[Speed Gibson,
Monday November 28, 2005 at 10:56pm]
Just a tad outside ...
Hennepin County Commissioner and author of the Hennepin County Twins Ballpark proposal Mike Opat and fellow Commissioner Randy Johnson pleaded for a Special Session in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was so misleading that it shouldn't have been printed.
First, it blames Governor Tim Pawlenty throughout the piece. I can and have blamed him for a number of poor decisions and broken promises, but here he is largely innocent by not calling a special session. He has, however, sent out a number of feelers, but the Legislature, still smarting from the shutdown and sensing strong public opposition is just not interested. But Pawlenty just isn't trying hard enough:
And promise them what in return? Apparently your phone calls weren't enough, for lack of a sufficient quid pro quo perhaps.
Second, Opat and Johnson commit a lie of omission, not stating what the actual legislative vote is about. It is not to approve the Twins Stadium proposal per se. It is to remove the check and balance of current State law requiring a referendum to approve the proposed sales tax increase for Hennepin County. A 4-3 vote of the County Board will decide whether to spend additional hundreds of millions of dollars.
Do they know better, i.e., know better what to do than the general public? Quite the reverse, I'd say, given the experience of other cities, and given the great success of the Smoking Ban.
This plea is the final desparation. Either pass the plan or take the blame, Governor. No, the truth is Mr. Opat, you submitted a fatally flawed plan. This is your failure, Kronsteen.
First, it blames Governor Tim Pawlenty throughout the piece. I can and have blamed him for a number of poor decisions and broken promises, but here he is largely innocent by not calling a special session. He has, however, sent out a number of feelers, but the Legislature, still smarting from the shutdown and sensing strong public opposition is just not interested. But Pawlenty just isn't trying hard enough:
There has been a lot of talk about the need to put up the votes. We know that Pawlenty, as the former House majority leader, understands how to court and count votes to get his priorities enacted. It is time for him to pick up the phone and make those calls.
And promise them what in return? Apparently your phone calls weren't enough, for lack of a sufficient quid pro quo perhaps.
Second, Opat and Johnson commit a lie of omission, not stating what the actual legislative vote is about. It is not to approve the Twins Stadium proposal per se. It is to remove the check and balance of current State law requiring a referendum to approve the proposed sales tax increase for Hennepin County. A 4-3 vote of the County Board will decide whether to spend additional hundreds of millions of dollars.
Do they know better, i.e., know better what to do than the general public? Quite the reverse, I'd say, given the experience of other cities, and given the great success of the Smoking Ban.
This plea is the final desparation. Either pass the plan or take the blame, Governor. No, the truth is Mr. Opat, you submitted a fatally flawed plan. This is your failure, Kronsteen.