Why I chose not to write about Senator Koch's situation

I would like to explain why I rather not to write about latest situation at my work (Minnesota State Capitol) regarding Senator Amy Koch and former staffer Michael Brodkorb. I wanted to get my point across so people can understand why I chose not to write about latest scandal at the Capitol. 


Due to my nonpartisan job at the Capitol, I decided not to write about Amy Koch and Michael Brodkorb scandal. Let the matters be handled alone by Senate Human Resources Department, Secretary of Senate Office and Senate Rules and Administration subcommittee on Ethical Conduct. I have no comment on the situation since I am staying out of this matter. I am not on anyone’s side and just staying out of it. 


I only can write about election, events or good things about what are going on at the Capitol or in politics. I hope my readers can understand that I need to keep my job and as I stated that my job is nonpartisan, I cannot report on what is going on with my coworkers such as Amy Koch situation. All I can say people do make mistakes but need to respect them even if they are not brightest light on Christmas tree and they do deserve privacy so I leave the scandal out of this blog. I do not want to cause any conflict or rift between me and my coworkers. 


We are one big family in the Legislature, and we have to respect each other even if there are bad situations or conflicts. I hope that the Amy Koch situation gets resolved soon so we can move on by time we start new session in 2012. 


Again, please understand and thank you. I would appreciate people do same thing leave situation handled at my work by the Senate and let people move on with their lives.

Why Minnesota State Capitol lacks modernization, need major renovation and how to retain legislative fans

By Rach Eggert, Rach’s Political Report

·        Leaky pipes, cracked walls, peeling paint, poor air conditioner and heater, and there are canopies at the entrances. Even the chandelier is still in a box for viewing. Low fan turnout is even worse. 

  

   There are about 300 events a year but most of them occur during legislative session besides House and Senate sessions. It have been walked through by million of visitors a year. The building is wearing out and really need to have major renovation. 

Minnesota State Capitol has been getting renovated over the years. I have been working there since mid-2000’s even been going over to events since late 1990’s. Air conditioning and heater are very poor so when it’s too cold, I do have to wear sweatshirt or jacket during my shift or going to events.

Both Senate and House of Representatives had their major renovation in their respective chambers years ago even the cafeteria got major renovation like 15 years ago but what about rest of the building?

The Minnesota State Capitol Building is somewhat in bad shape like Target Center and Metrodome that need to be repaired inside but not torn down. I do love the Capitol building but sadly, it need more upgrades, modernity and renovation to meet the demand and needs of people.

Minnesota State Capitol should follow example of Target Center but one problem is that Friends of the Minnesota State Capitol have not done much and they should have done what Target Center renovation did to get words out like social network and get more media attention but sadly, media paid really little attention to what is really going on with the building since they only pay attention to Legislative sessions or Governor’s press conferences or some rallies or events but what about the building itself?

Session by Session, I have noticed there are more and more damage on the building as years progresses. My coworkers in other departments are aware that we do need to do something about it but who are going to pay for renovation? Since Capitol is in St. Paul and Ramsey County, I think that they should pay the share to renovate it. Target Field had good example of who paid to build and renovate the stadium, click here to see how Hennepin County and Twins paid to build Target Field. City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County should be partners to pay for renovation also Minnesota State Capitol’s major tenants, Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate should chip in to pay for the renovation.

Here are suggestion of other ways how it can be paid would be:

·        Businesses such as restaurants, bars and hotels around the State Capitol should use sale tax.

·        Merchandise sold at State Capitol and Minnesota History Museum should go to funding to help pay for renovation. They even should expand to clothing such as hoodies, t-shirts, anything related to Minnesota State Legislature just like Hockey Lodge sells Wild/Swarm merchandise and Twins Pro Shop sells Twins related merchandise.

·        Event Permit/booking Fee

·        Event tickets or entry fee

·        Start charging Legislative Session tickets (they can be single Session Day, 7 Session Days flex pack, partial and full season ticket packages).

·        Start charge people to rent rooms or floor if event is not sponsored by Legislature such as weddings or any private functions.

·        Start charging for tours. Target Field tours are $15, Metrodome tours are $4, Target Center tours are $1.

Not only renovation, they need to make some improvements around or modernize the Capitol from the years based on my observations to make it more fan friendly or accommodating even bring in more fans and revenue.

·        Loading docks need to be improved and making it more accessible such as change door size, change how things get delivered into the Capitol, make it little bigger because sometimes more than two trucks or one trailer are there. They only have one loading dock. When there are more than two trucks, they usually park somewhere else or circle  the City of Saint Paul until they are called to unload deliveries. Loading dock is made out of steel and people have to use stair to get on it and sometimes delivery items are too heavy for ramp so occasionally would use forklift or heavy manpower to unload and load the item. The loading dock is in parking lot but if there are many cars, how can truck fit in and venture around the parking lot? They need better permanent loading dock. Capitol lacks modernity. Deliveries usually consists food, items for events, and whatever Capitol or State of Minnesota need to be delivered to the Capitol.

·        Sears need to expand parking lot to make designated area for school and charter buses where they can go after dropping school children off due to safety on street and for city bus safety. Sometimes city buses have no place to drop or pick people up. Sometimes city buses do not see people due to school or charter buses blocking bus stops that cause people to miss bus.

·        Allow food service sell food and drinks on Capitol Mall just like Target Plaza and Vikings plaza where they sell food before and during games or events.

·        Better ticketing system for House or Joint Session such as State of the State Address. There should be “Will Call” and ticket booth. There should be different type of tickets such as for Gallery or Floor or Alcove. There should be a hotline number or website where people can order tickets.

·        Meet and Greet/Autograph sessions should be controlled better, depending on crowd size and there should be station where every celebrities could be seated and people form a line to get autograph around in hallways.

·        Expand more seating in Senate and House and have specific adjacent room if the floor sessions are “sold out”.

·        Captioning board similar to Target Field for announcements or play by play so deaf people who are there can know what are going on since sign language interpreters are usually only requested in advance.

·        Turn Capitol Mall into Plaza- Target Plaza is better example. Have put more benches where people can sit and relax.

·        Better concessions area and storage.

·        Improve on interaction area for Lobbyists, fans when House and Senate are in session.

·        Better break room for Capitol staff for ALL departments.

·        Has a store similar to “The Gym” at Target Center or Twins Majestic Clubhouse Store at the Target Field but at Capitol, it would be Minnesota Legislature or political related items such as books, posters, clothing, etc.

·        Better promotional schedule for example Minnesota Zoo Day on the Hill, and if it falls on Session Day, they should have something to give out such as school backpacks to first 200 children or a day in honor of old timer (ex: Roger Moe), they could give out 1,000 Roger Moe bobbleheads to first 1,000 in attendance. It could be magnetic calendar to first 2,000 people in attendance or poster on final days of session to show appreciation and have autograph session just like Minnesota Lynx usually do during last home game. List all recess entrainment (similar to halftime or in between of period shows) or anything like that are going to be played on the day of floor session.

·        Encourage public to bring in perishable food or toys for occasions like Toys for Tots or used coat that can be donated to food shelf or charity on session days. That would be good example if they do community service.

·        Give out free breakfast on Session Opening Day just like any pro teams on opening day. People could drive or walk up and get free donut and coffee.

·        Flat screen TVs and captioning board in galleries because most of time people who sit in House Gallery have hard time hearing or trying to see who speak on floor but there is obscure view, cannot see the whole floor.

·        They need to add more women bathrooms and make them look nicer. Those bathrooms look so depressing and really need some fixing.

·        Turn Capitol Cafeteria into restaurant just like Hubert’s inside Target Center or Headwater at the Xcel Energy Center.

There are some ideas I have in my head how we could pay for Capitol renovation and how to make the place more welcoming and bring in more fans and revenue. Wolves got Rick Rubio, Twins have new stadium, and Lynx have WNBA championship but what about Legislature? They do need more fans to come out and watch. I know sometimes floor sessions can be boring but it’s great way to interact with people and something to do in St. Paul besides Wild hockey or Swarm Lacrosse. I know most of my ideas won’t happen and several people may disagree with me but that is my opinion on how we can pay and improve success to the Legislature and Capitol.

They should do similar campaign like Target Center Renovation. Here is website for TC Renovation that would give my coworkers some ideas how they can renovate the Capitol.

People like me who love Legislature may like my ideas but I am sure they won’t be sitting well with my coworkers or maybe few ideas they would approve of.

If you have ideas or would like to discuss, feel free to post your comments. All comments are moderated. 

Major Building Renovations Needed At State Capitol

SOURCE: WCCO

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — The roof is leaking, and the furnace needs replacing. It’s a common lament for thousands of Minnesota homeowners.

But it’s happening at Minnesota’s biggest house, the State Capitol. At more than a century old, Minnesota’s most visible landmark has seen better days.

Several years of patch-up repairs won’t work anymore.

That’s why there’s a plan in the works for a massive overhaul that could actually force everyone to move out and close the Capitol for years.

There’s a leaky dome, heavy water damage and pieces of the building are literally falling off.

“Last session we had canopies over the doorways,” said Rep. Dean Urdahl, (R) Litchfield. “So that if rocks fell down they wouldn’t hit us on the head.”

Urdahl is helping lead a massive renovation of the 105 year-old Capitol, which he said is at a tipping point.

“We have leaky roofs, leaky pipes, our beautiful murals and paintings are water-stained. What does that say about us as a state?” he asks.

When it was completed in 1905, Minnesota’s Capitol was a classic of modern design. But nowadays, miles of wires are exposed in open ceilings.

The hallways are cramped, there are accessibility problems and fire safety concerns. Even the historic chandelier is down for cleaning and repair.

A high-level Capitol renovation committee is making far reaching plans for the outdated ventilation and heating systems, wiring and plumbing.

It’s an extreme makeover that will force the governor and legislature to vacate the building for years.

“It’s going to be a major, major disruption,” said Mark Dayton, the first-year Democratic governor. “You liken it to maybe an interstate highway project that takes three four five years. It’s major disruption and dysfunction.”

Built for $4.5 million, the price tag to build the same State Capitol today would be $1 billion. The renovation would cost up to $300 million, staged over 10 years.

Much of the work that is planned is out of public view: Heating and ventilation systems, extensive wiring updates and plumbing.

It would be by far the most extensive renovation in more than a century. The people behind it will say when the renovation iscomplete it will last for 100 years.

“This is the people’s building,” said Urdahl. “This is the most important building that the people own in the state of Minnesota. And if we can’t maintain the people’s building as a symbol of the state, then I think we are in a pretty sad state of affairs.”

State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion announces plans to seek Senate seat.

St. Paul-- State Rep. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL- Minneapolis) announced his intention to seek the Senate District 58 Seat being vacated by Sen. Linda Higgins (DFL- Minneapolis).

"I am inspired by my Senator, and I wish her all the best as she continues to advocate for the people of Minnesota. I can only hope to continue her work and represent the needs and values of our district in the State Senate.”

“We cannot continue to take out loans on our children’s futures to pay for the services we need today, “ Champion said. “We need an education system that gives all kids the opportunity to succeed; budget policies that ask the wealthiest Minnesotans to pay their fair share; equal access to quality health care; improvements in our affordable housing; and smart investments in economic development and jobs. I look forward to bringing my voice to the Senate just as I’ve done in the House.”

Champion was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2008, and said he is eager to continue fighting for a better Minnesota, with a priority on using balanced budget approaches.

Outside serving in the Minnesota House, Champion meets the needs of his community as an attorney, with a focus on family law and juvenile justice. Champion lives in the Lyn Park neighborhood in Minneapolis with his wife Dr. Angela Champion and their children.

Senator Higgins will not seek re-election

State Senator Linda Higgins, DFL-Minneapolis, announced today she will not seek re-election in 2012.

Sen. Higgins plans to complete her current term, which expires in January of 2013, and is looking forward to representing her constituents during the 2012 Legislative Session.

“I’ve been honored to serve the residents of North and Downtown Minneapolis for 15 years. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to serve our community.” Sen. Higgins was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1996 and represents the residents of North Minneapolis, North Loop, and Downtown in Senate District 58.

During her 15 years of service in the Senate, Sen. Higgins has held many leadership roles. She chaired the Senate’s Public Safety Budget Division from 2006 to 2010 and the State and Local Government Operations Committee from 2003 to 2006. She served as Majority Whip from 2001 to 2006. She currently is the DFL lead on the Senate’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

 Sen. Higgins is widely regarded as one of the Legislature’s most effective and outspoken advocates on environmental and consumer protection issues.

During her 15 years at the Senate, Sen. Higgins:

 · Wrote and passed toughest-in-the-nation predatory lending and foreclosure prevention laws with strong bipartisan support.

 · Passed legislation to make it easier for Minnesotans to recycle old televisions, computers or other “e-waste,” the largest source of lead found in Minnesota’s municipal waste.

 · Made Minnesota the first state in the nation to ban toxic metals like lead and cadmium from children’s toys and jewelry, and banned environmentally hazardous phosphorus from lawn fertilizers.

 · Passed bipartisan, groundbreaking legislation to establish a special sentencing program for veterans facing criminal prosecution who suffer from combat-related mental health disorders.

 · Was named to Senate negotiations team for bills on issues as diverse as eminent domain, Minnesota Twins ballpark, public safety and judiciary policy and funding, environmental policy and funding, healthcare policy and funding, and early childhood education policy and funding.

Senate DFL Caucus Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said Sen. Higgins’s leadership and experience would be sorely missed at the State Capitol. “Linda has been one of the strongest and most effective legislators in recent memory,” said Sen. Bakk. “When the foreclosure crisis struck North Minneapolis, Linda rolled up her sleeves and passed the toughest anti-predatory lending laws in the nation. She tackles difficult issues, but works across party lines to build consensus, remove barriers and deliver results for her constituents and our state.”

SERIES OF MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE OLD TIMERS: SHARON MARKO/WOLCOTT

By Rach Eggert, Rach's Political Report

This is first series of "Minnesota Legislature Old Timers". The series will cover former Minnesota State Legislators and what they are up to today.

As Minnesota Legislative Junkie, have you been wondering about where old timers such as Former State Senator Sharon Marko is? A source pointed out that now she is Sharon Wolcott living in Surprise, Arizona. According to her Mayorial campaign website, she fell in love with town when she was vacationing.

Sharon Marko used to be in Minnesota House from 1995 to 2002 then Minnesota Senate from 2003 to 2006. Before she won election to Legislature, she was on Newport City Council from 1992 to 1994 but was on St. Charles City, Ill City Council before moving to Minnesota.

Click here for her Mayorial campaign website

Here are pictures of Sharon Marko/Wolcott.

Sharon Marko when she was in Minnesota Senate

Sharon Wolcott in Surprise, AZ 

This is Sharon Wolcott in Surprise AZ

This was Sharon Marko from Minnesota Senate days

If you know where other former legislators are and what they are doing, please email Rach's Political Report at senatoreggert@yahoo.com if you want them to be featured on Rach's Political Report.

Dahle announces he'll run for state Senate in 2012 UPDATED

SOURCE: NORTHFIELD NEWS

By SUZANNE ROOK, srook@northfieldnews.com

11/6/2011

Former state Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL), of Northfield, announced today that he's running to reclaim a seat in the Legislature.

"I believe in possibilities," Dahle wrote on his website.

If elected, Dahle, 51, said he’d look to “compromise and work together,” two things he says were noticeably absent in the current Legislature and highlighted by July’s nearly three-week state government shutdown.

Dahle isn’t the only one to criticize the K-12 education funding shift approved in July. By essentially borrowing from the schools, opponents of the plan have said that the state hasn’t yet learned to live within its means.

“There were a lot of short-term bad solutions (approved by the 2011 Legislature),” he said.

While Dahle, a Northfield High School social studies teacher, is particularly interested in the K-12 funding shift, the economy would be his first priority.

Dahle said he’d also like to give a voice to issues important to Northfield, particularly taxes for properties in historic business districts and lifting a gag order on the Dan Patch railroad line.

"I believe we can meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities that lay before us. What will break the people of Minnesota is not adversity – we’ve been here before … what will break our spirit is thinking that tomorrow is going to be just like yesterday. If we think that government cannot change that which is broken, we lose interest, we lose faith, we lose the people…but worst of all, we lose the future."

Dahle was beaten last November by Republican Al DeKruif of Elysian. In a three-way race, DeKruif took 44.7 percent of the vote to Dahle's 42 percent. Montgomery's John Grimm, who ran as an independent, got 13.2 percent of the vote.

Dahle was elected in a January 2008 special election to fill the seat of former state Sen. Tom Neuville after Neuville was appointed a Third District judge.

Whether Dahle will face off against DeKruif in November isn't yet known. While DeKruif hasn't yet announced his intent to run he'll run, the shape District 25 will take is also in question. Every district in the state is expected to be reconfigured in the coming months as a part of a decennial reapportionment following the 2010 U.S. Census.

The current redistricting plan, put forward in May 2010 by the Legislature, splits Rice County lengthwise generally along I-35. Called Senate district 22, it includes the eastern portion of Steele County along with small eastern sections of Goodhue and Olmstead counties.

Redistricting is expected to be complete by Feb. 21, according to a state Legislature timeline.

The primary is set for Aug. 14. The general election will be held next Nov. 6.

* * * *

UPDATED: SUNDAY 6:18 P.M.

Former state Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL), of Northfield, announced today that he's running to reclaim a seat in the Legislature.

"I believe in possibilities," Dahle wrote on his website.

If elected, Dahle, 51, said he’d look to “compromise and work together,” two things he says were noticeably absent in the current Legislature and highlighted by July’s nearly three-week state government shutdown.

Dahle isn’t the only one to criticize the K-12 education funding shift approved in July. By essentially borrowing from the schools, opponents of the plan have said that the state hasn’t yet learned to live within its means.

“There were a lot of short-term bad solutions (approved by the 2011 Legislature),” he said.

While Dahle, a Northfield High School social studies teacher, is particularly interested in the K-12 funding shift, the economy would be his first priority.

Dahle said he’d also like to give a voice to issues important to Northfield, particularly taxes for properties in historic business districts and lifting a gag order on the Dan Patch railroad line.

"I believe we can meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities that lay before us. What will break the people of Minnesota is not adversity – we’ve been here before … what will break our spirit is thinking that tomorrow is going to be just like yesterday. If we think that government cannot change that which is broken, we lose interest, we lose faith, we lose the people…but worst of all, we lose the future."

Dahle was beaten last November by Republican Al DeKruif of Elysian. In a three-way race, DeKruif took 44.7 percent of the vote to Dahle's 42 percent. Montgomery's John Grimm, who ran as an independent, got 13.2 percent of the vote.

Dahle was elected in a January 2008 special election to fill the seat of former state Sen. Tom Neuville after Neuville was appointed a Third District judge.

Whether Dahle will face off against DeKruif in November isn't yet known. While DeKruif hasn't yet announced his intent to run he'll run, the shape District 25 will take is also in question. Every district in the state is expected to be reconfigured in the coming months as a part of a decennial reapportionment following the 2010 U.S. Census.

The primary is set for Aug. 14, 2012. The general election will be held next Nov. 5.

* * * *

Former state Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL), of Northfield, announced today on his website that he'll try and reclaim a seat in the Legislature.

"I believe in possibilities," Dahle wrote. "I believe we can meet the challenges and maximize the opportunities that lay before us. What will break the people of Minnesota is not adversity – we’ve been here before…what will break our spirit is thinking that tomorrow is going to be just like yesterday. If we think that government cannot change that which is broken, we lose interest, we lose faith, we lose the people…but worst of all, we lose the future."

Dahle was beaten in November 2010 by Republican Al DeKruif of Elysian. In a three-way race, DeKruif took 44.7 percent of the vote to Dahle's 42 percent. Montgomery's John Grimm, who ran as an independent, got 13.2 percent of the vote.

Dahle, 51, is a social studies teacher at Northfield High School.

Whether Dahle will face off against DeKruif in November isn't yet known. While DeKruif hasn't yet said he'll run for re-election, the shape District 25 will take is also in question. Every district in the state is expected to be reconfigured in the coming months as a part of a decennial reapportionment following the 2010 U.S. Census.

Stay with Northfield News for the latest on this story.

IT IS OFFICIAL FORMER STATE SENATOR DAHLE IS RUNNING AGAIN

Former State Senator Kevin Dahle during 2010 Special Session (Picture by Rach Eggert) 

Former State Senator Kevin Dahle want to make comeback to Minnesota State Senate after losing election in 2010. He made it official on his campaign website:

LET’S RECLAIM OUR VOICE!

Published On: 2nd November 2011 | Published By: Kevin Dahle For Senate

Just about a year from now, we will cast votes for the President, a U.S. Senator, numerous county and city offices, and a new Minnesota legislature. I am announcing my plans to, once again, run for a seat in the Minnesota Senate. This election is not about getting my “old seat back.” This election is about reclaiming a voice for Senate District 25 and all Minnesotans. The current party in power in the Minnesota legislature fails to listen. This past summer’s government shutdown proved they are more concerned about their party platform than the constituents who elected them. I worry about the tone of today’s politics and our basic priorities.
We talk about recession…yet ignore the needy
We talk about test scores…while ignoring educational funding.
We talk about wanting quality health care, yet over 400,000 Minnesotans go without.
We talk about local control, yet we starve our cities and counties.
We talk about Republicans and Democrats yet we forget about Minnesotans
I believe the basics include a job, a quality education, affordable college, a clean and healthy environment, equality for all, and a right to grow old with dignity.
We are facing a critical time in Minnesota. We can no longer allow extreme political agendas to divide us — the success of our state and our communities depends on our ability to find common ground on many critical issues.
We can do this together. When we stop working together government ceases to work. Again, let’s make Minnesota proud!

Yes, he is running and want his job back at the Capitol. His campaign website is http://www.kevindahle.net/. He is Social Studies teacher and lives in Northfield besides served in Senate for one term after winning special election in 2008 to replace Senator Tom Neuville who was appointed to be Judge by Former Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Pictures from this week at Capitol

Those are from wha been happening this week at Capitol also testing to see if it get from my Android phone to blog.

Rep. Kim Norton's Capitol History and Tour

Here is video of my co-worker and friend, Rep. Kim Norton's video on history and tour of Capitol. It shows area that are usually off limits to the public that at the end of session, tour was only shown to Capitol employees like myself, legislators and their families. You will be hearing voices of my friends and co workers Kim, John the Capitol security guy, and Minnesota Legislature hardcore fan John Kaul.

Kim is explaining the history of Capitol building if you are into history or just a fan of the building itself.

I have gone on similar tour with John the security guy couple of times when working overnight or on weekend during final days of regular legislative session with my coworkers. I have been inside the dome, on top of the dome, and inside rotunda on the catwalk. The view was really awesome if the weather are nice but lot of walking on stairs and worth it. When I was on top of dome, I could see everything that inculdes skyline of Downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, University Avenue, and pretty much everything. On the roof of the Capitol look like skate park which would be perfect place for skateboarders.

Only area that are off limits to the public tours are on top of dome and catwalk inside of rotunda but it is worth to watch the video yourself unless you are working at the Capitol like myself.

Thanks John Kaul for making this video. He is one of my regular so I see him every session day. He also takes really awesome pictures if you have seen his projects.

House members give farewell speeches

Click here to watch: Goodbye speeches by House Members

Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Office

House members give farewell speeches
published 5/16/2010

While several House members have previously announced their intention not to run for their seat, on the last night of session, Rep. Larry Haws (DFL-St. Cloud) announced during farewell speeches that he, too, is stepping down.

Other House members who previously announced they will not be seeking re-election are:

• Rep. Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove)
• Rep. Laura Brod (R-New Prague)
• Rep. Rob Eastlund (R-Isanti)
• Rep. Jeremy Kalin (DFL-North Branch)
• Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria)
• Rep. Marty Seifert (R-Marshall)
• Rep. Cy Thao (DFL-St. Paul)

This year both the House and Senate are up for election, as are the executive branch offices. House members retiring to seek a different elected office are:

Governor
House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Mpls)
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano)

Secretary of State
Rep. Dan Severson (R-Sauk Rapids)

Senate seat
Rep. Doug Magnus (R-Slayton)

U.S. 1st Congressional District
Rep. Randy Demmer (R-Hayfield)

- Lee Ann Schutz

More pictures from Senate potluck

PAWLENTY'S FINAL STATE OF THE STATE SET FOR FEB 11 AT CAPITOL

Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Gov. Tim Pawlenty will deliver his final State of the State address at the Minnesota Capitol on Feb. 11.

The Republican governor's office says he will make the speech in the House chamber, just down the hall from his office.

Pawlenty is serving the last year of his second term.

After ruling out a third term last year, he formed a national fundraising committee and has been traveling the country speaking to Republican audiences.

Rep. Karla Bigham is retiring and 2010 is the year of high turnover at the Minnesota Legislature

By Rach Eggert, Rach's Political Report

Rep. Karla Bigham, who is a Democrat from Cottage Grove is not seeking re-election this year. She wanted to finish law school and be a lawyer. She is planning on taking LSAT sometimes in February.

Look like 2010 is the year of high turnover at the Minnesota State Legislature. Are there anyone that is going to retire? Any readers can submit list of names of legislators who are not seeking re-election so I can keep updated list of legislators who are retiring.

Vikings not interested in renewing Metrodome lease

By MIKE KASZUBA, Star Tribune

Last update: October 1, 2009

With an undefeated team, a mega-star quarterback and a big game coming up Monday, the Minnesota Vikings were back at the State Capitol this morning hoping to spark interest in the one thing they do not have -- a new stadium.

Lester Bagley, a team spokesman, said the Vikings were not interested in renewing a lease to play in the Metrodome, which expires after the 2011 season, and that owner Zygi Wilf was battling pressure from other National Football League owners.

"They don't ask how's [star running back] Adrian Peterson doing, they ask him how is the stadium doing, because the NFL is subsidizing this market to the tune of $15 million to $20 million a year," Bagley said.

While Vikings and Metrodome officials acknowledged there had been no breakthrough on how a new stadium would be financed, Thursday's legislative hearing was an attempt to use a fistful of statistics to capitalize on the team's current popularity and show how Minnesota would benefit economically from a massive remodeling of the Metrodome.

Stadium officials said that the economic benefit study they showcased had been previously released to legislators last February, and there was scant evidence Thursday that public subsidies for a remodeled stadium were gaining new traction at the Legislature.

The Vikings instead spent much of a hearing before a legislative panel talking football and not financing -- reviewing quarterback Brett Favre's game-winning touchdown pass last Sunday, the team's always-high TV ratings and the interest in Monday night's game against Favre's old team, the Green Bay Packers. Legislators were also briefed on how Vikings players had helped with a campaign to distribute flu shots.

Mike Kaszuba • 651-222-1673

How did the Metro Gang Strike Force lose its way? Lawmakers hope to find answers

Were bad cops to blame? Or was its concept flawed? Lawmakers hope to find out

By David Hanners
dhanners@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 08/26/2009

When a state report said members of the Metro Gang Strike Force seized money and property from people never accused of a crime — and then took the property for personal use — it struck a familiar chord with law professor Joseph Daly.

It is a chord 233 years old.

"One of the reasons we fought a bloody war against Britain was we didn't like these soldiers stopping people on the street willy-nilly," said Daly, who teaches at Hamline University's School of Law. "We went to armed revolution against the strongest nation in the world in order to have these protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. They're not technicalities. They're real.

"It's the idea of not allowing the police to be cops and/or robbers," he said. "They have to be cops. They can't become robbers."

Indeed, the ability to seize a person's private property is among the most awesome powers a government can wield. The authors of the Constitution cemented that notion in the Bill of Rights, decreeing in the Fourth Amendment that our right against unreasonable search and seizure "shall not be violated."

This afternoon, a joint legislative panel will convene at the Capitol to review a pair of reports that say some officers of the now-defunct Metro Gang Strike Force committed behavior that was "shocking" and listed a litany of abuses.

It also listed some valuable property that it appeared task force officers took from people in cases that resulted in no criminal charges,

and it said that some of the officers took the property home for personal use or sold it to friends and relatives.
"The panel was struck by the number of large-screen and flat-screen televisions, along with electronics and computer equipment, that officers seized in case after case," said the report, written by former federal prosecutor Andrew Luger and retired FBI agent John Egelhof.

SURVIVAL THROUGH SEIZURES

One issue legislators must wrestle with is fundamental: Was the gang task force a good idea badly executed by dishonest cops and supervisors who looked the other way, or was the whole concept — including the state's administrative forfeiture law — fatally flawed?

"One of the reasons we're having the hearing ... is to start that discussion," said Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, chairman of the House's Public Safety Finance Division. "It's clear to me that this whole operation, for years, has lost its mission and was completely off course.

"If we're going to ever do this again, even if it is a different model, we're going to make sure our statutes are tight and whatever multi-jurisdictional model we create, we make sure it has the proper oversight."

Lawmakers will study the issues as the FBI investigates the task force's activities. When he spoke to reporters last week, Luger, a former assistant U.S. attorney, called the behavior of some officers "criminal."

"It's going to be for the FBI and the United States attorney's office to determine, but if you take something home that doesn't belong to you and you know it doesn't belong to you, that's a crime."

Ron Ryan, who commanded the Metro Gang Strike Force for much of its life until he retired late last year, declined to comment.

"When it's done, I promise you I will talk to you, but not now," he said without elaborating.

The Luger report said the review panel was struck by the contrast between "the hard and thorough work of some strike force officers on gang-related cases and the unfocused, and sometimes unethical and highly questionable conduct of others engaged in ... stops and searches unrelated to gang activity."

The report sticks part of the blame with the way the strike force was funded. The unit's predecessor, the Minnesota Gang Strike Force, operated for many years with state and local funding. But in a 2003 budget-cutting move, the Legislature slashed the unit's funding.

By the time lawmakers re-created the elite unit as the Metro Gang Strike Force in 2005, it had become largely self-funding, through seizures and forfeitures. The more money and property the cops from the unit's member agencies seized, the more fiscally sound the unit was.

Not only did it put the profit motive in police work, the cops came to look at seizures as the key to the unit's survival, the Luger report said.

HOW FORFEITURE WORKS AND IS ABUSED

It isn't unusual for police to seize property and seek forfeiture of items taken when they arrest people for crimes. But the strike force members were also using a state statute whose origins date to the late 1980s war on drugs, a civil statute that goes by the unwieldy title, "Administrative Forfeiture of Certain Property Seized in Connection with a Controlled Substances Seizure."

In simple terms, cops could seize all money, guns, cars, precious metals and precious stones found in proximity to drugs, drug manufacturing or distribution operations. And the property can be seized without drug- or gang-related charges filed against the owner.

Because it is a civil statute, it turns the concept of presumption of innocence on end. Instead of prosecutors having to prove that you came by the property through some illegal activity — for example, you bought it with proceeds from a drug business — you must prove that you acquired the property through legal means.

The law also has provisions dealing with the seized property. First, the property owner must be notified that he has a right to try to get the property back through "judicial determination." If the owner doesn't file a claim within 60 days of the seizure, the property is considered unclaimed and is forfeited.

Seventy percent of the proceeds from the sale of the forfeited property are to go to the agency that seized it, 20 percent goes to the county attorney who handled the forfeiture and the rest goes to the state's general fund.

"In many cases involving unclaimed evidence, it does not appear that Strike Force officers provided the owner with notification of their right to contest the seizure and forfeiture," the Luger report noted. "It is therefore not surprising that much property went unclaimed. ..."

The abuses come as no surprise to Brenda Grantland, a Mill Valley, Calif., attorney who heads the Forfeiture Endangers American Rights (FEAR) Foundation.

"That's asking for trouble when you have that semi-autonomous, self-funding task force," she said. "This happens so often. The self-funding task force is kind of a scary thing, because who do they answer to? If they don't answer to anybody and they're allowed to fund themselves, they don't have to justify their existence by having the Legislature see if they're doing a good job."

'TOP TO BOTTOM' REVIEW PROMISED

Grantland's group has lobbied successfully for some changes to the federal civil forfeiture laws, but she said it has been harder to get states to change their laws to guard against abuse. And she claimed the abuse is built into the system.

"The way the procedures are set up, it's very hard to fight the government," she said. "If the seizure renders you indigent or the amount seized is too small to justify the cost of litigation, you lose. You can't hire an attorney to get back a $5,000 car that's depreciating in value all the time it is sitting in an impound lot. It's just not cost-effective. They get them by default because people can't afford to effectively fight them."

"I really think we will take a look at the whole forfeiture law from top to bottom," said Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, who chairs the House's Public Safety and Oversight Committee and will chair the joint legislative hearing. "This is the beginning of the discussion."

Others believe the law is an effective tool in the war against drugs, and gangs are often involved in drugs. Their concern: a law enforcement agency that seizes property needs strict supervision, strong inventorying procedures and faultless accounting of all the property that is taken.

The Luger report faulted the Metro Gang Strike Force in all those areas, saying "there is no excuse for the cavalier attitude displayed by some in the Strike Force with respect to the execution of search warrants and the treatment of seized evidence."

The amount of training officers get is in question. For example, the Minneapolis Police Department — which contributed the largest contingent of officers to the metro strike force — doesn't include formal training on seizure and forfeiture law for its officers, said department spokesman Sgt. Jesse Garcia III.

"We don't go over any of that," he said. "It would be like teaching how to fly a jet when nobody gets a chance to fly a jet. It's something that's pretty specific that even a lot of the investigators don't do offhand."

He said that if some officers are trained on those issues, it is "more of on-the-job training."

KEEPING COPS HONEST

Close supervision is key, said Christian Dobratz, an assistant professor who teaches in the law enforcement program at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Before going into academia, Dobratz was a cop for 18 years, seven of those as a supervisor, and he also served on a multi-jurisdictional drug task force.

"We had a policy and procedure manual in the task force, but each officer had one from their home agency as well," he said. "That is something that has to be set up when these task forces are put together."

Mark Erickson, a captain with the Olmsted County sheriff's office who heads the Southeast Minnesota Narcotic Gang Task Force, said his unit follows such things as seizures and requests for drug-buy money through a sophisticated computer program. The system ensures that the officer's actions are monitored by his direct supervisor at his "home" agency, as well as at the task force.

Daly, who has taught criminal law at Hamline, has worked both as an assistant Hennepin County attorney and as a defense lawyer. He said that in combating gangs, police sometimes take an attitude that anything goes.

"I can understand in some ways that attitude because of the kinds of things that these gangs do," he said. "They are violent. They get in gunfights and bullets go through buildings and kill little girls sitting at a table studying. They bring fear and destruction to a community. I can understand that the police are looking at themselves as first-line warriors against these gangs.

"But the police are not military," he said. "It's what separates a society based on the rule of law instead of just simple power based on might and strength and guns."

David Hanners can be reached at 612-338-6516.

St. Paul police chief asks FBI
whether officers implicated
St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington asked the FBI on Tuesday whether any St. Paul officers are part of the criminal inquiry into the Metro Gang Strike Force.

The inquiry came in a letter to the special agent in charge of the agency's Minneapolis office.

Sgt. Paul Schnell, St. Paul police spokesman, said Harrington is concerned about maintaining the department's integrity.

The six officers who had been assigned to the now-defunct task force have returned to work in St. Paul, and the chief thinks it's "important to know who is the focus and what the allegations include so he can make decisions about personnel," Schnell said.

— Mara H. Gottfried

Focus on pluses, Berglin urges

State Sen. Linda Berglin pushes back at critics of national health care proposals. Some governors "are just ignorant" about details of what's being attempted, she said.

By WARREN WOLFE, Star Tribune

Last update: August 19, 2009 - 7:42 AM
A federal overhaul of the nation's health care system "is going to be good for Minnesota, and I'm getting a little tired of people seizing on the problems instead of the possibilities," the state's chief legislative expert on health care policy said Tuesday.

"Of course it's complex. Of course it's possible to get it wrong -- only do half the job, for instance," said Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis.

Berglin spoke after a hearing of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee where two health policy analysts discussed the effects of likely federal action. Her comments came after two weeks when congressional proposals to revamp the health insurance system have been buffeted by skeptics at town hall meetings across the state and nation.

Berglin, who chairs the committee, was a chief architect of a 2007 law that launched state health care reforms that are still being put in place -- and being watched by federal officials, the two health experts testified. Over the next few years, they said, Minnesota's efforts could improve the targeting and coordination of medical care to improve Minnesotans' health and hold down cost increases.

Minnesota's experience with reform and cost control will make it "a player at the table" as federal officials change the system and perhaps experiment with ways to improve Medicare quality and costs, said Jean Abraham, a health policy expert at the University of Minnesota. She returned in May after a year as senior economist for health on the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Her job was drafting health reform policy.

Abraham and Lynn Blewett, another health policy analyst at the university, said federal proposals are in such flux -- in some cases not even in bill form -- that it's impossible to predict what will emerge or exactly how it will affect Minnesota.

State's experience can help

Just as Minnesota was a model for national legislation providing health care coverage for low-income children, "so too Minnesota's experience can help people in Washington refine how health reform might work," said Blewett. She heads the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide policy analysis and technical help to states and federal agencies.
"There's room for criticism" in the health care debate, Berglin admitted. "For instance, if we try to reform the system without addressing health care costs, that's not going to do the job."

Both at the meeting and in an interview afterward, Berglin bristled at some "uninformed distractions" in the debate.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty and other governors who worry that states will face impossible costs with expanded Medicaid health coverage for the poor "don't seem to realize that the federal government will pick up most of that cost,'' she said.

"There will be costs, and there will be savings,'' she said in an interview. "I don't think [the governors are] playing politics. I think they're just ignorant" about the proposals.

In much the same vein, Berglin challenged fellow committee member Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley. At one point during the hearing, Koering said, "I don't know how we're ever going to pay" for a government-sponsored "public option" health care plan to compete with health insurers.

"Senator Koering, state employees have a public plan, where you have your [health] insurance," she said. "How's that working out for you?"

Warren Wolfe • 612-673-7253