Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog

Happy New Year!

The Hennepin County Board had its first meeting of the year this week, re-electing Mike Opat as our chairman and making various appointments to committees and boards throughout the county.

I voted for Mike as chairman. Although I frequently disagree with him and believe the county is spending entirely too much money, the reality is that this board is going to elect a democrat as chairman and I am comfortable with that democrat being Mike. I believe he is fair and runs an efficient meeting.

Someone asked me yesterday why I didn’t put my name in for chair. I told them that I would have received exactly one vote (and that vote would have been somewhat dependent on how I felt about myself that morning). Read more…

County Board Raises All Three County Tax Levies - One by 4.95%, One by 114% and One by 176%

The county board adjourned for the year last week by raising every property tax levy we have authority to raise.

The general county operating levy was increased 4.95% (an additional $12.5 million over 2009). The county rail authority levy - used to fund light rail trains - was increased 114% (an additional $8 million over 2009). The county housing authority levy was increased 176% (an additional $2.3 million over 2009).

Commissioner Randy Johnson and I voted against the budget that included the 4.95% levy increase. I was the only member to oppose the other two levy increases. Read more…

County Leading Five-Year Program to Address Availability of Fruits and Vegetables

FOCUS!  That’s a frequent directive I give to my two boys after school. They are charged with getting their homework done before they’re allowed to play with friends. And it can be a struggle! “Dad, can I have the TV on while I’m doing my homework?” “How about if I just put it on mute?” “Can I at least listen to my iPod?” “Let me tell you about what happened at recess today.” My response always: “FOCUS! You can watch TV, listen to your iPod or tell me about recess later. Right now we need to get the homework done.”

I assume my sons are pretty typical young boys when it comes to this issue and that it will be a struggle for years to come, but sometimes I think my 8 and 11-year-old boys are much better able to focus than we are in Hennepin County government. Read more…

We are nearing the end of our annual budgeting process on the Hennepin County board, with a vote on the final budget scheduled for Tuesday, December 15. I expect a 2010 budget to pass (although I will not support it) that is slightly smaller than the 2009 budget, but it will contain a 3% increase in the property tax levy. I will post more information on that proposed budget soon.

Today, we had a budget hearing during which commissioners were allowed to propose amendments to the budget the administration has presented to us. There were a couple of amendments to move or restore funding to certain programs that had been cut. I brought in one amendment: To cut our commissioner office budgets by 4% for 2010. It failed 1 - 6. Read more…

Tom Hauser did a great “Tracking Your Money” story on my Lowry Avenue Bridge post last week:

“Sorry kids, but we had to mortgage your future.  Here, have a bike helmet.”

Yesterday, the Hennepin County Board on a 6-1 vote, requested federal stimulus funds in the amount of $10,000,000 for a program called “Communities Putting Prevention to Work.” Although we have not been granted these funds yet, there was great optimism that we will receive them based upon the strength of our proposed program and the desire of the federal government to fund projects like this.

The funds would be used throughout suburban Hennepin County “to address obesity, physical activity and nutrition through sustainable, proven approaches such as policy, systems, organizational and environmental changes in communities.”

Included in the request: $2.7 million for “subsidized bicycles, helmets, walking shoes and transit passes.” Read more…

County will Count Illegal Immigrants in 2010 Census

Shortly after I took office in January of this year, I had a meeting with a couple of Hennepin County employees who were working on a program to promote the 2010 U. S. Census. Encouraging everyone in the county to fill out the census form was more crucial this year than ever before, I was told, as the population numbers derived from the 2010 Census would determine representation for Minnesota in Congress, and there has been talk that Minnesota could lose one congressional seat after the census numbers come in.

In addition, the census numbers will used to set state legislative boundaries and allocate representation in the Minnesota legislature. Read more…

Minnesota 2020’s Highbrow Critique of the Golden Fire Hydrant

Earlier this month I presented a Golden Hydrant Award to the Property Tax Study Project through which the county uses taxpayer dollars each year to lobby for higher taxes on those same taxpayers. The Project is essentially a contract with one individual, Jeff Van Wychen, who is a fellow with the progressive think tank Minnesota 2020 (founded by DFL gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza).

Recently, John Van Hecke, Minnesota 2020’s Executive Director, posted a critique of my post:

When a research study reveals a disconcerting truth, readers can challenge and refute the report’s findings or they can fallaciously attack it. I’m always disappointed when an elected official chooses the latter course. I’m especially disappointed when a leader tips into vulgar pandering.

Hennepin County Commissioner and conservative public policy activist Jeff Johnson regularly strides into divisive territory, advancing a conservative policy vision by attacking the public, operational expression of community values. “Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog,” Johnson’s campaign blog that appears to be a regular element of his official communications strategy, periodically bestows “the Golden Fire Hydrant” award on whomever he feels is most at odds with his conservative worldview, or at least as it relates to Hennepin County and Minnesota.

That’s fine. Really. Strongly expressed public opinions are essential to our democracy. I’d rather Commissioner Johnson share his views than keep them to himself. He is being, in this regard, a responsible elected official and a good citizen.

Closer reading, however, raises an uncomfortable question. Does he really need to pander in order to advocate his conservative public policy agenda?

First, the “watchdog/fire hydrant metaphor.” Commissioner Johnson wishes us to understand that the responsible exercise and delivery of community services is equivalent to a dog urinating on a fire hydrant.

Actually, no. I believe the irresponsible exercise and delivery of community services is equivalent to a dog urinating on a fire hydrant. That’s the whole point of my silly little award (and I’ll be the first to admit that it’s nothing more than a silly little award). Read more…

 On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Board voted 6 - 1 (I was the “no” vote) to set our maximum property tax levy increase for 2010 at 4.95%.  This means that when we set our 2010 budget later in the year, we can increase the levy by 4.95% or less, but we cannot go over that amount.  In the recent past, the final level has been set at or very near the maximum level nearly every year.  I would expect this year will be the same. Read more…

Differing Views on Wet Houses

Unbeknownst to each other, Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and I both wrote short letters to the editor to the Star Tribune that were printed side-by-side on Tuesday:

I’ve received a great deal of feedback — both positive and negative — regarding my criticism of “wet house” funding in last week’s Star Tribune (”Not always sober, but safe,” Aug. 12). The story originated from a posting on my blog (www.taxpayerwatchdog.org) about county and state funding of homes for chronic alcoholics in which they are allowed to continue to drink alcohol. Read more…