The Geography of Twin Cities Race

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An earlier version of this essay appeared in the March 18, 2015 edition of Politics in Minnesota. Why are the Twin Cities so segregated?  This is the perplexing question and title of report recently issued  by Myron Orfield and the Institute of Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota.  Why perplexing?  It is because he juxtaposes how the “Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area is known for its progressive politics and forward-thinking approach to regional planning” with the reality of the educational and residential segregation that exists. Continue Reading

Looking ahead: Republican transportation plan, budget targets due next week

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The first committee deadline has passed in a flurry of bills and late-night hearings, and the 2015 session will keep picking up steam next week with the release of two key pieces to this year’s legislative puzzle.First comes the Republican transportation plan, set to be released during a 9 a.m. news conference on Monday. Funding transportation has emerged as one of the key issues of the session, and how far apart plans put forward by Gov. Mark Dayton and Senate DFLers are from what is announced by Republican leaders could have a big impact on the next two months at the Capitol.The governor and Senate have expressed support for raising the state’s gas tax to pour billions of dollars into fixing Minnesota’s roads and bridges, as well as upping a metro-area sales tax dedicated to funding mass transit projects.Republican leaders, on the other hand, have said they want to construct a package that spends existing state dollars and focuses on roads and bridges, not transit.Budget targets dueTuesday is the deadline for the House Ways and Means Committee to OK a budget resolution bill. Rep. Jim Knoblach (R-St. Cloud), committee chair, told Session Daily last week that the Monday release of Republicans’ transportation bill was one reason he expected the committee would act on the deadline day. After Tuesday, each finance committee will have a budget target — essentially, a maximum for the total spending in the bills they approve.On the floorMonday on the House floor lawmakers are scheduled to take up HF 1027, a bill sponsored by Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) that would set a lower minimum wage for tipped employees, such as waiters, who earn $12 per hour or more in combined wages and tips in a pay period.Chris Steller contributed to this story. Continue Reading

MN GOPers tout anti-transgender bills in emails to constituents

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In emails to constituents, Republicans are seeking to drum up support for a bill that would bar school from adopting transgender inclusive policies and would repeal a policy by the Minnesota State High School League that allows transgender students to participate in high school sports based on gender.Many of the Republican lawmakers are touting a mysterious poll conducted by Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, and paid for by an anti-LGBT group, the Minnesota Child Protection League. The Column has repeatedly sought information about the poll including methodology and specific language that was asked of those participating in the poll. The Minnesota Child Protection League has refused to respond to multiple inquiries.Below are excerpts from emails sent to constituents that were obtained by The Column. We will continue to update the list as more are identified.Sen. Paul Gazelka (PDF version):Reinforcing our children’s safety and privacy at school On Monday, Senate Republicans introduced the “Student Safety and Physical Privacy Act” to address serious concerns regarding a controversial new policy from the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).Last December, the MSHSL issued a new ruling allowing transgender students to play on a sports team other than the team of the student’s biological sex. In effect, it allows male students who identify as female to play on female sports teams. The ruling was met with resistance from parents and families who were worried about what effect it would have on locker room and shower situations, and how the ruling would impact private and nonpublic schools. Continue Reading

Educators praise Dayton proposal to invest in pre-K and other services

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Education Minnesota, the organization representing 70,000 educators across the state, is praising Governor Mark Dayton’s plan to invest the projected state budget surplus in public schools, including free pre-kindergarten programs for all four-year-olds.The forecast from Minnesota Management and Budget released in late February showed the state’s previously forecast $1 billion surplus for the next biennium has jumped to nearly $1.9 billion. Dayton proposes to spend much of the projected surplus on education.Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said the plan calls for “significant new investments in pre-K, special education and expanding the teaching workforce.”“Gov. Dayton is investing education dollars where they’re needed – diversifying and expanding the teaching corps, reducing the unfunded mandates for special education services and preparing our youngest students for kindergarten and beyond,” Specht said. “Smart priorities like these are why he’s known as the ‘education governor.’”“We’re excited to learn more about the governor’s teacher workforce and retention program,” Specht said. “We’ve supported loan forgiveness programs for teachers in hard-to-staff areas in the past. Our local in St. Continue Reading

March for peace on March 21

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Organizing against a war might make some folks weary if they remember how long they’ve been doing it.Almost 13 and a half years ago the Twin Cities antiwar movement held its first demonstration against the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Twelve years ago it demonstrated against the U.S. bombing of Iraq.  A generation of children has been born into a culture of perpetual war, been told that the U.S. has the right to unilaterally intervene in the affairs of other nations and that it is OK to kill people and destroy property as long as the bombs are dropped for humanitarian reasons.  The potential for weariness is apparent.Yet, there are also multiple reasons for hope.The military draft is no longer a feasible way to staff U.S. wars.Mercenaries are not a reliable replacement for citizens willing to fight for a cause.Workers in other countries are often unwilling to fight for their U.S. installed leaders, whose allegiance is to the U.S. ruling class rather than their compatriots.Drones carrying remote controlled bombs can now and will be increasingly intercepted by opponents.Technology used to fight wars due to the lack of volunteer soldiers has limited usefulness.  Bombing countries or sections of countries back into a pre-industrial age creates enemies in those countries and resistance at home.The majority of Americans oppose continued U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, and even NATO members oppose the U.S. further arming the current  regime in the Ukraine.Millions of people around the world have marched and rallied calling for the world’s resources to be used for the humanitarian needs of the world’s population.  They represent the majority. They symbolize hope. They search for the strategies and tactics needed to win against the most powerful military in the history of the world.  The ruling empire already understands that it does not have their support.The week of March 18 – 21 will see anti-war actions throughout the Washington, D.C., area.  In solidarity, the Twin Cities protest will be March 21, gathering for a 1 p.m. rally at Lake Street & Hiawatha Avenues in Minneapolis; then, marching a few blocks to Walker Community Church at 16th Avenue and 31st Street for a 2 p.m. program.Called by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by 31 Twin Cities peace and anti-war organizations, organizers will provide a public venue for those wishing to give peace a chance.[See original article here: http://southsidepride.com/march-for-peace-march-21/] Continue Reading

MN House Coal Caucus votes to keep bill about air pollution away from environment committee

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It’s the sort of post-moronic (and moneyed) politics Bluestem has come to expect from Speaker Daudt’s majority, foreshadowed by the leader’s removal of “Energy” from the Environmental and Natural Resources committee to team it up with “Jobs.”In Tuesday’s floor session, Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources minority lead Rick Hansen ( DFL-South St. Paul) moved to have HF333 pulled from the House Ways and Means Committee and sent to the Environment Committee.HF333, a bill that would require legislative approval of a state plan to comply with federal regulations regarding emissions from existing power plants, would be paid for by the state’s environmental fund. Implementing the lanuage would be be part of work of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The “federal regulations” about air emissions is part of the implementation of the federal Clean Air Act.Hansen also noted that plans for regulating power plant emissions are part of addressing climate change, another concern tasked to the Environment Committee.In short, this bill has everything to do with environmental policy and funding. Bill author, Becker Republican Jim Newberger, opposed Hansen’s motion–prompting a remarkable line of questioning from Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley).Newberger: . Continue Reading

Shopping farmer’s markets with SNAP benefits gains steam

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Fresh fruits and vegetables grown right here in Minnesota are a staple of farmer’s markets, so allowing low-income consumers to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program vouchers to purchase fresh, healthy foods at the markets makes sense, according to Rep. Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth).Anderson sponsors HF352, which would appropriate $2 million in the next biennium to create the “Healthy eating, here at home” grant program. Nonprofit organizations could apply for grants to work with Minnesota-based farmer’s markets to provide $10 vouchers to SNAP participants who use their electronic benefits transfer card to make healthy purchases.The bill was laid over by the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee Wednesday for possible omnibus bill inclusion. SF316, a companion sponsored by Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls), is scheduled for a March 18 hearing by the Senate Finance Committee.Grocery stores could also accept vouchers for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables if a federal waiver is obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.“This is something I strongly support,” said Rep. Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake), chair of the House Agriculture Finance Committee.Pilot programs have proved successful and now it’s time to expand the program statewide, said Colleen Moriarity, executive director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota. The program could help up to 495,000 SNAP participants, Moriarity said.Shopping at farmer’s markets is a great way to socially engage in the community while supporting local agriculture, she added.[See originl piece here: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=5582] Continue Reading

For lasting climate-change reform, focus on consumption

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Last month, MinnPost’s Ron Meador outlined climate change’s likely impact on Minnesota over the course of the coming century. Meador’s article, and the study to which it referred, adds a sobering close-to-home detail to our collective knowledge about the risks associated with climate change.Meador’s article, and others like it, should spur us to action. To date, governments and others at national and local levels have offered a variety of fix-it plans. These plans include increasing efficiency standards of cars, moving to renewable energy sources, designing carbon capture models, geoengineering, and implementation of new “green” construction standards, among other related suggestions.Markedly absent in mainstream conversations are suggestions that Americans simply consume less. Ideas that do circulate about lifestyle change tend to be either “back to the land” proposals or framed in the language of “giving people options”: bicycle lanes give people the option to get out of their cars; condos provide snazzy options for young people and empty nesters. Continue Reading

Metropolitan Council water plan gets feedback; new plan addresses Twin Cities concerns

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A new plan aimed at preserving water resources in the metro area is set to begin next month.A public hearing for the Metropolitan Council’s Water Resources Management Plan, which is part of a larger 30-year plan, called Thrive MSP 2040, was held Tuesday.The council will adopt the new water resources plan in April, and it will address treatment of waste water, as well as prescribe steps to protect surface water and conserve water supply, said Judy Sventek, Metropolitan Council’s manager of the water resources assessment.“It’s all of us working together to get that end goal of sustainable water resources,” Sventek said. “It’s a very high goal, and it’s going to take a while.”The full 2040 plan will also focus on transportation, housing and public parks in the city.The plan will serve as a blueprint to find the best use of infrastructure and resources, and it highlights Twin Cities areas that need funding, Ward 1 Minneapolis City Councilman Kevin Reich said.Patricia Nauman, executive director of Metro Cities, a community group tasked with overseeing the Metropolitan Council, said at the public hearing Tuesday that she is concerned the new water resources plan doesn’t define what the council’s role would be in its implementation.“Making sure that there is clarity around those roles will be very important,” she said at the hearing.City officials recently discussed the plan and prepared comments, which were approved at a Transportation and Public Works Committee meeting last week.Reich said the plan misjudged Minneapolis’ growth in the next 10 years.City researchers think population and development will increase in the Twin Cities in the future, which is contrary to the plan that says growth will occur outside the cities in suburbs, he said.Reich said misallocating resources to the suburbs instead of the city could lead to monetary losses for local governments.Lisa Cerney, director of surface water and sewers for Minneapolis Public Works said the new plan is centered on viewing issues related to the region’s water resources as a whole.This water plan focuses on cooperation between local governments and nonprofit organizations, Sventek said.The full City Council will prepare its feedback to the plan next week and submit it to the Metropolitan Council.[See original article here: http://www.mndaily.com/news/metro-state/2015/03/10/metropolitan-council-water-plan-gets-feedback] Continue Reading