The MN GOP had a bad couple of days. Certainly in the media. While I have several thoughts about that I'm just going to share an anecdote which may reveal how i feel about these issues and whether they are or should be politically career-ending.
A few years back I had a business meeting with the former chair of the state DFL party. He had then recently lost a primary election for an open congressional seat. I was struck by how bitter he was; and that he'd reveal that bitterness to someone he had just met. He had terrible things to say about the man who ultimately won the race (and who still holds that seat). He further complained that the Strib wouldn't cover many of this man's alleged transgressions, including an affair with a staffer and a police call to his house due to what he described as excessive child discipline. I took from this man's statements, although he didn't come right out and say it, that his campaign had been trying to get the Strib to cover these issues. (There were certain other issues which the STrib had to cover about this candidate because they were public record, and quite embarassing).
I had previously assumed from watching this congressional race that the Strib handled this candidate with kid gloves. It was still surprising to hear this from withing the DFL party.
This exchange confirmed my belief that the Strib plays favorites. But it also taught me that political damage can often be overcome.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
A unanimous Eden Prairie budget
Just a few random thoughts on the passage of the Eden Prairie budget.
In 2005, Ron Case introduced using the budget stabilization fund to reconcile the budget. He still votes for doing so, but somehow gets away with criticizing others who do likewise. He is both for it and against it at the same time, and no one calls him on it. Amazing.
I was disappointed that it passed unanimously. I thought one council member would have done something to hold the budget flat. What exactly is the average compensation package for Eden Prairie employees? I bet it's north of $75,000, excluding pension.
Which leads me to my final thought. Has council member Aho voted against the council majority on any issue of substance this year? I honestly don't know the answer to that question; but i have a hunch.
In 2005, Ron Case introduced using the budget stabilization fund to reconcile the budget. He still votes for doing so, but somehow gets away with criticizing others who do likewise. He is both for it and against it at the same time, and no one calls him on it. Amazing.
I was disappointed that it passed unanimously. I thought one council member would have done something to hold the budget flat. What exactly is the average compensation package for Eden Prairie employees? I bet it's north of $75,000, excluding pension.
Which leads me to my final thought. Has council member Aho voted against the council majority on any issue of substance this year? I honestly don't know the answer to that question; but i have a hunch.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
breakfast with Gary
I had breakfast with my friend Gary today. I've known Gary for almost ten years but our routine of having breakfasts together began about 18 months ago. Since then, he emails and texts me and we get together every six weeks or so. He's been a good friend, forcing me to engage and interact even when I didn't want to. He's done it just right--not too pushy but enough so that i'll feel bad if I blow him off.
There's rarely an agenda for our meetings, although recently that's changed a little bit. But, one thing remains true-i always leave our meetings with a smile on my face.
I'm an introvert by nature and not-at-all easy to engage. But, I'm grateful that Gary has put up with my bs. Everyone needs a friend like him.
There's rarely an agenda for our meetings, although recently that's changed a little bit. But, one thing remains true-i always leave our meetings with a smile on my face.
I'm an introvert by nature and not-at-all easy to engage. But, I'm grateful that Gary has put up with my bs. Everyone needs a friend like him.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
football is a game of possessions
There are many different theories of how to win football games. My theory is pretty straightforward--football is a game of possessions. Control the clock; don't turn the ball over; and have more possessions than the other team and you're in good shape to win. I'm not a fan of the quick scoring fad which has infected college football. Problem is--quick scoring teams leave too much time on the clock.
Number three son's football season is coming to an end. His team lost its first play-off game because it fumbled the ball 4 times. That's a killer, even in 4th grade football.
Number three son's football season is coming to an end. His team lost its first play-off game because it fumbled the ball 4 times. That's a killer, even in 4th grade football.
school board saga
A few random thoughts about the current state of affairs in the Eden Prairie school district.
First, it appears the administration is playing "hide the ball" with enrollment numbers. Numbers are down, especially involving families whose children were to be moved as part of redistricting. They should own it.
Second, because the "new" elementary school (Oak Point) is affiliated with the former Intermediate school which failed to make AYP, the students (including my two sons) are permitted under NCLB to transfer to another elementary school in town. I don't think that my kids would transfer. But, I was disturbed that the letter the administration sent out on this issue foreclosed a transfer to two of the four elementary schools in town (read: the two schools that parents would want to send their kids to are not allowed). I see this as kicking sand in the face of the parents. The administration has screwed this whole thing up and they simply won't take ownership of that. Parents who want to move their kids should be able to move them to any of the four elementary schools in town.
Finally, the school board candidates. There are two who i'll certainly vote for. Problem is, I have four votes. Most of the candidates are trying their best to cover all the bases while actually saying nothing--i.e. they're willing to look at everything, study hard, include all stakeholders, and make a decision that is well-thought-out and the best for the district. Gee, that's illuminating.
First, it appears the administration is playing "hide the ball" with enrollment numbers. Numbers are down, especially involving families whose children were to be moved as part of redistricting. They should own it.
Second, because the "new" elementary school (Oak Point) is affiliated with the former Intermediate school which failed to make AYP, the students (including my two sons) are permitted under NCLB to transfer to another elementary school in town. I don't think that my kids would transfer. But, I was disturbed that the letter the administration sent out on this issue foreclosed a transfer to two of the four elementary schools in town (read: the two schools that parents would want to send their kids to are not allowed). I see this as kicking sand in the face of the parents. The administration has screwed this whole thing up and they simply won't take ownership of that. Parents who want to move their kids should be able to move them to any of the four elementary schools in town.
Finally, the school board candidates. There are two who i'll certainly vote for. Problem is, I have four votes. Most of the candidates are trying their best to cover all the bases while actually saying nothing--i.e. they're willing to look at everything, study hard, include all stakeholders, and make a decision that is well-thought-out and the best for the district. Gee, that's illuminating.
Monday, October 17, 2011
the lost decade
For most Americans retirement depends on compound interest. Most of us don't have pensions to rely upon and you really can't retire upon whatever amount you put away in your 401k--you need those dollars to grow faster than the rate of inflation for a couple of decades.Then, you may perhaps have enough to retire when you reach your mid 60s.
The last decade has been anemic, with stock returns barely keeping pace with inflation. This is a real problem for people in their mid 40s, like me. Those who are a decade older enjoyed most of the boom time in the 1990s and had enough money to enjoy those gravy years; most of my age peers were just starting out and didn't have enough put away to enjoy those 20% years.
Those who are now in their 30s have plenty of years ahead of them and frankly would be better off just slugging that 15% into their 401k during a stagnant stock market. Time is on their side.
But, investors like me are running out of years for compound interest to even have a shot at doing some magic. People may be working, and they may be earning. But, I don't think many have really done the retirement math--this is a problem that we won't be able to outrun.
The last decade has been anemic, with stock returns barely keeping pace with inflation. This is a real problem for people in their mid 40s, like me. Those who are a decade older enjoyed most of the boom time in the 1990s and had enough money to enjoy those gravy years; most of my age peers were just starting out and didn't have enough put away to enjoy those 20% years.
Those who are now in their 30s have plenty of years ahead of them and frankly would be better off just slugging that 15% into their 401k during a stagnant stock market. Time is on their side.
But, investors like me are running out of years for compound interest to even have a shot at doing some magic. People may be working, and they may be earning. But, I don't think many have really done the retirement math--this is a problem that we won't be able to outrun.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Should the unemployed be a protected class?
We live in a competitive society which prefers outcomes based on merit. Accordingly, most people agree that discrimination based on grounds other than merit is wrong. But, when should government intervene and make discrimination illegal? That's a good question which isn't nearly debated enough. And, I'm not going to spend the time tonight to analyze our various civil rights laws.
Instead just a brief comment on the current jobs proposal which the Obama administration is trying to get through Congress. For, one as-yet-not-well discussed provision of that jobs bill would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against the long-term unemployed.
People are unemployed for a variety of reasons. Some for performance-related reasons, but most not. It's a bad policy for any employer to lump the unemployed together and decide not to interview any of them for a job opening, preferring instead only those who are currently employed. Actually, I think you could probably make the argument that an employer would find a hungrier, harder working employee among the ranks of the unemployed than among those who would need to be coaxed out of a current job.
That said, government should tread carefully when it choses to make bad conduct illegal. It might make a nice sound bite on the campaign trail, but I hope most people see this proposal for the gimic that it is.
Instead just a brief comment on the current jobs proposal which the Obama administration is trying to get through Congress. For, one as-yet-not-well discussed provision of that jobs bill would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against the long-term unemployed.
People are unemployed for a variety of reasons. Some for performance-related reasons, but most not. It's a bad policy for any employer to lump the unemployed together and decide not to interview any of them for a job opening, preferring instead only those who are currently employed. Actually, I think you could probably make the argument that an employer would find a hungrier, harder working employee among the ranks of the unemployed than among those who would need to be coaxed out of a current job.
That said, government should tread carefully when it choses to make bad conduct illegal. It might make a nice sound bite on the campaign trail, but I hope most people see this proposal for the gimic that it is.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story....
The Strib recently ran both a "news" article and an op ed on the changes at Eden Prairie schools and the announced departure of our superintendent. I found a few "facts" interesting.
The Stib continues to characterize those who opposed the re-districting as parents who wanted to avoid integrated schools. They never reported the fact that each of Eden Prairie's previously four elementary schools had non-white populations in excess of 25%. In other words--they were integrated. Two of my sons have moved from Cedar Ridge to the new Oak Point elementary and other than a very poor running bus system (the ride home from school now lasts almost 40 minutes) I discern no difference in the classes, at least as far as racial balance is concerned. My boys enjoyed their classmates before and they enjoy them now.
The Strib also reported that the "achievement gap" had fallen by almost 50% over the last two years. The reporting of this fact missed the obvious conclusion---that the gap had been significantly reduced BEFORE the drastic redistricting had happened. This begs the question, the answer to which we'll never know--how much further could the gap have been reduced without causing huge disruption in the elementary schools?
Most parents have tired of this issue. I know that I have. But, I remain convinced that the self-inflicted redistricting pain could have been avoided.
The Stib continues to characterize those who opposed the re-districting as parents who wanted to avoid integrated schools. They never reported the fact that each of Eden Prairie's previously four elementary schools had non-white populations in excess of 25%. In other words--they were integrated. Two of my sons have moved from Cedar Ridge to the new Oak Point elementary and other than a very poor running bus system (the ride home from school now lasts almost 40 minutes) I discern no difference in the classes, at least as far as racial balance is concerned. My boys enjoyed their classmates before and they enjoy them now.
The Strib also reported that the "achievement gap" had fallen by almost 50% over the last two years. The reporting of this fact missed the obvious conclusion---that the gap had been significantly reduced BEFORE the drastic redistricting had happened. This begs the question, the answer to which we'll never know--how much further could the gap have been reduced without causing huge disruption in the elementary schools?
Most parents have tired of this issue. I know that I have. But, I remain convinced that the self-inflicted redistricting pain could have been avoided.
Friday, September 16, 2011
What will they do if elected?
The Eden Prairie school boundary change controversy has been in the newspaper for over a year now. I've been following it with mild interest. Sure, my kids were effected in that they had to change schools to the "new" elementary school in town; but, I didn't lose any sleep over that. Kids are resilient and making new friends is part of life for them.
That said, I do believe that the boundary change was a bad idea; and the the school board failed the residents of Eden Prairie not only in making the change but in how they dealt with the public about the change. This was the classic solution in search of a problem--bussing kids all over town won't help close an achievement gap.
Some residents have vocally opposed the failed leadership of the school board. And, a few of these voices are now running for school board. But, the question remains---what will they do if they win? Will they attempt to reverse the boundary changes? I'm not sure that bell can be un-rung.
If they can't do that, I at least hope that the new faces on the school board bring some leadership with them. The school board, even those who opposed the boundary changes, simply are not strong leaders. They seem directionless and unable to oppose staff-driven suggestions.
I really hope that changes.
That said, I do believe that the boundary change was a bad idea; and the the school board failed the residents of Eden Prairie not only in making the change but in how they dealt with the public about the change. This was the classic solution in search of a problem--bussing kids all over town won't help close an achievement gap.
Some residents have vocally opposed the failed leadership of the school board. And, a few of these voices are now running for school board. But, the question remains---what will they do if they win? Will they attempt to reverse the boundary changes? I'm not sure that bell can be un-rung.
If they can't do that, I at least hope that the new faces on the school board bring some leadership with them. The school board, even those who opposed the boundary changes, simply are not strong leaders. They seem directionless and unable to oppose staff-driven suggestions.
I really hope that changes.
Modern medicine
My second son recently had his appendix removed. This left me with a few thoughts about our health care system.
My wife initially took him to a hospital in Edina. They saw our son in the ER pretty quickly and, after some CAT scans confirmed that he needed his appendix removed immediately, told us that he'd have to go to a different hospital because he was under 14. I found this rather odd as we had been there over three hours by the time we received this news and were left to drive into Minneapolis in the middle of the night by ourselves.
However, I could not be more impressed with the level of care by son received at the U Children's hospital. Wonderful staff. First rate care. And, he left the hospital and returned home about 14 hours after surgery--unbelievable. And, with only three very small wounds were the incisions were made.
My wife initially took him to a hospital in Edina. They saw our son in the ER pretty quickly and, after some CAT scans confirmed that he needed his appendix removed immediately, told us that he'd have to go to a different hospital because he was under 14. I found this rather odd as we had been there over three hours by the time we received this news and were left to drive into Minneapolis in the middle of the night by ourselves.
However, I could not be more impressed with the level of care by son received at the U Children's hospital. Wonderful staff. First rate care. And, he left the hospital and returned home about 14 hours after surgery--unbelievable. And, with only three very small wounds were the incisions were made.
Random thoughts on the Eden Prairie budget
I read in the local papers that the City has established a preliminary levy for 2012. This levy will modestly increase taxes, slightly more significantly increase spending, and establish certain new "fees" for residents to pay. A few thoughts given my recent history with city finance.
When cities talk about their budgets they prefer to speak only about levy increases--the amount of taxes that they will raise. This is an important point---don't get me wrong. But, it minimizes what citizens should really be concerned about--total spending. Usually, spending will increase in a greater amount (and percent) than taxes. The reason for this is simple--fees and other non-tax revenue. Cities will generate about 30% of their revenue from sources other than property taxes. But, they rarely talk about this. Their primary talking point remains the levy, and that can be misleading.
Take this year, for example. The levy is forecast to rise by about 1%. But, total spending will increase by more than 3%, not including new "fees." Sure, none of those numbers is huge. But, in a time in which economists fear a double dip recession and private sector unemployment remains high, maybe the city could tighten its belt a little more. I don't know many people who're making more money today than they did four years ago. But, city employees have enjoyed an increase in every year but one. Whether money is generated by taxes or by fees it belongs to the people; and all people should be concerned with how much money the city intends to spend.
And, the city is toying with the idea of new "fees" to fund the capital improvement fund. Bad idea. A "fee" is worse than an increase in property tax. At least property tax is deductible on your income tax return; a fee isn't.
And, I still believe that government shouldn't pay "hide the ball"--if city leaders want to raise revenue they should raise taxes and tell people why. Don't start inventing unnecessary fees just so that you can claim that you're not raising taxes by that much.
And, if the city really needs money for its capital improvement fund it could start making some hard choices--for example, selling some of the unnecessary land that it owns. The city bought land six years ago to build a fire station and has been trying to sell a remnant parcel to "the right buyer" ever since. Maybe if the city really needs more money it should do what a private landowner in need of cash would do--cut the price, get less picky on who the "right buyer" is and sell that piece of land.
When cities talk about their budgets they prefer to speak only about levy increases--the amount of taxes that they will raise. This is an important point---don't get me wrong. But, it minimizes what citizens should really be concerned about--total spending. Usually, spending will increase in a greater amount (and percent) than taxes. The reason for this is simple--fees and other non-tax revenue. Cities will generate about 30% of their revenue from sources other than property taxes. But, they rarely talk about this. Their primary talking point remains the levy, and that can be misleading.
Take this year, for example. The levy is forecast to rise by about 1%. But, total spending will increase by more than 3%, not including new "fees." Sure, none of those numbers is huge. But, in a time in which economists fear a double dip recession and private sector unemployment remains high, maybe the city could tighten its belt a little more. I don't know many people who're making more money today than they did four years ago. But, city employees have enjoyed an increase in every year but one. Whether money is generated by taxes or by fees it belongs to the people; and all people should be concerned with how much money the city intends to spend.
And, the city is toying with the idea of new "fees" to fund the capital improvement fund. Bad idea. A "fee" is worse than an increase in property tax. At least property tax is deductible on your income tax return; a fee isn't.
And, I still believe that government shouldn't pay "hide the ball"--if city leaders want to raise revenue they should raise taxes and tell people why. Don't start inventing unnecessary fees just so that you can claim that you're not raising taxes by that much.
And, if the city really needs money for its capital improvement fund it could start making some hard choices--for example, selling some of the unnecessary land that it owns. The city bought land six years ago to build a fire station and has been trying to sell a remnant parcel to "the right buyer" ever since. Maybe if the city really needs more money it should do what a private landowner in need of cash would do--cut the price, get less picky on who the "right buyer" is and sell that piece of land.
Victory 5k
I've run the Victory races on Labor Day at least 7 times in the last decade. This year was the first time I ran the 5K instead of the 10K. But, I had a good reason for the shorter distance--i ran it with my son. He and I had a goal of running a race together this summer and we realized in late August that we were running out of summer.
I had a lot of fun running with my son. I think he enjoyed it, too. Now that the boys are getting older I'm looking forward to participating in activities with them, and not merely watching them.
I had a lot of fun running with my son. I think he enjoyed it, too. Now that the boys are getting older I'm looking forward to participating in activities with them, and not merely watching them.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Running the Firecracker 10k
I ran the Excelsior 10k Firecracker race this morning. It's a nice run that I haven't done in about five years or so. I remember the last time I ran it one of the sponsors was a dentist; and, he handed our Krispy Kreme donuts at the end of the race. I had to chuckle at the irony as I wolfed down a couple.
The highlight of today was that I convinced my 14 year old to run the 2 mile race. I'm trying to get him interested in running and this was his first road race. I'm glad to say he enjoyed it, even though he had to wait about an hour for me to waddle over the finish line. We're going to try to find a 5k which we can run together this summer.
My boys are starting to get to the age where our interests will overlap. I'm looking forward to it.
The highlight of today was that I convinced my 14 year old to run the 2 mile race. I'm trying to get him interested in running and this was his first road race. I'm glad to say he enjoyed it, even though he had to wait about an hour for me to waddle over the finish line. We're going to try to find a 5k which we can run together this summer.
My boys are starting to get to the age where our interests will overlap. I'm looking forward to it.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Star Tribune ignores Lisa Goodman
Lisa Goodman is a Minneapolis city council member. A few years back her efforts to deny a development in her ward caused the developer to sue the city under a variety of theories.
The issue may seem boring to most people, but it is pretty important. Most of the decisions made by city councils involve land use--what can be built where. City councils have tremendous power and discretion over these matters.
Residents and businesses have a right to expect fairness from their city. They have a right to be heard, and have their request fairly considered.
A Minneapolis developer felt he had been given an unfair shake, and sued. This isn't that rare or remarkable.
What is remarkable is that the Minnesota district court issued a scathing decision faulting Ms. Goodman for being unfair. Minneapolis appealed; and in May of this year the Court of Appeals upheld the decision against Minneapolis.
The Court of Appeals ordered that Minneapolis reconsider the development proposal becuase its original decision was tainted by Ms. Goodman. The Court held that the orginial decision was "arbitrary and capricious."
That's pretty big news as developers rarely win development challenges. And, it is even more rare that our courts will scold an elected official.
What makes this even more interesting is what the Strib said about this decision--almost nothing. And, its editorial board, which is a frequent critic of GOP elected officials, said absolutely nothing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
The issue may seem boring to most people, but it is pretty important. Most of the decisions made by city councils involve land use--what can be built where. City councils have tremendous power and discretion over these matters.
Residents and businesses have a right to expect fairness from their city. They have a right to be heard, and have their request fairly considered.
A Minneapolis developer felt he had been given an unfair shake, and sued. This isn't that rare or remarkable.
What is remarkable is that the Minnesota district court issued a scathing decision faulting Ms. Goodman for being unfair. Minneapolis appealed; and in May of this year the Court of Appeals upheld the decision against Minneapolis.
The Court of Appeals ordered that Minneapolis reconsider the development proposal becuase its original decision was tainted by Ms. Goodman. The Court held that the orginial decision was "arbitrary and capricious."
That's pretty big news as developers rarely win development challenges. And, it is even more rare that our courts will scold an elected official.
What makes this even more interesting is what the Strib said about this decision--almost nothing. And, its editorial board, which is a frequent critic of GOP elected officials, said absolutely nothing. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The media's hatred of conservative women
Sarah Palin's emails made news a few weeks ago. Various media outlets had been waiting for years for the opportunity to sift through some 20,000 pages of emails from Ms. Palin's years as governor. Alas, despite the dozens of reporters dispatched to remote Alaska, it appears that the emails reveal only that Ms. Palin spent a lot of time on the business of running a state.
The effort to obtain and sift through such miscellania is unprecedented in political reporting. It baffles me to this day. An obscure state senator from Illinois vaulted to the national scene and was elected President with far less background interest by the fourth estate.
More recently, Michele Bachman is again under fire for factual misstatements in some of her stump speeches. Sure, I guess some trivial pursuit champion somewhere knows the town that John Wayne was born in--i don't care. I would far rather hear what she has to say about raising the debt ceiling.
Moreover, politicians are known for gaffes. And, none is more prolific in this regard that Joe Biden. But, with his big grin and an "aw, shucks," all is forgiven by the yellow press despite the continued absurdity of the comments made by the man who is but one heartbeat away.
I find it ironic that the liberal media elite so enjoys this double standard. After all, shouldn't those who attempt to own the words of "equality" and "choice" applaud the political success of women?
The effort to obtain and sift through such miscellania is unprecedented in political reporting. It baffles me to this day. An obscure state senator from Illinois vaulted to the national scene and was elected President with far less background interest by the fourth estate.
More recently, Michele Bachman is again under fire for factual misstatements in some of her stump speeches. Sure, I guess some trivial pursuit champion somewhere knows the town that John Wayne was born in--i don't care. I would far rather hear what she has to say about raising the debt ceiling.
Moreover, politicians are known for gaffes. And, none is more prolific in this regard that Joe Biden. But, with his big grin and an "aw, shucks," all is forgiven by the yellow press despite the continued absurdity of the comments made by the man who is but one heartbeat away.
I find it ironic that the liberal media elite so enjoys this double standard. After all, shouldn't those who attempt to own the words of "equality" and "choice" applaud the political success of women?
Surviving the Minnesota Shutdown
Today is the first day of the Minnesota state government shut down. I'm not sure what to expect. But, both political sides having taken the matter this far, I think it will likely be a few weeks before anything changes. Politically it makes no sense to take the government to shut-down and then cave a week or ten days later. No, I think it'll be August before this matter is repaired.
Earlier this week I tried to determine whether there was anything I needed to do to prepare for the shutdown. For the most part, I concluded not. But, my tabs on my wife's car expire in July so I decided earlier this week to go on-line to the motor vehicle department and renew those tabs a few weeks early.
Imagine my surprise when I got to the website and found a note indicating that online services had been disabled in anticipation of the shut-down. The website told me that i would have to apply in person to get new tabs.
I remain puzzled by the cancellation of on-line renewal. In the first place, it seems to me that an on-line automated process would be far superior to an in-person process during a shut-down. In the second place, why would it be necessary to disable an on-line process three days BEFORE a shut-down?
My comments and questions are rhetorical. The only logical conclusion is that the cessation of on-line tab renewal is intended to inconvenience those of us who might otherwise escape the shut-down unscathed.
Earlier this week I tried to determine whether there was anything I needed to do to prepare for the shutdown. For the most part, I concluded not. But, my tabs on my wife's car expire in July so I decided earlier this week to go on-line to the motor vehicle department and renew those tabs a few weeks early.
Imagine my surprise when I got to the website and found a note indicating that online services had been disabled in anticipation of the shut-down. The website told me that i would have to apply in person to get new tabs.
I remain puzzled by the cancellation of on-line renewal. In the first place, it seems to me that an on-line automated process would be far superior to an in-person process during a shut-down. In the second place, why would it be necessary to disable an on-line process three days BEFORE a shut-down?
My comments and questions are rhetorical. The only logical conclusion is that the cessation of on-line tab renewal is intended to inconvenience those of us who might otherwise escape the shut-down unscathed.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
My pants don't fit and my feet hurt
My wife would tell you that I've had three mid-life crises since turning 40 a few years back. She's probably right.
The most recent crisis has caused considerable lethargy. I used to pride myself in getting up early and getting a lot done in a day. Those days are long gone.
In an effort to force myself to resurrect old habits I signed up for the Twin Cities marathon in October. It has been a tough road. I haven't really shed much weight since I started running again; that will have to change if I am to do anything other than waddle through the marathon.
It's only been three years since my last marathon but it is far harder for my body to aborb the impacts from running. Both knees hurt and I have shin splints in my lower right leg. My ankles are stiff and it is a chore to get out of bed in the morning. My sons ask why they always see me with bags of ice on my legs.
It could be a long summer.
The most recent crisis has caused considerable lethargy. I used to pride myself in getting up early and getting a lot done in a day. Those days are long gone.
In an effort to force myself to resurrect old habits I signed up for the Twin Cities marathon in October. It has been a tough road. I haven't really shed much weight since I started running again; that will have to change if I am to do anything other than waddle through the marathon.
It's only been three years since my last marathon but it is far harder for my body to aborb the impacts from running. Both knees hurt and I have shin splints in my lower right leg. My ankles are stiff and it is a chore to get out of bed in the morning. My sons ask why they always see me with bags of ice on my legs.
It could be a long summer.
school district woes make the front page
Yesterday's Strib covered the on-going boundary dispute with a front page story. I read the story twice and remain unclear of why it deserved front page treatment. The story contained nothing "new" or really that interesting.
I remain convinced that reporters at the Strib are kinda lazy; they'd rather rehash an old story than come up with anything new.
The controversy itself is becoming tedious. Yes, I think the administration is misguided; so, too, the school board members who support the boundary changes. I still don't know what it is that they're actually trying to fix. And, irrespective of whether the boundary changes will benefit kids or not, it is clear that those who supported this initiative knew that the issue would cause considerable pain in Eden Prairie. It was a mistake to go down this road.
That said, I also remain uncertain of what the organized opposition hopes to accomplish. I don't think the threat, or fact, of litigation will accomplish much other than ensure continued poor coverage by the Strib. It would be far easier, and cheaper, to effectuate change by getting just two or three motivated school board candidats and raising $10,000 a piece for them. You only need about 2000 votes to get on the school board; that can easily be done by a motivated candidate.
I remain convinced that reporters at the Strib are kinda lazy; they'd rather rehash an old story than come up with anything new.
The controversy itself is becoming tedious. Yes, I think the administration is misguided; so, too, the school board members who support the boundary changes. I still don't know what it is that they're actually trying to fix. And, irrespective of whether the boundary changes will benefit kids or not, it is clear that those who supported this initiative knew that the issue would cause considerable pain in Eden Prairie. It was a mistake to go down this road.
That said, I also remain uncertain of what the organized opposition hopes to accomplish. I don't think the threat, or fact, of litigation will accomplish much other than ensure continued poor coverage by the Strib. It would be far easier, and cheaper, to effectuate change by getting just two or three motivated school board candidats and raising $10,000 a piece for them. You only need about 2000 votes to get on the school board; that can easily be done by a motivated candidate.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wanna bet?
Gambling has received a lot of press this legislative session in Minnesota. Recently, much has surrounded the GOP platform and whether that platform can accomodate two different positions--1)opposition to gambling; 2)breaking the tribal monopoly on casino gaming.
This issue has been debated because two GOP leaders--the state party chairman and our national committeewoman--stand to profit personally from this issue. Our state party chair has formed a political consultancy which has partnered with an anti-gambling group (itself funded by the tribal casinos). Our committeewoman has herself become a paid lobbyist in favor of increased gaming.
Much of the public debate misses the point. I don't much care whether gaming is increased or not--i understand both sides of the issue and each raises legitimate points. To me the bigger issue (which hasn't really received much attention) is the fact that party leaders who have an ability to influence state legislators because of the power which they have in the GOP are now being paid to lobby those same legislators. I think that's wrong...plain and simple.
Our elected party leaders make great sacrafices to serve the party. If they require compensation to make up for those sacrafies, fine. Ask for a salary and I'll support giving you one. And, if you want to use your connections to become a lobbyist after you leave the party office, also fine. But, I do not think it is appropriate for party leaders to become lobbyists while they hold a position in the party. Put it this way--when our state party chair calls a legislator on an issue, which hat is he wearing? Can he really wear just one and ignore the other? If he calls as a lobbyist the legislator has to realize that this is the person who has the ability to send money and volunteers to him during his next campaign.
Our party is a big tent party in which activists and elected officials alike will have different positions on a number of issues. Our party leaders need to be able to communicate with those elected officials without wondering whether the leader's self interest is involved.
This issue has been debated because two GOP leaders--the state party chairman and our national committeewoman--stand to profit personally from this issue. Our state party chair has formed a political consultancy which has partnered with an anti-gambling group (itself funded by the tribal casinos). Our committeewoman has herself become a paid lobbyist in favor of increased gaming.
Much of the public debate misses the point. I don't much care whether gaming is increased or not--i understand both sides of the issue and each raises legitimate points. To me the bigger issue (which hasn't really received much attention) is the fact that party leaders who have an ability to influence state legislators because of the power which they have in the GOP are now being paid to lobby those same legislators. I think that's wrong...plain and simple.
Our elected party leaders make great sacrafices to serve the party. If they require compensation to make up for those sacrafies, fine. Ask for a salary and I'll support giving you one. And, if you want to use your connections to become a lobbyist after you leave the party office, also fine. But, I do not think it is appropriate for party leaders to become lobbyists while they hold a position in the party. Put it this way--when our state party chair calls a legislator on an issue, which hat is he wearing? Can he really wear just one and ignore the other? If he calls as a lobbyist the legislator has to realize that this is the person who has the ability to send money and volunteers to him during his next campaign.
Our party is a big tent party in which activists and elected officials alike will have different positions on a number of issues. Our party leaders need to be able to communicate with those elected officials without wondering whether the leader's self interest is involved.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Baseball dad
I need to update the photos on my blog--they're all from Fall 2010. A lot has changed since then.
We're in the middle of baseball season for two of my four boys. Son number Two is playing 6th grade EP baseball. After four games he's batting 12 for 14. That's a pretty good start if you ask me. He also shares some pitching duty. His arm isn't terribly strong but he's pretty accurate.
Son number Three is playing 3rd grade baseball. He's not as hot at the plate but is the "go to" pitcher for his team. Recently, another pitcher on his team was struggling and had loaded the bases with no outs. The coaches conferred about what to do and ultimately pulled number Three in from the outfield--he struck out the first two batters he faced and got a ground out to end the inning. In the next inning he played first base and got two of the three outs for that inning by tagging a runner and catching a pop up. Third graders tend to drop a lot of balls, but his glove is golden.
We're in the middle of baseball season for two of my four boys. Son number Two is playing 6th grade EP baseball. After four games he's batting 12 for 14. That's a pretty good start if you ask me. He also shares some pitching duty. His arm isn't terribly strong but he's pretty accurate.
Son number Three is playing 3rd grade baseball. He's not as hot at the plate but is the "go to" pitcher for his team. Recently, another pitcher on his team was struggling and had loaded the bases with no outs. The coaches conferred about what to do and ultimately pulled number Three in from the outfield--he struck out the first two batters he faced and got a ground out to end the inning. In the next inning he played first base and got two of the three outs for that inning by tagging a runner and catching a pop up. Third graders tend to drop a lot of balls, but his glove is golden.
shared sacrafice
This is a big week in Minnesota politics--the legislative session is supposed to draw to a close and a budget has yet to be passed.
I haven't been following the issue that closely but certainly understand that Dayton wants to tax "the rich" while the GOP promises no tax increase.
I honestly don't know what the right answer is. But, I have strong feelings that if tax rates are to rise then they should rise for everyone. It's far too easy for politicians and taxpayers alike to see increased taxes as part of a solution when most of them won't be paying them. And that's just not right. Everyone needs to have skin in the game. Otherwise if you want taxes to rise, but not your own, then i say "buzz off."
I have the same feeling about sin taxes. It seems every time there's a financial mess in St. Paul that smokers and drinkers get pinched a little bit more. If you want to tie some of those sin taxes to smoking avoidance measures, or something else related to the "problems" of smoking and drinking, then fine. But, I don't think it's right to increase sin taxes and use those funds for general revenue purposes.
To that point, if we're going to further restrict smokers through taxation and prohibiting them from leaving their homes, why don't we just make smoking illegal. That makes more sense to me that the silliness of making it illegal to smoke in your own car if your car is on Hennepin county property.
I haven't been following the issue that closely but certainly understand that Dayton wants to tax "the rich" while the GOP promises no tax increase.
I honestly don't know what the right answer is. But, I have strong feelings that if tax rates are to rise then they should rise for everyone. It's far too easy for politicians and taxpayers alike to see increased taxes as part of a solution when most of them won't be paying them. And that's just not right. Everyone needs to have skin in the game. Otherwise if you want taxes to rise, but not your own, then i say "buzz off."
I have the same feeling about sin taxes. It seems every time there's a financial mess in St. Paul that smokers and drinkers get pinched a little bit more. If you want to tie some of those sin taxes to smoking avoidance measures, or something else related to the "problems" of smoking and drinking, then fine. But, I don't think it's right to increase sin taxes and use those funds for general revenue purposes.
To that point, if we're going to further restrict smokers through taxation and prohibiting them from leaving their homes, why don't we just make smoking illegal. That makes more sense to me that the silliness of making it illegal to smoke in your own car if your car is on Hennepin county property.
Monday, May 16, 2011
more taxes, anyone?
Someone forwarded the below to me. I kinda liked it:
Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table, At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule.
Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat..
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries tax his tears.
Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways to tax his ass.
Tax all he has, then let him know, that you won't be done until he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers; Then tax him some more, Tax him till he's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he's laid...
Put these words upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom...'
When he's gone, do not relax, Its time to apply the inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable TaxTax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule.
Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat..
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries tax his tears.
Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways to tax his ass.
Tax all he has, then let him know, that you won't be done until he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers; Then tax him some more, Tax him till he's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he's laid...
Put these words upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom...'
When he's gone, do not relax, Its time to apply the inheritance tax.
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The arrogance of the print media
Today's Star Tribune offers its second editorial on the state budget. I understand that the issue of the budget is an important one, and certainly worthy of some comment by the Strib. I remain struck, however, at how far this paper actually goes.
A month ago the paper offered its own budget solution. The merits of its budget aside, I almost fell off of my chair laughing--why does the editorial board of the Strib think anyone gives a tinker's damn about how it thinks the budget crisis should be resolved? I still haven't answered that question to my satisfaction.
So I had to chuckle when I saw the paper offer further comments today. Sure, offer your insightful opinions on the process, or the progress (or lack thereof) made by the Governor or legislature in piecing a budget together. But, please, don't reveal your incredible arrogance by proferring your own budget for the state of Minnesota. Your efforts are better spent trying to figure out how to run a newspaper which actually makes money and doesn't suffer from dwindling circulation.
A month ago the paper offered its own budget solution. The merits of its budget aside, I almost fell off of my chair laughing--why does the editorial board of the Strib think anyone gives a tinker's damn about how it thinks the budget crisis should be resolved? I still haven't answered that question to my satisfaction.
So I had to chuckle when I saw the paper offer further comments today. Sure, offer your insightful opinions on the process, or the progress (or lack thereof) made by the Governor or legislature in piecing a budget together. But, please, don't reveal your incredible arrogance by proferring your own budget for the state of Minnesota. Your efforts are better spent trying to figure out how to run a newspaper which actually makes money and doesn't suffer from dwindling circulation.
Friday, May 13, 2011
You mean you're not the mayor anymore?
I have long told anyone who would listen that most people don't really pay attention to local politics. Life is simply too busy. My list of examples of this theorem has grown since I left elected office at the end of 2010.
In March (yes, March) I was at the state hockey tournament cheering for Eden Prairie at the title game where no less than three people greeted me at the game as "mayor." Sure, maybe they didn't know my name and wanted to say something as they walked past me to the concession stand, but one of those three actually stopped to complain about a development in town--"not my problem."
Two weeks ago I met a law school colleague for lunch and he, too, still thought that i was the mayor. Okay, he doesn't live in Eden Prairie so he gets a pass.
But this past weekend I was playing poker with a group of guys which included two 15 year residents of our city. One of these guys had no idea that I ever had been the mayor; the second thought that I still was.
In March (yes, March) I was at the state hockey tournament cheering for Eden Prairie at the title game where no less than three people greeted me at the game as "mayor." Sure, maybe they didn't know my name and wanted to say something as they walked past me to the concession stand, but one of those three actually stopped to complain about a development in town--"not my problem."
Two weeks ago I met a law school colleague for lunch and he, too, still thought that i was the mayor. Okay, he doesn't live in Eden Prairie so he gets a pass.
But this past weekend I was playing poker with a group of guys which included two 15 year residents of our city. One of these guys had no idea that I ever had been the mayor; the second thought that I still was.
Local builders breath a sigh of relief...variances are back.
Some six months ago the MN Supreme Court changed land use decisions for cities by narrowly construing the ability of a city to offer a "variance" for a technically non-conforming building. This was a huge blow especially to the remodel/renovation industry as virtually all of those projects require a variance for the job to proceed.
So, no surprise that this was a hot item before the legislature during this session. And, the result--the opinion of the Supreme Court was changed by legislative action. Good news, I think, especially in an economy where I think more people are likely to renovate to build new...and shouldn't we be promoting that, anyway?
So, no surprise that this was a hot item before the legislature during this session. And, the result--the opinion of the Supreme Court was changed by legislative action. Good news, I think, especially in an economy where I think more people are likely to renovate to build new...and shouldn't we be promoting that, anyway?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Not so Comcastic
I've mentioned before that paying bills is not one of my strengths. I find it to be a pesky annoyance, which explains why I make more late payments than I really should.
A few years ago I thought I'd simplify my life somewhat by bundling my phone, internet and email with one provider--Comcast. I then put the bill on autopay so that I didn't have to think about it any more.
Well, fast forward about five years and I can honestly say that until this week I haven't even bothered to look at the Comcast bill since i bundled my services. Comcast could have been billed me in error for who knows how many not-ordered movies and I simply wouldn't have known.
Why I opened my bill this week I don't know. But when I did, I was amazed at the many different services, both individual and bundled, which were offered. I knew that I had a bundle, but couldn't for the life of me figure out which one by the descriptions. So, I called Comcast. I dealt with a nice enough guy who, after about five minutes of explanation, essentially told me that my "old" bundle was essentially the same as one of the now "branded" bundles, only I was paying more money and had less channels. He then offered to change me to one of the "branded" bundles.
Part of me was happy that my bill would go down, and my channels up. But part of me was, and still is, kinda unhappy that Comcast didn't automatically "upgrade" me as their offerings changed over time. It never dawned on me that long-time (read: loyal) customers would have to keep track of changes in the bundles in order to get the most current offering.
A few years ago I thought I'd simplify my life somewhat by bundling my phone, internet and email with one provider--Comcast. I then put the bill on autopay so that I didn't have to think about it any more.
Well, fast forward about five years and I can honestly say that until this week I haven't even bothered to look at the Comcast bill since i bundled my services. Comcast could have been billed me in error for who knows how many not-ordered movies and I simply wouldn't have known.
Why I opened my bill this week I don't know. But when I did, I was amazed at the many different services, both individual and bundled, which were offered. I knew that I had a bundle, but couldn't for the life of me figure out which one by the descriptions. So, I called Comcast. I dealt with a nice enough guy who, after about five minutes of explanation, essentially told me that my "old" bundle was essentially the same as one of the now "branded" bundles, only I was paying more money and had less channels. He then offered to change me to one of the "branded" bundles.
Part of me was happy that my bill would go down, and my channels up. But part of me was, and still is, kinda unhappy that Comcast didn't automatically "upgrade" me as their offerings changed over time. It never dawned on me that long-time (read: loyal) customers would have to keep track of changes in the bundles in order to get the most current offering.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tough love
My two oldest boys have struggled with school this year. It seems all of a sudden to me, but I know that it's not. This is likely one of those many things which I simply didn't have time to notice before.
My oldest has extreme organizational problems. I'm convinced that it's not because he's lazy or dislikes school. His oblivious gaze when we discuss deadlines, homework and tests seems genuine. I don't know what the problem is, but the solution (at least for now) has been for me to double check his homework status daily and help him study for tests. I've always liked math, so repeating algebra doesn't bother me. Other classes I don't like so much.
My second oldest is lazy. There is no other way to put it. And, his teacher pretty much put it that way at conferences tonight, too. He scores in the 99th percentile in every standardized test. He should get straight As, but manages to get mostly Bs and B minuses. He also has some poor behavior at school which I find very distressing.
Both boys have suffered the reduction of privileges because of their school work. I've tried to be fair and give them fair notice, but sometimes they simply have to face a consequence. As we enter the final semester of the year I hope they turn things around.
My oldest has extreme organizational problems. I'm convinced that it's not because he's lazy or dislikes school. His oblivious gaze when we discuss deadlines, homework and tests seems genuine. I don't know what the problem is, but the solution (at least for now) has been for me to double check his homework status daily and help him study for tests. I've always liked math, so repeating algebra doesn't bother me. Other classes I don't like so much.
My second oldest is lazy. There is no other way to put it. And, his teacher pretty much put it that way at conferences tonight, too. He scores in the 99th percentile in every standardized test. He should get straight As, but manages to get mostly Bs and B minuses. He also has some poor behavior at school which I find very distressing.
Both boys have suffered the reduction of privileges because of their school work. I've tried to be fair and give them fair notice, but sometimes they simply have to face a consequence. As we enter the final semester of the year I hope they turn things around.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
bathroom update
Months ago I blogged about a bathroom remodel which I was starting. The project is long since finished and I forgot to mention that. It turned out pretty good.
I wish I had a "before" picture. Think ugly blue floor tile, dated wallpaper, and brown oak cabinets with a strong grain.
I replaced the tile floor with a travertine. Put subway tile on the wall. Painted the cabinets and put in a new marble vanity top. Also changed out the toilet.
I wish I had a "before" picture. Think ugly blue floor tile, dated wallpaper, and brown oak cabinets with a strong grain.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thoughts about the Badger state
The current dispute over public sector collective bargaining in Wisconsin has helped me forget that the Packers won the Super Bowl but a few short weeks ago. For that, I'm thankful. I hate those Packers.
I don't know what the future holds for this Wisconsin issue, or whether it will transcend borders into other states. It raises some good questions, though.
I think most people understand that collective bargaining began in an era of horrible working conditions, where unions protected the safety and economic security of private sector employers whose singular focus on the bottom line was actually dangerous to employees.
Those days are long since passed. And, I think this is reflected by the fact that private sector unionization has dropped dramatically over the past forty years.
With those thoughts it mind it is unclear to me why public sector unionization remains so prevalent. From whom exactly are public sector unions protecting their membership? From government, which would otherwise treat its employees unfairly? Really?
The unionization issue is often framed as an issue of cost--i.e. the wages and benefits of employees represented by a union become unsustainable, especially in today's economy.
I don't know if the cost issue is correct, or not. Even if correct, I place equal blame on those in management who agreed to unsustainable wage and benefits.
My opposition to public sector unionization, however, is not based on wages and benefits--it's based on the concepts of tenure and seniority.
Most Americans work, and always have, in jobs where their success or failure is directly proportional to their effort and skill. This is an intrinsically fair system which reflects the principles upon which our country was founded.
Can this capitalistic system create occasional results which seem unfair? Sure, it can. But to me the far greater danger is the systemic malaise which can be caused by a system in which effort and skill are not the most important criterion to continued employment.
I don't know what the future holds for this Wisconsin issue, or whether it will transcend borders into other states. It raises some good questions, though.
I think most people understand that collective bargaining began in an era of horrible working conditions, where unions protected the safety and economic security of private sector employers whose singular focus on the bottom line was actually dangerous to employees.
Those days are long since passed. And, I think this is reflected by the fact that private sector unionization has dropped dramatically over the past forty years.
With those thoughts it mind it is unclear to me why public sector unionization remains so prevalent. From whom exactly are public sector unions protecting their membership? From government, which would otherwise treat its employees unfairly? Really?
The unionization issue is often framed as an issue of cost--i.e. the wages and benefits of employees represented by a union become unsustainable, especially in today's economy.
I don't know if the cost issue is correct, or not. Even if correct, I place equal blame on those in management who agreed to unsustainable wage and benefits.
My opposition to public sector unionization, however, is not based on wages and benefits--it's based on the concepts of tenure and seniority.
Most Americans work, and always have, in jobs where their success or failure is directly proportional to their effort and skill. This is an intrinsically fair system which reflects the principles upon which our country was founded.
Can this capitalistic system create occasional results which seem unfair? Sure, it can. But to me the far greater danger is the systemic malaise which can be caused by a system in which effort and skill are not the most important criterion to continued employment.
Watching the Wild
Some friends were kind enough to invite us to the Wild game last Sunday. The varied reactions of my kids to the invitation was pretty interesting.
My youngest is a happy-go-lucky kid. Invite him to drive to Target and he's thrilled. So his immediate "yeah!" to the invitation was not a surprise.
My oldest doesn't reveal much so he can be hard to read. But, he seemed interested and actually had a nice time, so that was good.
Son number two initially demurred, claiming not to be much of a hockey fan. "There will be food in the suite," I quietly said and his predictable reaction "Food?! Is this with the ****s? They always have great seats! Then I'm totally in."
Son three loves sports. So I knew he'd say "yes" and that the Wild would be his favorite team, ever, by the time the game was over.
The boys had a great time at the game. And, I luckily escaped without having to buy too many souveneirs. That's always a bonus.
My youngest is a happy-go-lucky kid. Invite him to drive to Target and he's thrilled. So his immediate "yeah!" to the invitation was not a surprise.
My oldest doesn't reveal much so he can be hard to read. But, he seemed interested and actually had a nice time, so that was good.
Son number two initially demurred, claiming not to be much of a hockey fan. "There will be food in the suite," I quietly said and his predictable reaction "Food?! Is this with the ****s? They always have great seats! Then I'm totally in."
Son three loves sports. So I knew he'd say "yes" and that the Wild would be his favorite team, ever, by the time the game was over.
The boys had a great time at the game. And, I luckily escaped without having to buy too many souveneirs. That's always a bonus.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Valentine's day gets tricky
My two oldest boys are 14 and 11. My 11 year old is slowly starting to indicate an interest in girls. My 14 year old is far less subtle-he's interested and isn't shy about saying so.
As a dad, this makes me kinda nervous. I certainly don't want them to repeat the silly mistakes I made when I was their age. And yet, I'm not entirely comfortable talking with them about it.
On the Sunday before Valentine's day my hand was kinda forced. My oldest was pacing around and finally asked his mom to buy a box of chocolates which he wanted to give to a girl at school the next day. Mom wasn't convinced it was a good idea; I wasn't either. But, we certainly didn't want to discourage him.
I finally sat him down on the couch and tried to talk with him about it. It was awkward. He ultimately decided that the box of chocolates wasn't yet a good idea and we talked about other ways in which he could let the girl know that he liked her.
For a moment I felt like I had done my fatherly duty--passing on wisom to my oldest son. I encouraged him to talk to me any time that he needed advice about girls. He nodded, and then asked me whether I had dated a lot of girls when I was his age. "No," I had to honestly admit, "I didn't." "Well," my son says after a slight pause, "maybe your advice isn't so good, then."
As a dad, this makes me kinda nervous. I certainly don't want them to repeat the silly mistakes I made when I was their age. And yet, I'm not entirely comfortable talking with them about it.
On the Sunday before Valentine's day my hand was kinda forced. My oldest was pacing around and finally asked his mom to buy a box of chocolates which he wanted to give to a girl at school the next day. Mom wasn't convinced it was a good idea; I wasn't either. But, we certainly didn't want to discourage him.
I finally sat him down on the couch and tried to talk with him about it. It was awkward. He ultimately decided that the box of chocolates wasn't yet a good idea and we talked about other ways in which he could let the girl know that he liked her.
For a moment I felt like I had done my fatherly duty--passing on wisom to my oldest son. I encouraged him to talk to me any time that he needed advice about girls. He nodded, and then asked me whether I had dated a lot of girls when I was his age. "No," I had to honestly admit, "I didn't." "Well," my son says after a slight pause, "maybe your advice isn't so good, then."
Sunday, February 13, 2011
public sector compensation
The Strib has written a few stories now about public sector compensation and the efforts by the GOP majority in St. Paul to reduce or cap any increases. One of the arguments leveled against these efforts is that the dollars involved in any such initiative are a drop in the bucket when compared to the state's budget deficit.
This counter argument makes no sense to me and illustrates well the disconnect which those in the public sector unfortunately have when in comes to compensation and benefits.
Public employees should be fairly paid for the important work which they do. But, their compensation and benefits needs to reflect the realities of the private sector.
Two years ago, as the current recession was causing record lay-offs and salary freezes (or reductions) across Minnesota, I suggested to our then city manager that we needed to reflect that reality in the budget we were working on. I'll never forget his response--"why should our employees suffer because of what's going on in the private sector; the demand for our services hasn't changed..." Slightly paraphrased given the passage of time, but that was the gist.
Ultimately, city headcount was reduced by 6 (out of 270 or so) and wages were frozen for one year. Neither is immaterial, but both are quite modest when compared to the private sector.
I tend to agree, too, that the public pension should be a thing of the past. In the private sector if you're lucky enough to save $800,000 in a 401k you can expect about $40,000 a year in retirement income, assuming safe investments. Of course, most Americans don't save that much in a 401k. But, that same yearly income is far easier to come by for public employees. Should it be? Especially given today's long life expectancies, I think that's simply too generous.
This counter argument makes no sense to me and illustrates well the disconnect which those in the public sector unfortunately have when in comes to compensation and benefits.
Public employees should be fairly paid for the important work which they do. But, their compensation and benefits needs to reflect the realities of the private sector.
Two years ago, as the current recession was causing record lay-offs and salary freezes (or reductions) across Minnesota, I suggested to our then city manager that we needed to reflect that reality in the budget we were working on. I'll never forget his response--"why should our employees suffer because of what's going on in the private sector; the demand for our services hasn't changed..." Slightly paraphrased given the passage of time, but that was the gist.
Ultimately, city headcount was reduced by 6 (out of 270 or so) and wages were frozen for one year. Neither is immaterial, but both are quite modest when compared to the private sector.
I tend to agree, too, that the public pension should be a thing of the past. In the private sector if you're lucky enough to save $800,000 in a 401k you can expect about $40,000 a year in retirement income, assuming safe investments. Of course, most Americans don't save that much in a 401k. But, that same yearly income is far easier to come by for public employees. Should it be? Especially given today's long life expectancies, I think that's simply too generous.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
the path of least resistance
They say that kids have their personalities well developed by the time they enter school. For the longest time I thought that was a bunch of baloney. I'm now starting to believe it. My two oldest are in 8th and 6th grade and I think their behavior patters are pretty well developed. They're both good kids, but predictible.
I still remember telling my 6th grader a few years ago that "the end" is not a sentence--yes, he had to write a paragraph for school and did the bare minimum.
Today, he's the first one home from school and one of his jobs is to shovel snow. I don't expect him to clear the driveway. But, if the plow has come by I expect him to clear the base of the driveway so that a car can make it in. And, we have just an inch or two of light fluffy snow, I expect him to clear that.
It's been a snowy winter. And a winter full of excuses. "I didn't notice that the plow came" lasted for a couple weeks. Now, his trick is to make a "path" for my car tires, figuring why shovel more than he absolutely has to in order for me to get my car in the driveway. He actually measured the distance between my tires to make sure the "path" was the right width. Ingenious, but lazy.
I still remember telling my 6th grader a few years ago that "the end" is not a sentence--yes, he had to write a paragraph for school and did the bare minimum.
Today, he's the first one home from school and one of his jobs is to shovel snow. I don't expect him to clear the driveway. But, if the plow has come by I expect him to clear the base of the driveway so that a car can make it in. And, we have just an inch or two of light fluffy snow, I expect him to clear that.
It's been a snowy winter. And a winter full of excuses. "I didn't notice that the plow came" lasted for a couple weeks. Now, his trick is to make a "path" for my car tires, figuring why shovel more than he absolutely has to in order for me to get my car in the driveway. He actually measured the distance between my tires to make sure the "path" was the right width. Ingenious, but lazy.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
That's kids for you
I am a den leader for Son #3's cub scout den. This means that I need to host den meetings at my house and drive other people's kids to various events. The following discussion took place as I was driving the den to the Richardson Nature Center for a field trip.
Scout one: "your car is kind of messy"
Scout two: "yeah, but his house is clean"
Scout one: "his living room is clean, but his basement is messy, too"
Scout two: "you're right, his basement is messy"
I really wanted to spank the both of them. But, i'm pretty sure my den leader training manual says that I can't.
Scout one: "your car is kind of messy"
Scout two: "yeah, but his house is clean"
Scout one: "his living room is clean, but his basement is messy, too"
Scout two: "you're right, his basement is messy"
I really wanted to spank the both of them. But, i'm pretty sure my den leader training manual says that I can't.
the slow death of the budget advisory commission
I first mentioned the idea of a budget advisory commission in early 2006 when I was a council member. I mentioned it during a "council member report" at the end of a council meeting and suggested that we discuss the concept further at the next council meeting. I was surprised that every member of the council (at least initially) thought it was a good idea.
What followed was a lesson in politics as three of our council members changed their minds by the time of the next council meeting and the idea was killed. I remember smiling to myself as I heard each of three opponents voice the same concerns about having a citizen group involved in our budgeting process.
I wasn't too troubled by the council's change in direction because it was really a no-lose situation--if they agreed with me then I could take the credit for creating the commission; conversely, if they disagreed with me I had a nice talking point for the upcoming mayoral campaign.
The budget advisory commission was established in 2007, following my election as mayor in the fall of 2006. The BAC was filled with pretty high octane folks who spent a lot of time studying our budget and making recommendations to the city council.
City staff never liked the BAC. More about that later.
That the BAC made recommendations which the council adopted was a bonus as to me the real beauty of the BAC was that it made our budgeting process far more open to our residents and taxpayers.
Not everyone wanted that kind of openness, though. Some would rather that certain issues not be publicly discussed. Some complained that the BAC's recommendations were infringing on the council's obligation to make policy for the city.
It's this last point--that the BAC was infringing on policy--that prompted this post as I read in the local paper last week that the new council intends to re-focus the BAC because of this supposed concern.
The city has many commissions--planning, park and rec, conservation, human rights, and a few others. Each of these commissions, if they are to do anything useful, "infringes" on city policy as part of their work. They always have and they always will. The important point, though, is that each of these commissions can only make recommendations to the council--this is the important distinction to keep in mind. It is for the council to consider and then accept or reject any "policy" recommendation. And, the council has accepted or rejected recommendations from all of its commissions.
The politicians on the city council are too smart to disband the BAC--that would be too easy an action to criticize. So, when you hear people say that the BAC needs to be re-directed to keep it away from "policy" issues that's just political speak for killing the BAC. I think that's a shame.
What followed was a lesson in politics as three of our council members changed their minds by the time of the next council meeting and the idea was killed. I remember smiling to myself as I heard each of three opponents voice the same concerns about having a citizen group involved in our budgeting process.
I wasn't too troubled by the council's change in direction because it was really a no-lose situation--if they agreed with me then I could take the credit for creating the commission; conversely, if they disagreed with me I had a nice talking point for the upcoming mayoral campaign.
The budget advisory commission was established in 2007, following my election as mayor in the fall of 2006. The BAC was filled with pretty high octane folks who spent a lot of time studying our budget and making recommendations to the city council.
City staff never liked the BAC. More about that later.
That the BAC made recommendations which the council adopted was a bonus as to me the real beauty of the BAC was that it made our budgeting process far more open to our residents and taxpayers.
Not everyone wanted that kind of openness, though. Some would rather that certain issues not be publicly discussed. Some complained that the BAC's recommendations were infringing on the council's obligation to make policy for the city.
It's this last point--that the BAC was infringing on policy--that prompted this post as I read in the local paper last week that the new council intends to re-focus the BAC because of this supposed concern.
The city has many commissions--planning, park and rec, conservation, human rights, and a few others. Each of these commissions, if they are to do anything useful, "infringes" on city policy as part of their work. They always have and they always will. The important point, though, is that each of these commissions can only make recommendations to the council--this is the important distinction to keep in mind. It is for the council to consider and then accept or reject any "policy" recommendation. And, the council has accepted or rejected recommendations from all of its commissions.
The politicians on the city council are too smart to disband the BAC--that would be too easy an action to criticize. So, when you hear people say that the BAC needs to be re-directed to keep it away from "policy" issues that's just political speak for killing the BAC. I think that's a shame.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
A period of adjustment
I've neglected to blog for about a month. It's not that I haven't had anything to say--no, it's just that I'm struggling to find the right balance on my subject matter.
I want this blog to be a combination of personal matters and politics. Last year-when i was an elected official-i tried pretty hard to avoid discussing specific decisions made by the city council.
Now that i've left elected office I'm finding that balance even harder. Although I often threatened that I'd become a critic after my term of office had ended that's not exactly what I have in mind.
I don't want to become one of those former elected who project sour grapes whenever they talk. I had a great run and I wish the current city council all the best.
That doesn't mean I'll give them a pass--no, I have some pretty strong opinions on the difficult subjects which will face this council and I will share those opinions. It just means my posts will be less frequent until I find the right balance of respectful comments on issues of legitimate interest.
I want this blog to be a combination of personal matters and politics. Last year-when i was an elected official-i tried pretty hard to avoid discussing specific decisions made by the city council.
Now that i've left elected office I'm finding that balance even harder. Although I often threatened that I'd become a critic after my term of office had ended that's not exactly what I have in mind.
I don't want to become one of those former elected who project sour grapes whenever they talk. I had a great run and I wish the current city council all the best.
That doesn't mean I'll give them a pass--no, I have some pretty strong opinions on the difficult subjects which will face this council and I will share those opinions. It just means my posts will be less frequent until I find the right balance of respectful comments on issues of legitimate interest.
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