FREE SPEECH ZONE | Central Corridor PBD

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One of the latest gimmicks in the Central Corridor Project plan is to generate revenue by installing parking meters in the surrounding neighborhoods. The gimmick is called “Parking Benefit Districts (PBDs).”According to a story in the Twin Cities Daily Planet: https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2010/05/25/light-rail-construction-poses-parking-challengesA PBD is a system of (usually) more than 100 parking meters charging fees that vary throughout the day in accordance with parking demand. The funds generated by these meters are distributed by a governing body comprised of business and property owners. One possible solution is to place meters on residential streets. Each St. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Congressman Ellison’s $45,000,000 earmark

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Congressman Ellison is requesting $45,000,000 for the Central Corridor Project. He claims the “Funds will be (legitimately) used to complete final design, right-of-way acquisition, acquisition of vehicles and construction of the Central Corridor LRT, an 11-mile line between St. Paul and Minneapolis via the State Capitol, Midway and the University of Minnesota.”Congressman Ellison is full of (fill in the blank).  $45,000,000 does not buy any LRT construction, vehicles or right-of-way.  The $45 million is required just to complete the “final” design. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Central Corridor Business Partner on U Board of Regents

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Rick Beeson is the President and CEO of Park Midway Bank in St. Paul and a member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.  Mr. Beeson, along with Bob Senkler, Chairman and CEO of Securian Financial Group, and Andrew Duff, Piper Jaffray Companies Chairman and CEO, co-chairs the Central Corridor Partnership.  The goal of the group is clear.  “Our group is really concerned about getting the money,” states their lobbyist, Joan Gryzwinski.  “Our job at the Central Corridor Partnership is to get the money,” Ms. Gryzwinski reiterates.As a member of the Board of Regents, Mr. Beeson, who is anticipating “getting the money” for Park Midway Bank, Securian Insurance, Piper Jaffray and the “partnering” businesses and government agencies, clearly has a conflict of interest.  When the Board of Regents meets to discuss and vote on issues relating to the Central Corridor Project, does Mr. Beeson participate? Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | The Central Corridor Spin Doctor: PiPress Editor on Met Council Payroll

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As South African journalist Sipho Zaidi E. Khumalo stated recently at the Twin Cities Media Alliance Brown Bag Lunch, the so-called “journalists” working for the large newspaper chains often pass through a revolving door that leads to more lucrative employment in the field of government relations.   The same folks who claim to be reporting on public affairs often end up working for the government agencies they were supposed to be covering. “Basically, what they are,” states Khumalo, “(are) spin doctors for government officials.” According to a bio published by a corporate front group called The Citizens League: “Steve Dornfeld is the Director of Public Affairs at the Metropolitan Council.  Before joining the Met Council, Mr. Dornfeld spent more than 20 years at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the last dozen on the opinion pages as a writer, columnist and editor.”   Judging from the piece that appeared in last Sunday’s paper titled Clear signs the train’s on track, it appears that while collecting a paycheck from the Met Council, Mr. Dornfeld continues to write anonymously for the paper’s opinion pages. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Chris Coleman’s Continuing False Claim

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Shortly after his election for a first term as Mayor, Chris Coleman stated that alternative routes for the Central Corridor LRT line, including a route running north of University Avenue, have been studied repeatedly.  During his campaign for a second term, Mayor Coleman continued saying that the northern alignment was studied, and that the study determined that the northern route “wouldn’ Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | You might as well build it right

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Eva Ng, St. Paul Mayoral Candidate, met with neighbors in a Merriam Park home this week.  Among the issues discussed, was the Central Corridor project.  Ng estimates that with typical cost overruns, mitigation for business losses, construction of additional stations and parking ramps, and other additional costs, the project could cost $2 billion.  “If you’re going to spend $2 billion,” Ng says, “you might as well do it right.” FREE SPEECH ZONE The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases.  Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | The Central Corridor Snow Job: An Avalanche of Arrogance and Irresponsibility

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During the 30-day public comment period on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FIES) for the Central Corridor Project, I sent Kathryn O’Brien, Environmental Services Manager for the Central Corridor Project, questions and concerns regarding the Project.  I asked how comments I had submitted during earlier phases of the Project were categorized as “in favor” of the Project.  I asked why copies of the FEIS were distributed to St. Paul Public Libraries in a format that was not viewable at the libraries.  I requested information on the “10-12 hour technical analysis” that according the Central Corridor Project Manager Mark Fuhrman calculates the Cost-Effectiveness-Index (CEI) for the Project. The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2QxexwpSQ&feature=channel_page I also persisted in questioning the credentials of Nancy Ronhovde, B.S. (Degree pending), the preparer of the environmental justice section of the Draft EIS.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rros3Rimdqo&feature=channel_page With one exception, none of the public comment I sent to Ms. O’Brien was published in the public comment section of the FEIS.  The one comment that was published suggested consideration of routing the Central Corridor LRT on the existing transitway. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Analyze this.

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Analyze this.The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. According to Mark Fuhrman, Central Corridor Project Manager, a 10-12-hour “technical analysis” is required to compute the Cost-Effectiveness Index (CEI) for the proposed 11-mile LRT line. The CEI supposedly estimates the yearly cost of the LRT line/hour of travel time saved. The proposed Central Corridor Project eliminates the parking lane on University Avenue. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | The obvious was there—and ignored here

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Bill Knowles, a consultant and pitchman from Salt Lake City, visited the Twin Cities twice. Mr. Knowles’ visits were sponsored by the banks, insurance companies, government agencies and other vested interests (lobbyists, consultants, contractors etc.) (sometimes called “stakeholders”) comprising the Central Corridor Partnership. The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. During his first visit, where he spoke at University United on University Avenue in St. Continue Reading