P-B Advisory Board

The article on the ruling in the RPU/SMMPA litigation did not appear to go beyond the order, that is, there was no indication that the PB reads its own stories. Details on the legal fees involved have been printed previously, but here the only comment was on the judges mentioning them in the order. The costs of this litigation are in the high teens or more and a possible appeal would drive them far higher. When do the parties sit down and solve this problem.

There are news reports of a letter sent by the legislative GOP to the gov urging him to line it veto the bonding bill to give them weapons in the budget fights to come, this should be part of the story on MCC. Lets not get all worked up until the dust has settled.

Are we seeing a lot of commentary by legislators, i suspect most of it is written by the caucus and sent out as needed. since all are running this year is giving the incumbant this unqueried format fair. I would much rather see this space devoted to a q and a by a reporter and the legislator.

what is it reasonable to expect in coverage of the local legislators, the strib today is reporting the liebling sponsored a major revision to the criminal forfeiture statutes that had a hearing yesterday. Had support from RPD Chief, i have no position since i have not seen it but it seems to me that we shouldn't have to read about it in the mpls paper.

Spending is spending

As a Township Chair, I just received an email from Congressman Tim Walz that is basically asking if we need some Federal "earmark" funding. Nice thought but his reasoning is head-scratching. He stated the following: "While I continue to work with my colleagues to rein in the deficit and bring the budget into balance in Washington, it is important to note that Congressional earmarks do not add to the federal deficit. Any funds not reserved for specific projects through the Congressional earmark process would instead be left for federal bureaucrats in Washington to distribute, in accordance with federal law, as they see fit."

Since Congressman Walz is a U.S. Congressman, I think it's funny (in a weird way) that he demonizes "federal bureaucrats" in Washington. He also sure likes to believe that this spending somehow does not add to the Federal deficit..........which makes me think - HUH?!? What differentiates THIS type of Federal Spending from OTHER types of Federal Spending so that it somehow does not add to our deficit?!? Sorry to rant but is it somehow an unwritten rule that all big politicians must blindly lie to us?

80 percent of Rochester high school students graduate in four years

I recently learned that between 77% and 80% of Rochester high school students graduate in four years. Why is this so abysmal? Because if a student who starts in ninth grade does not graduate from that some school in four years, s/he has not graduated. If a student moves somewhere else and graduates, it doesn't matter. It still means that once again, Rochester schools have failed!

Pay raise for city administrator

Story that was not written, City Administrator, Highest paid city, staff gets 3.5% raise for 2010. further adjustments in agreement but no details on time off offsets.

Seems as if given the budget issues and the governors criticisms of pay increases it would have been good to delay this.

Taxes nickle and dime everyone

There is an article on airline taxes in the news today, how a lot of little taxes add up to a significant part ot the cost of flying.

Reminds me that the lodging tax in Rochester was defended as not impacting local residents, well that only works if you never travel to a city with these taxes, the fact is that they are everywhere,

I am sure the folks in Mpls or Chicago are grateful that they never stay in a hotel there, but come to Rochester. We are being nickled and dimed to death.