, in higher ed speak. That flags an interesting issue: How much does the "structurally deficient" bridge discussion percolate into other policy areas besides transportation? Other big ticket items in the U's request include $39 million to renovate Folwell Hall on the Minneapolis campus, $36 million to build a new Bell Museum of Natural History on the river, $15 for a new civil engineering building on the Duluth campus and $20 million for the Academic Health Center.
Lobbyist Watch
From the Minnesota Campaign Finance & Public Disclosure Board:
Morning Reports
