Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog

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…

Board Unanimously Requires Pay-for-Performance Contracts

The County Board last week unanimously passed a resolution I proposed which will require the county’s Human Services Department and Corrections Department to more widely use pay-for-performance contracts with hundreds of county vendors.In essence, this means that many of the organizations hired by the county to provide services will be paid based upon their ability to prove they have achieved measurable, long-term changes for the people they serve. In my opinion, this constitutes basic accountability in government spending.

The county has been using pay-for-performance contracts with select vendors for the past several years. It is not, however, a widespread practice. Many of our contracts are based solely on “outputs” - how many people a particular vendor served. 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…

Golden Hydrant goes to Property Tax Study Project

The latest Golden Fire Hydrant award goes to the Property Tax Study Project, an endeavor Hennepin County has funded on and off for the past decade.

Bottom line (and pardon my crudeness): Government is giving the finger to the taxpayers of Hennepin County as it spends taxpayer money to lobby the legislature for increased taxes on those same taxpayers. Read more…

In July, I blogged about some significant positive changes that are occuring in Hennepin County regarding out-of-home placement issues for juvenile offenders. I thought it would make sense to post a positive award each month to bookend the monthly Golden Fire Hydrant award. Good things do happen in government sometimes.

August’s Taxpayer Victory award goes to a unanimous vote of the Board to rescind authority earlier given to county staff to condemn property through eminent domain. 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…

Last week’s Golden Fire Hydrant made the news today as the Star Tribune printed a lengthy story regarding “wet houses.” 

Wet Houses: Not Always Sober, but Safe

By Kevin Duchshere

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson has no quarrel with publicly funded treatment for alcoholics. But he said he struggles with taxpayer money going to housing for chronic alcoholics that offer no treatment at all.

Not only that, he was surprised to learn, the so-called “wet houses” don’t even require their homeless residents to stay sober. Read more…

Where does the money come from and where does it go?

The most common question I’m asked when wearing my county commissioner hat (which looks a bit like a Shriner’s fez, by the way) is pretty basic: “What does the county board do?”

The answer to that question could be very broad and detailed, but I generally sum it up in a sentence: “We spend a big chunk of your property tax dollars.”

Obviously, I’m oversimplifying. There is much more to my job as a commissioner than just spending money, but the budget aspect of the position is by far the most important part. I thought it worth a post to briefly describe the county budget and share where our budget dollars come from and where they go. Read more…

Taxpayers fund “wet housing” for alcoholics where they’re allowed to continue drinking

Hennepin County (and government in general) spends a great deal of money on treatment programs for individuals addicted to drugs and alcohol. In my opinion, much of this money is well-spent.

I learned last week, however, of a housing program receiving Hennepin County funding that takes a unique (and I would argue ridiculous) approach to taxpayer-funded “treatment” for chronic alcoholics. The program is referred to as a “wet house” or “non-sober house” in which chronic inebriates are provided housing and other government services on a long-term basis - and are allowed to continue drinking!

Hennepin County’s wet house funding is receiving the newest Golden Fire Hydrant award. Read more…