Anti-Teacher Union Rhetoric from TV Ads - Offensive

Norm Coleman. Education reform.  Those terms don't fit together, do they?   But, as a former teacher, I'm offended to see Coleman's Minnesota Action Network buying post-election TV ad air time to paint those protective, head-in-the-sand teachers unions as the bad guys who are keeping good, young teachers out of parents' children's classrooms through teacher tenure rules, which protect seniority through the LIFO (last in, first out) lay-off rules.  

 

A flat out attack on teachers unions....

 

No one in his ad ever says that the senior teacher next door probably did just as exceptional work with his/her students, or that many of our jobs actually value the long-time, experienced staffer as having learned to do their work well and efficiently, and being able to provide guidance and mentorship to the new, young, inexperienced employee.  No, in teacher circles, somehow it's best to be 24, in your first or second year on the job, full of bright, young ideas and most importantly, energy and the presumed ability to better-relate to the kids.  As opposed to "old" mom or grandma figures in the classroom, who are over-paid, unable to relate to the kids, stuck in a rut, lazy or energy-less, and brainwashed into thinking the teacher's union is the only thing standing in the way of the principal or superintendent firing their sorry ass, so that the school can keep that new, energetic, less-well-paid instructor.

 

Teacher tenure and seniority rules are part of paying your dues - figuratively and literally.  Teachers aren't constantly looking over their shoulders, fearing repercussions from the powerful parents or political elements in their community.  Teachers aren't constantly in fear of someone "not liking" their style, their comments, their manner of dress, their religious or sexual preferences, or their participation - or lack thereof - in school or community activities.

 

Teacher unions have helped create a professionalism in the workplace, and have strengthened the middle class through better pay and benefits - which are often jealously resented by those less fortunate who see themselves as taxpayers giving these wages and benefits to others, instead of paying less taxes out of their own pockets.

 

Norm Coleman and his MN Action Network are only multiplying those resentments through this misguided and unfortunate ad campaign.  It's sad that this passes for mainstream Republican policy these days.

 

 

http://www.mnactionnetwork.org/education-reform/

 

 

 

Post-Election Reflections, 2014

Let's start with Andover, which this Blog states is where my observations originate from...

Councilwomen Julie Trude and Sherri Bukkila faced each other to replace Mike Gamache as Mayor of Andover.  Trude gave up her seat, while Bukkila had a "free shot" with her term ending in two years.

This was a close, close result.  My choice, Julie Trude was elected Mayor of Andover by just 0.6% of the vote - 5250 (50.00%) - 5184 (49.37%).

Councilwoman Bukkila will return next term with Mike Knight - they both face the voters again in 2016, unless long-time Council member Knight retires in 2016.

There were four candidates for two Council seats this year (the open Trude seat and Tony Howard's, and Tony was seeking re-election).  There were three challenges to Howard - Val Holthus, who I strongly supported; James Goodrich, who I opposed; and Tanya Kostick, who was somewhat unknown, even after a LWV debate and candidate profiles.  I voted for Howard and Holthus.

So the results were mixed, as Val Holthus was elected, but so was James Goodrich as they defeated Kostick and incumbent, Howard (who may have been hurt by his strong support for city involvement in the expansion of the Community Center/YMCA).   Final vote totals were:

Nonpartisan	VAL HOLTHUS	4966  -	29.77%
Nonpartisan	JAMES GOODRICH	4713  -	28.25%
Nonpartisan	TONYA KOSTICK	2651  -	15.89%
Nonpartisan	TONY HOWARD	4290  -	25.72%

I spent a lot of time and energy this fall on behalf of Peter Perovich, our DFL candidate in 35A.  I'm disappointed Peter lost to newcomer, Abigail Whelan, and was surprised by the margin of victory, having expected a result more in line with Peter's narrow loss to Branden Petersen in those same precincts in 2012.  Thank you, Peter, for being our candidate in 2014!  I know the right thing will be to wish Ms. Whelan well, but it is so frustrating to see such an undeserving person elected to represent half my district in St. Paul.  It isn't just that she's a Christian Right, Tea Party-lite Republican, whose values and issues positions I detest - and frankly fear for our future as a result - but as a young woman barely out of school, having done NOTHING in this world to merit being a State Representative (compare her with the resumes of GOPers like Jeff Weaver, Matt Look, even Justin Boals, who she beat in the Primary, and identify for me what she has done for Anoka or for Anoka County or for District 35 prior to running for this office at the beginning of this year).   So yes, I'm frustrated that a middle-of-the-road Democrat, with life experiences and leadership responsibilities, didn't earn the votes of voters in District 35A.

Sam Beard was our endorsed candidate in 35B, and until the last 10 days of the campaign, when I saw three more "Beard" signs up, a printed piece of campaign literature, a new Facebook page, and even some Facebook ads, I thought Sam had a campaign in name-only vs. Peggy Scott.  Sam got beat by about 66% - 33%.  I guess we know our 35B baseline, and it ain't pretty for any of us, including me, who might have entertained notions to run ourselves.  Yes one can run, because voters deserve a choice, but as young Matt Gieseke, who ran down in Waconia area, lamented last night, knowing you'll lose badly, and losing badly, is still hard to swallow in the end.

Along with my surprise at the largeness of Peter's loss was my surprise at similar results for JD Holmquist (thought his efforts would gain him some support at the polls) and Jefferson Fietek, who was a great campaigner, had a great organization, and still got clobbered by a guy who barely won in 2012, in Mark Uglem.   Hmmm...  If a modestly-run campaign loses by about the same margin as two very intensely run campaigns, we DFLers in this part of Anoka County have a lot of thinking and planning to do in 2015.


Very frustrated that rural Minnesota took in a lot of lies about the $90 million vs $77 million dollar Senate Office building, and the lies about getting over-taxed when in fact most of us got tax refunds in 2014.  Gridlock and tension ahead.   Creepy Republican time - guys like Backer and Miller got elected - very stupid, sleazy people going to St. Paul from that part of the State.

Glad the Statewide DFLers all won - Franken, Dayton, Swanson, Otto and Simon.  It was the best part of last night - going to that Elections page at the SOS website!

Worst part of last night - watching the GOP Senate & Gubernatorial landslide unfold as nearly every squeaker led to a GOP win, except NH and VA.   Hate seeing those GOP Governor anti-union assholes re-elected - Scott, Snyder, Kasich (no surprise) and Walker.  Ugh!  Feel real bad for union men and women across this country, especially my AFSCME brothers and sisters.


Finally, Mayor Mike Gamache was elected to the Anoka County Board by 500 votes, defeating former legislator and Board member Debbie Johnson, apparently riding on the great familiarity Andover voters have for him.

These were very interesting results, contrasting the Andover precincts with those in Coon Rapids and Fridley...
                                                              GAMACHE  JOHNSON  WRITE-IN

Anoka: ANDOVER P-3	855	430	13
Anoka: ANDOVER P-4	610	312	7
Anoka: ANDOVER P-9	707	328	4
Anoka: ANDOVER P-10	767	333	5
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-2 P-1	431	461	5
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-2 P-2	248	362	4
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-2 P-3	466	556	9
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-2 P-4	288	313	4
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-2 P-5	318	344	2
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-3 P-2	323	418	2
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-3 P-3	323	348	4
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-3 P-4	255	402	2
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-5 P-1	373	469	2
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-5 P-2	399	488	8
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-5 P-3	194	306	2
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-5 P-4	134	187	0
Anoka: COON RAPIDS W-5 P-5	340	416	2
Anoka: FRIDLEY W-3 P-1	243	310	4
Candidate Totals:	7274	6783       79

In 35A, the StarTrib Endorses Whelan - Here's My Response on Why Peter Perovich Should be Elected Next Tuesday

Sadly, the Star Tribune endorsed Abigail Whelan for the open 35A House seat this year.  Peter Perovich deserves that endorsement, and he should be elected next Tuesday to represent Anoka and Ramsey in St. Paul.

Here's a link to the editorial:  http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/280713082.html

And what they wrote in endorsing Whelan for the seat:

District 35A: Whelan

 

Republican Abigail Whelan is only 26, but her poise and commitment to public service belie her years. A vote for Whelan means betting on the come, but we think that’s a bet Anoka voters should make in the race to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Jim Abeler.

 

Whelan works as a home health care worker today, but she’s a former state Senate staffer and holds a master’s degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She proves her passion for public policy as she discusses possible remedies to the transportation funding shortage confronting Minnesota. Like most Republicans, she opposes more light-rail transit and a gas tax increase. But she supports better bus transit and is open to increasing other sources of transportation funding, including toll roads.

 

A proud product of the Anoka-Hennepin School District, Whelan believes that the district’s best practices should be emulated as schools strive to close the chronic achievement gap between white and nonwhite students. She’s an advocate for local control, going so far as to reject the state’s requirement for all-day kindergarten as an intrusion in local decisionmaking. We’d say that goes too far. But she also believes that MNsure, the state’s health insurance purchasing exchange, is too independent and that it should become a state agency for the sake of tighter legislative control. That suggests a capacity for nuanced judgment, one we hope will grow over time.

 

Whelan’s rookie status stands in contrast to her more-seasoned opponent, DFLer Peter Perovich, 52, a personal banker at U.S. Bank and former mortgage broker who is making his third try for a north-suburban legislative seat. Perovich comes by his interest in education and transit naturally. He’s the son of former Anoka Mayor Elliott Perovich, who also served as chair of the Regional Transit Board in the 1980s and was a high school principal.

 

Perovich is eager to spend more on education. Whelan focuses on best practices to improve results. That difference should matter to frugal north-suburban voters.

 

 

 

My Comments Posted to the Editorial Comment Section:

 

Disclosure up front... after 16 years of Jim Abeler's Republican representation of Anoka, I have been working hard this campaign to elect Peter Perovich, the DFL candidate for this open 35A seat in Ramsey and Anoka.  The Star Tribune editorial board, which I hardly find particularly pro-DFL, nor progressive on the key issues of the day, should be greatly faulted for putting their weight on young Abigail Whelan's shoulders.

This is a young woman who has never owned a home or paid property taxes, works part-time while living at home, started her campaign on a platform of Christian Right values that greatly echoed Michelle Bachmann for the extremism she sought to bring to office, and as the campaign developed, has wrapped herself in Jim Abeler's mantle, despite the fact that her wing of the SD 35 Republican Party has tried to eject Abeler multiple times in the past. 

Peter Perovich has the maturity and gravitas needed to represent the Anoka area in the House.  He's a relatively moderate Democrat - he and I have different takes on many issues - but I respect how he puts his community and his family values up front when arriving at his choices.  For example, for much of the summer, he made Sundays a family day, as, with four kids, two still at Ramsey Elementary, he made "Dad" time despite working full-time at the bank and campaigning, as well.  That's the type of guy I want in St. Paul - one with his priorities in the right place. 

I don't want toll roads in the north suburbs - Peter advocates improving Highway 10 to freeway status beyond Anoka City limits.  Facing nearly hour-long commutes from Ramsey, I think our voters continue to demand good rail transit options to both downtowns. 

DFLers are proud of getting the all-day Kindergarten choice enacted - I'm shocked the Star Tribune editorial board is pleased with Abigail Whelan's opposition to this badly-needed reform for early childhood development. 

The editorial board spent too much time talking to Jim Abeler about this race, apparently, because despite whatever pretences Abeler's built up as a "health insurance expert" through the years, this 26-year old young lady, who worked at St. Paul under Sens. Petersen and Jungbauer - two of the most obstructionist, deep-red conservatives of the past decade, has hardly developed any expertise on health issues.  Her "nuanced" answer on MNSure as a state agency, probably scripted for her by Abeler, who appeared to have helped script her answers in all three debates/forums she took part in this fall, is both silly and contrived - especially coming from the Party noted for its efforts to "chop down state government" - why would they create a new state agency for state health care programs, when DHS has been doing its damndest to get it right, after the Republican legislature of 2011-2013, left them little time to put in place a whole new system that should have gotten 3-4 years of testing to get it implemented right. 

Peter Perovich's greatest possible contribution as a legislator will be his efforts to protect our rivers, lakes, ponds and streams, as he has taken a statewide leadership on behalf of bass fisherman and has formed serious plans on protecting our waters from harmful run-offs and usage issues.  I don't know what one issue Abigail Whelan can be a difference-maker about in St. Paul, but I know Peter Perovich will be a legislator who leaves a lasting legacy for our Millennials in the decades to come!

 

Next Letter to the Editor - Transportation Issues - Vote Perovich & DFL vs GOP's Whelan in 35A

I've sent the following Letter to the Editor of the ABC Newspapers, hoping it will be printed this month, although I've checked, and it will not be in the September 19th print editions...   As the letter notes, expect next year at the Legislature to be focused on our transportation issues - this means infrastructure concerns, movement of people and goods, long-term sustainability of a late-20th Century transportation system....  Over in Anoka & Ramsey, I think Peter Perovich has long-focused on these issues in his campaigns.  I see Abigail Whelan has adopted a position on this issue, as she attempts to move her focus away from just the evangelical Christian Right issues that she first announced her campaign would fight for when she announced last winter.  The rare Republicans who chose to vote for forward thinking and overrode the Pawlenty veto, suffered the repercussions in their party, just as the few who supported same-sex marriage have suffered in 2014.  Last session, Abeler, Scott and Petersen all marched in lock-step against the DFL majority's transportation bill.  Why should we expect any differently of young Whelan - does anything about her convey an independent streak that would vote against her party leadership on such matters?  Here's my letter...

To the Editor –

 

2015 is going to be the year of transportation.  Governor Mark Dayton, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and House Speaker Paul Thissen have all declared transportation funding to be the top priority next year.

 

Minnesota needs to expand its transit options, make better connections for bicycling and walking, repair its aging roads, and replace its 100-plus deficient bridges.

 

Fixing the transportation deficit will create jobs, and improve our safety, our health and our environment.

 

Peter Perovich, the DFL candidate for the State House in District 35A, writes (http://peterperovich.org), “Our transportation must be safe and reliable for families and businesses; we need to improve our roadways.  I will continue to invest in roadways and Anoka County’s transportation.  I will work to make Highway 10 a freeway, not a highway that slows commuters.  I will also work to address the public concern with Highway 47.”

 

To be fair, Peter Perovich’s Republican opponent has also put forth a strong pro-road safety and Highway 10 improvement package among her key issues.  But, that’s meaningless when her party votes against responsible transportation bills, simply to oppose the DFL majority.  In 2013, HF 1444, the Transportation Finance Bill Conference Committee Report, was opposed by conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity, and sure enough, area Republicans Abeler, Scott and Petersen each voted against it.  Why would we expect differently from Abigail Whelan?  The last time a Transportation Bill had helped our area, in 2008, both Republicans Abeler and Tinglestad became notorious members of the “Override Six” for voting against Governor Pawlenty’s veto – and Tinglestad was later forced out.

 

The DFL-led legislature accomplished much for Minnesota in 2013-2014.  By electing Peter Perovich on November 4th, voters can expect support for these DFL platform positions in the 2015-2016 legislative session:

·         Support a comprehensive transportation-funding package that will generate new economic development opportunities throughout the state;

·         Support strong public investment in transportation infrastructure to address structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges and roads;

·         Support healthy urban growth through regional light rail and other mass transportation systems.

The Other Side is Reading this Blog - So Let's Address Social Issues Raised by an Oak Grove Republican This Week

I was surprised - alarmed - nah, more amused - that this blog was noticed by the Anoka County Republican Wizard of Oz - Henry Hamilton, the wealthy, anti-union, curmudgeonly purveyor of Republican truths and gossip at both The Minnesota Watchdog and the Anoka County Watchdog websites.   http://www.anokacountywatchdog.com/email/2014/08.22.14_update.htm

You've got to visit his Anoka County page - I love the barking bulldog you have to click on to enter.  Classic Watchdog.  And of course, if you access the link above, you'll find that Mr. Hamilton took exception to my views on Andover Representative Peggy Scott and Andover Council candidates James Goodrich and Val Holthus - I like Holthus, he doesn't.  I don't like Goodrich.  He does. 

Like Mike Jensen of Anoka, who reviewed my own history in a recent Letter to the Editor, Henry goes into detail about me, too.  Seemingly, it's only preferable to be rich entrepreneurs and businessmen, or the people working for people like Henry Hamilton, in Henry's world.  Not so, hardworking public employees like Teachers and Social Workers and Child Support Officers and Snow Plow Drivers and Revenue Office Agents and Mental Health Professionals and Planners and Financial Workers and Librarians - especially those who made it a point to be activists in their unions working to get better wages, benefits and contract provisions that help employees perform their work in safe, secure environments.  He raises up and stresses that Val Holthus and I belong to Education Minnesota and AFSCME, respectively, as if our union membership makes us somehow criminals for fighting on behalf of our fellow employees.  As if those who work in public jobs should only settle for wage crumbs with no protection from being terminated every time as new party takes office and wants to dispense political favors to friends and family - you know, like the good old days in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Well, I'm proud to have been a member of both teacher associations and AFSCME throughout the 35+ years I've been part of the middle class workforce, Mr. Hamilton.  I've been proud to be a part of the public employee payroll.  I didn't set out to be rich.  I set out to help people - first as a teacher and later working in the public assistance system in Minnesota.  There are far more people in this world who need our help, Henry Hamilton, than the One-Percenters like you, and I'm just one of many who chose to work in service to others - and expect to be paid our worth, to be safe at work, and to be protected from willful employers.


Gene Hodel, a Republican from SD 31 in Oak Grove, pushed my buttons this week.  In a Letter to the Editor in the ABS Newspapers, Hodel wrote: 

"Our Creator set the foundation of moral behavior. The Democratic party represented by their current platform and their history are on the wrong side of most moral issues. The social conservative side, represented by the Republican party is not without its flaws, but on most of these moral issues the Republican platform is correct.
 
Of course, it if you think it is a woman’s on demand “right”, to kill the human being inside of her, then you would vote for the Democrats.  If you think that an active gay life style does not accelerate sexual diseases, bad influence on the youth and broken lives, then you would vote for the Democrats. If you think that gay marriage is the same as a marriage between a man and a woman for rising children and supporting each other, then you would vote for the Democrats. If you want your fellow human beings messed up on marijuana coming at you down the highway, vote for the Democrats."
http://abcnewspapers.com/2014/08/20/letters-to-the-editor-for-aug-22-2014/


Now, as a Democrat living in the area, as the DFL Chair of Senate District 35, as a pretty good, upstanding citizen, and as a fellow raised in the United Methodist Church, I took exception to Mr. Hodel's characterizations of what is and isn't moral.

So, I've penned a new Letter to the Editor (below), which I hope gets printed as a response to Mr. Hodel.

This election should be a referendum on Governor Dayton and the DFL.  But social issues still rear their ugly head. Gene Hodel wrote, “On most of these moral issues the Republican platform is correct,” in an August 22^nd Letter.  Of which moral issues did he say Republicans are right and Democrats are wrong:  terminating pregnancies, blaming sexual disease on gay lifestyles, gay marriage and marijuana use?

 

Life would be much simpler for voters if his old canard that Democrats are undeserving amoral libertines, while Republicans are God-fearing model citizens was true.  Alas, it isn’t.  As Chair for District 35 DFLers, it’s been my pleasure to “politic” with a lot of your friends and neighbors, who are bright, community-spirited Christians – and Democrats.  Republicans don’t own the concept of “morality” in this community, any more than they own “bigotry”, “intolerance” or “patriotism.” 

 

Is it moral for Christian Republicans like Gene to continue their determined disregard of the Roe v. Wade decision, which provided a legal basis for “life” does not begin at conception, that a child does not legally exist until birthed, and that there are limitations to how far into a pregnancy abortion is legal? 

 

Is it moral for Christian Republicans like Gene to rely on their interpretations of the laws and customs of 2000-year old Biblical societies to determine 21^st century morality?   Who decided that being gay or different is immoral?

 

Is it moral to reject the common decency and fairness of providing legal equality through same sex marriage?  Is it moral to go sticking one’s nose into what goes on in other persons’ bedrooms?

 

On marijuana, it’s hardly a moral issue; one will find many Democrats, myself included, who have reservations about legalizing it, even for medical purposes, and similarly, one will find many libertarian Republicans who fully support less-restrictive laws on marijuana.

 

I haven’t even started on the moral issues of fighting poverty, the rich getting richer, equal justice for minorities, or easy access to assault weapons.  No party has a monopoly on morality, Mr. Hodel.  Oh, and about that referendum – my side should win!

 

2014 City of Andover Candidate Filings are Complete for Mayor and Council - My Endorsements for November

Below, you will find the 2014 field, as found at the MN Secretary of State's Office site. 

We have two capable, experienced Council members, both women, running for Mayor in 2014.  Having run against and lost to Julie Trude, I developed a strong appreciation in the 2010 race for her representation of our City.  I can not picture a better representative voice for our community.  She is a leader, she is thoughtful in her position, she reaches out for many opinions, and she makes pragmatic decisions based on the information has collected on the concern.  I respect Sheri Bukkila, who begins many issues in a different perspective than I do, but I am less certain about her ability to reach out and represent the various communities and opinions of Andover residents.  For that, I strongly endorse Julie Trude for Mayor of Andover in 2014.

For City Council, a friend and long-time Andover resident and community leader, Val Holthus, has filed for what is basically the Trude vacancy on the Council.  There are two city-wide Council seats on the ballot this year.  I strongly endorse electing Val Holthus to one of those seats.  Val has worked tirelessly on the City's Planning Commission for many years, she has been a long-time teacher in Anoka-Hennepin and works hard to better our education community through the teacher's association.  And she and her family represent Minnesota values - a look at her Facebook page shows both a proud fishing champion and a proud Mother, whose daughter has been pageant royalty this past year.

Of the remaining three candidates, I don't know Tonya Kostick and will be pleased to meet her and read more about who she is and why she is running.  I posted about James Goodrich last month.  Mr. Goodrich is doing a lot of good campaigning - prominently displayed signs, strong web page, etc.  He is clearly part of the political community I strongly oppose and abhor.  He may be a good fit for many Andover residents.  Certainly, our Republican-Democrat polling results reflect that.  Nonetheless, Andover does not need a second Hennepin County Sheriff's Deputy on its Council, representing the same religious right, pro-gun, heavily-tilted law enforcement viewpoints that Councilwoman and possibly Mayor Bukkila addresses right now.  I will not vote for or recommend a vote for James Goodrich.

Depending on what I learn of candidate Kostick, I am tentatively supporting and recommending the re-election of Tony Howard to fill the other Andover Council seat in this election.  Tony lost in 2010, as I did.  He came in third, I believe behind Julie Trude and Don Jacobson.  When Don resigned soon after, Tony was appointed to fill the term and then won election for two years in the 2012 Special Election.  Tony is a man of good character, a strong family man and community leader, a successful businessman, and another realist, who does not seem to be carrying an agenda in serving the community on the City Council.  I am most likely voting for Howard and Holthus this fall.


http://candidates.sos.state.mn.us/CandidateFilingResults.aspx?county=2&municipality=1486&schooldistrict=&hospitaldistrict=&level=3&party=0&federal=True&judicial=False&executive=True&senate=True&representative=True&title=&office=0&candidateid=0

2014 State General Election Candidate Filings

Use this candidate finder tool to find candidates running for office in the November 4, 2014, State General Election. Candidates for federal, state and county offices are added as filings occur. Candidates for local offices may continue to be added after the filing period. Candidate Filing Periods: Federal, state and county offices, and local offices that hold primaries: Tuesday, May 20–Tuesday, June 3 Other municipal and school district offices: Tuesday, July 29–Tuesday, August 12 Contact your local clerk for the correct filing period for your city or school district. Filing offices will be closed Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. Learn more about becoming a candidate and filing for office.

Candidates Search Results Andover Mayor (Andover) Candidate Name Party Website File Date SHERI BUKKILA Nonpartisan www.sheribukkila.com 7/29/2014 JULIE TRUDE Nonpartisan JulieTrude.com 7/29/2014     Council Member at Large (Andover) (Elect 2) Candidate Name Party Website File Date JAMES GOODRICH Nonpartisan electjamesgoodrich.com 7/29/2014 VAL HOLTHUS Nonpartisan 8/12/2014 TONY HOWARD Nonpartisan 8/6/2014 TONYA KOSTICK Nonpartisan 8/1/2014

New Letter to the Editor - Why I Oppose Peggy Scott for 35B

I'm sending this new Letter to the Editor to the ABC Newspapers for publication in August, as an edited version (there is a 350-word limit) of the pro-Perske and pro-Perovich letter appeared in the July 9 issue of the Anoka Union Herald.  This is a response to the flyer we received from Peggy Scott in the mail on Saturday.  I take exception to it - in my opinion, it is shaded with false statements and innuendo.

To the Editor –

 

In her July campaign flyer disguised to appear like an official “2014 Legislative Report” to the voters of District 35B, Peggy Scott shares common Republican half-truths and lies.   Minnesota DFLers are proud of their 2013-2014 accomplishments, so what is the real record Scott is shading?

 

Peggy Scott falsely accuses paying for Obamacare will ‘drain’ $207.96 Million from our schools the next three years.  In reality, DFLers balanced the budget and repaid the $2.8 Billion which Scott and the Republicans “borrowed” from our schools when they were in charge.  DFLers provided funding for all-day kindergarten and hot school lunches.  They increased funding for early childhood family education and froze public college tuition for two years.  We can have Obamacare and smart school funding, too.

 

Peggy Scott finds it easy to criticize Obamacare, even while voting to prevent it from succeeding.  But health care changes have been very successful in Minnesota.  Over 180,000 Minnesotans are now covered by health plans, as our uninsured rate is down to 4.9%.  Over 50,000 seniors are saving hundreds for prescription drugs.  Over 35,000 young adults can remain on their parents’ insurance.  Over one million of us receive preventive health coverage with no additional co-pays.

 

Peggy Scott’s Republicans opposed the first increase in the minimum wage in a generation.  Over 300,000 state workers will receive a higher minimum wage of $9.50 in 2016.  Low-paid health workers will benefit greatly.  Low-paid child care workers who receive government funding seek higher rates and benefits through the opportunity to unionize.  Peggy Scott opposes giving this particular group the right to even vote on unionization – a right all workers should have.  Under the DFL leadership, over 100,000 jobs have been added, and unemployment is at a seven-year low.  Forbes Magazine rates Minnesota the 3^rd best state in which to make a living.  The DFL ensured equal pay for equal work would strengthen women’s economic security in the years ahead.

 

My candidate in 35B is Coon Rapids small-businessman Samuel Beard.  Vote to keep the successful DFL stewardship of Minnesota in place for the next two years.

Learned of a New Candidate for Andover City Council Today - No Firm Opinions Yet - Another Law Enforcement Conservative?

James Goodrich of Andover had a parade presence in today's Andover Family Fun Fest.  I'm just starting to learn about James Goodrich and what he stands for as a candidate for City Council.  I will be supporting Val Holthus, but there will be two seats to fill this Fall.


Based on what we the candidate states at his page, we are not on the same page.  Coming from someone who has worked for the government for 29 years, I'm disappointed with his presumption about Smaller government. 

Andover has been led by conservative-minded, fiscally-responsible leaders for many decades.  Andover is about as tight a ship as you can imagine - frankly, I think its employees deserve more pay right now by continuing to do more for the residents with less. 

Our City Administrator has no waste in that annual budget here.  The current Council makes it nice for us as residents - continually reducing our City property taxes.  I'd like to see less bare bones - which frankly means more tax revenue.  Maybe our rising house values, after seven years of lower and lower valuations will lead to more revenue.



Here is information about candidate Goodrich from his web page....

http://electjamesgoodrich.com/about-jim.html


A little about myself, I've lived in Andover for 20 years, what a great town!I've worked for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office for 28 years.I've been married to my beautiful wife Janna for 23 years. I have three great kids, Zachary, Emily and Miriam. I'm a member of Constance Free Church in Andover.

I'm an avid bow hunter and competitive archer.




Why in the world do I want to run for Andover City Council? Well, several reasons. I'm going to retire from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office after 29 years this fall and I want to bring my fiscal and social conservative values to local city government right here in Andover.  Ok so what does that mean? Well, the Andover annual budget is approximately 9 million dollars and over 7 million dollars of that is gained from our property taxes. I want to make sure our hard earned money is spent wisely. 

Spending can get out of control even on a local level. I want to make sure we're conducting the types of business that local government is supposed to.  Taking care of our infrastructure, wise ordinances, smart tax increment finance for business. Good Police and Fire services.
Assessments, who likes assessment's, I don't, but they are necessary as Andover grows. So, I want to be smart about it and bring them about as necessary and give residents as many options as possible to deal with them.
Metropolitan Council, the more we take their money the more they can tell us what to do. This would be a bad thing.

The smaller the Government the more we can make our own decisions.  I look out my window and see our liberties and freedoms that made this country great flying away at an alarming rate.  I want to do whatever I can at a local level to stop this.

I'm very capitalistic pro free-market oriented. I want to provide a business friendly environment to attract business to Andover and all the jobs and goods and service's that come with it.  Including the revenue.

If we want to gain more revenue for Andover it should come from a prosperous and growing economical environment, not through raising your property taxes. This is what I call a "No Brainer"

At the end of the day I'm your representative, I always want to hear what everyone is thinking about where your property taxes should go.

Andover - 2014 City Elections Straight Ahead - Bukkila Running for Mayor

I don't agree with Sheri Bukkila's politics.  She's a conservative Republican.  I'm a progressive Democrat.  But, I have had the opportunity to chat with Sheri, in the context of our mutual employment with Hennepin County, and belonging to separate unions/associations that bargain for contracts with the County.  She represents what - and whom - she says she will represent in her statement announcing her candidacy for Mayor.  I know of at least two other local residents that I hope at least one of whom will enter this race against Sheri, and whom I will support for Mayor.  But that said, here's coverage of Sheri's announcement from the Anoka Union Herald....

ABC Newspapers:  Government

Bukkila will run for mayor of Andover

By Community Contributor

June 28, 2014

http://abcnewspapers.com/2014/06/28/bukkila-will-run-for-mayor-of-andover/

Andover City Councilmember Sheri Bukkila is running for mayor of Andover, following the announcement that current Mayor Mike Gamache will not seek re-election.

“While I’ve enjoyed my role as councilmember, winning the mayor’s race will ensure the rules are followed and the discussions are thorough to ensure we are protecting your investments in the community,” said Bukkila. “It’s my goal to keep Andover property taxes among the lowest in Anoka County. I love the city of Andover and strive to keep government ethically in check, promote fiscal responsibility and keep taxes low through new business growth.”

A strong advocate for property rights and common sense codes and enforcement, Bukkila added, “I believe government shouldn’t get in the way of homeowners and prosperous businesses, but rather be there to ensure that residents and businesses are unencumbered by unnecessary fees or permit approval processes.”

Bukkila said her 26-year work history, most recently as a career law enforcement officer, labor negotiator, coach and mentor, provides an in depth ability to work through difficult legal and social issues. Bukkila also said her civil and criminal history, whether in the courtroom or patrolling the streets, gives her personal experience with ordinance and statute enforcement and an understanding of the difficult time ordinary people have navigating government systems. Bukkila said she also believes in positive, constructive discussion and inviting residents and community partners to have a voice in the city’s government and she believes her no-nonsense style of leadership will help the council cut through the clutter and come to practical solutions.

Bukkila is an 11-year resident of Andover and has served on the Andover City Council for six years.  She has been married to her husband Brett for 14 years and has two sons.

 

Annoyed by Medtronic's Move to Ireland to Dodge US Taxes? Try Tax-Dodger Walgreen's Next - You Know Them - Two Stores in Andover, About Seven Stores Within 10 Miles of My House

Jim Hightower - Texas rabble-rouser - is famous nonetheless for "tellin' it like it is.'  Well, he's got quite a story out on AlterNet (which Salon has reprinted), sharing Walgreen's scheme to merge with a Swiss pharmaceutical, and move its headquarters to Switzerland - and avoid millions of dollars in taxes that should properly be paid to the US government - not the Swiss.  The stores will be working just fine here in the US.  But, it's nice that CVS has moved into our neighborhood, too.  Used to be Snyder's or Snyder Brothers that competed here with Walgreen's.  But we can try the Caremark folks and their CVS operations.

Salon

Thursday, Jul 10, 2014 06:15 AM CDT

It’s Not Just Walgreens: The Absurd Measures Corporations Will Take to Dodge Taxes

The popular "inversion" scam allows American institutions to game the system. It's unethical -- and unpatriotic

 

Jim Hightower, AlterNet

http://www.salon.com/2014/07/10/its_not_just_walgreens_the_absurd_measures_corporations_will_take_to_dodge_taxes_partner/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

 

How would you react if one of your neighbors announced that while he obviously benefits from having clean water, highways, Medicare, police protection, parks, schools, and other public services, he was no longer going to pay his part of the taxes that make them available?

 

And what if this neighbor also said he was renouncing his American citizenship to become a citizen of Switzerland, because he could pay less taxes there?  Not that he was actually moving to that cold country, mind you — no, no, he’d still be living right here in the good ol’ USA, still benefitting from all those public services that taxpayers like you and I provide.

 

Surely, you think, this has to be a joke.  A person can’t really do this, can they?  No, of course a “real” person could not get away with this.  You see, corporations are funny creatures.  For example, they don’t want to pay their share of America’s tax bill, but then they’re first in line demanding subsidies, grants and other special handouts from America’s government to pad their financial bottom line.

 

That’s hilarious hypocrisy — but it’s no laughing matter, since it means you and I have to pay more to cover their tax avoidance, while also seeing our public money siphoned out of the programs that we need into the pockets of corporate elites, who most often use the funds against the public interest.

Corporate tax dodging has become both rampant and ridiculous.  Take an increasingly popular scam called “inversion,” which is nothing but a perversion of tax law, business ethics and common decency. It works like this: By merging with a corporation based in a country with lax tax laws, a U.S. corporation can reincorporate as a citizen of that country and shift its tax obligations there, even though all or most of its profits are made from sales in the U.S-of-A.

 

For example, Gregory Wasson of Long Grove, Illinois, announced that he has plans for all of the above. Gregory isn’t my neighbor, but he sounds like a “real” person.  So how is he getting away with this scam, you ask?  While Greg is not personally my neighbor, or yours, the corporation he heads might be. Wasson is CEO of America’s largest drugstore chain, Walgreens Corporation, the sprawling, $72-billion-a-year behemoth that is in all 50 states and has stores in thousands of neighborhoods all across the country.

 

But Greg no longer wants Walgreens to be American, so he is presently trying to use this tax-shifting film-flam by merging with a Swiss-based chain. Rather than paying the roughly $800 million a year tax tab it owes to our nation, Walgreens would pay maybe $600 million to Switzerland.

 

Of course, the stores will not move to Switzerland.  Wasson fully intends to keep extracting profits from our neighborhoods and for Walgreens to keep benefiting from all the public services that America provides, from police to infrastructure.  Through inversion — a reversal of the natural order — the giant corporation would continue to enjoy enormous profits and benefits it gets from the United States, but pay Swiss taxes.  So you and I are left picking up Walgreens’ tab, and the Swiss gain 600 million in tax dollars for services and infrastructure they did not provide — unless you count being a tax shelter as service and infrastructure.

 

Walgreens’ crass tax ploy would also give it a competitive advantage over other American drug stores that aren’t so greedy as to abandon America and, as Sen. Dick Durbin put it, “move their headquarters for a tax break.”

 

Oh, one more thing: About a fourth of Walgreens’ annual income is derived from — guess who? — our U.S. government.  Yes, our very government that the people of Wasson & Co. say they no longer want to help support.  The unpatriotic drugstore ingrate drew nearly $17 billion last year from Medicare and Medicaid payments provided by Uncle Sam.

 

If Walgreens doesn’t want to support public programs like these, the programs should not be supporting Walgreens.

 

Jim Hightower's most recent book is "Let's Stop Beating Around the Bush." He produces a monthly newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown, and a syndicated daily radio commentary.

Harris v. Quinn: A Bad Decision for Americans - A Troubling Decision for Public Employee Unions

As a proud AFSCME member - a full member, who pays the union dues so my workplace rights are protected and my union can collective bargain for better wages and benefits for me - the Harris v. Quinn ruling is disgusting.  Justice Alito incorrectly turned this into a First Amendment right to freeload off the work union representatives provide the workplace/the work group.   From the American Constitutional Society web site comes this astute analysis by Attorney Chris Sanders....

Getting Something for Nothing in Harris v. Quinn

July 1, 2014

 

by J. Chris Sanders, Attorney, Chris Sanders Law PLLC
https://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/getting-something-for-nothing-in-harris-v-Quinn

In a unionized workplace, one labor union has the sole and exclusive right to represent all those employees. The workers select one union, and the union handles workplace matters for everyone. That typically means collective bargaining–negotiating as a group to build better pay, better benefits, better hours, better treatment and respect on the job into a union contract. Despite these tough times for unions, the union advantage for workers is10-20 percent over the same workers in the same industries. It also means job protection, usually requiring representation by volunteer activists and paid staff at union expense. As lawyers will understand, representation is costly, and being in a union is financially worthwhile.

Along with the right to represent people, the union has the duty to represent everyone alike. No picking and choosing between members and nonmembers. That’s right, members and nonmembers, because a worker doesn’t have to join the union in a unionized workplace to be represented. Choosing to join is and has been a First Amendment right, recognized for decades.

Workers who don’t join weaken the union in bargaining, as the proverbial chain is only as strong as its weakest nonunion link. Contracts and benefits in states and industries where unions are weak are weaker, too. You get what you pay for. Nevertheless, letting people opt out isn’t a group decision, though it affects the group. It’s an individual choice.

But, whether the union is weak or strong, the non-member gets the benefits contained in the union contract. In return, nonmembers must pay for the union services that achieved the gains made in collective bargaining and the protections provided by union representation. In the public sector, it’s known as “fair share”–paying one’s fair share of the cost all workers bear for union representation.

Until now. In Harris v. Quinn, the Supreme Court launched a direct attack on paying one’s fair share. The 5-4 majority discredited decades of precedent underpinning the duty to pay. But then it dodged and weaved, avoiding a direct decision on the First Amendment. Rather, it said that the Illinois homecare workers weren’t true government workers, so the statutory fair-share fee can’t be enforced. This doesn’t bode well for the new American workplace, with its “associates,” contractors, temps, subs, project people, etc. smudging the lines between employer and employee. But it’s the main issue that matters. The right-wing Justices made it clear that individual whim trumps group responsibility.  

   
A recent personal story about why it matters. I handled a case involving a young Cuban meatpacker who speaks very little English wanted to buy some pork at cost. He boxed up the meat, then asked a co-worker how to code the purchase. They miscommunicated, so he mis-coded, and put the wrong tag on his purchase. A manager met him at the gate, accused him of stealing the pork, and fired him. You can’t make this stuff up.

If this were a non-union workplace, that would be the end of the story. He would have had no legal recourse, no way to get his job back. Under the employment-at-will doctrine, employers don’t have to justify their decision to discharge, and don’t have to prove theft. But this is a union shop, where workers have rights and power. The union filed a grievance through the contractual procedure, and volunteers and paid staff advocated for him. That costs. When the company wouldn’t settle, the union sought arbitration. That’s expensive–there’s a filing fee, an arbitrator’s fee, hearing expenses, and my time as union counsel. Thousands of dollars. All at no cost to the wronged worker. At the hearing, it came out that, in mislabeling his purchase, he’d actually paid too much for the pork. The arbitrator got the picture, and put him back on the job, awarding months of lost wages.

Post-Harris, that very same protection will now also be available to nonmembers in unionized government workplaces, without ever paying their fair share of union expenses. They will literally get something for nothing when they file their grievances. The actual expense to the union, grievance upon grievance, may be big. For a typical discharge case, it’s certainly far more than that person would ever pay out of pocket for union dues over years (assuming anyone stays in any one job for years any more in the new American workplace). Imagine the same scenario above, with a long-term employee who never paid any fees, gets fired, and disdainfully demands the same services as those who pay their fair share!

Back to collective bargaining, in and of itself a huge benefit to all employees, member and nonmember alike. The Harris petitioners were making $7 an hour before they unionized in Illinois. Their union contract raises wages as high as $13 an hour. They would never have gotten there without their union, which spent hundreds and thousands of volunteer and paid hours in negotiations and advocacy to get organized and get to a contract. But the Harris petitioners will still get to enjoy their doubled wages, but now can drop their fair-share fee.  

No other organization has to provide services for free. Unions have been singled out for this burden under the “right-to-work” (right-to-shirk) scheme. Right-to-work has been the law in the South and in the West since the 1940’s, and the Supreme Court just drew a roadmap for right-to-work from Illinois to public-sector workplaces all across the country. Why should labor be singled out for required free services? Professionals, businesses, service-providers, nonprofits, and yes, government, all assess fees for services. Ask the Chamber of Commerce or the bar association if you can join and get benefits and services for free. It’s a rhetorical question, you already know the answer.



We have a long, difficult fight ahead of us, if this conservative majority of 5 holds at the Supreme Court!

Joe Perske: Democrat for the Sixth District - In the Words of His Wife, Jan

The first time I ever set eyes on Joe Perske, I was in high school.  He was tall and thin and looked like a really nice guy.  He was involved with the cross country and track teams and loved long distance running.  He loved hanging out in the woodshop and the photo lab at school and was pretty shy around girls.  Little did I know at the time how much this man would change my life.  

 

Joe and I were in the same graduating class, but didn't officially meet until the end of our senior year when he asked me to go to prom with him.   We started out our relationship as good friends, deepened our relationship over a five year span of time and were married in July of 1979.

 

One of the qualities that attracted me to Joe all those years ago, and continues to amaze me, is his willingness and openness to help others.  Whether it it fixing the wheels on a student's bike, checking out someone's flooded backyard,  doing taxes for his mother, or being called at the last minute to referee a  soccer game, Joe always says yes. A few years ago, he took it upon himself to be the "chauffeur" for a young lady in high school who wanted to go to prom with her boyfriend.  This young lady and her boyfriend both had disabilities and could not drive.  Joe looked past the disability and saw a young lady who wanted to go to prom just like everyone else.  Joe arranged the evening for this sweet high school couple, and they were able to attend their senior prom and had the time of their lives. His genuine care and concern for his fellow human beings has always been an inspiration to me and countless others.  

 

Another quality of Joe's that has influenced me is his positive attitude.  No matter the situation, Joe always looks at the positive side of things.  Whether the situation involves his job as a teacher, his role as dad to our three daughters, or as mayor of the city of Sartell, his positive attitude always shines through.  When our youngest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of fifteen, he continually strengthened me with his positive outlook that she was going to survive.  Joe held up our family during that difficult time, and our daughter is now a seven year cancer survivor.  He believes in working hard and finding solutions through positive thinking and an optimistic frame of mind.  

 

I support Joe's run for Congress because I know that he will work hard for the people of the Sixth District. I know that he has a passion for people - to help them, uplift them, and do what he can to improve lives.    His tireless energy, his willingness to help others, and his positive attitude will benefit so many people.  If elected, I know that Joe's genuine and heartfelt concern for the people of Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District will make this a better world for all of us.

 Jan Perske

http://joeperske.com/main/