A nonpartisan Minnesota Senate study found that the state will collect approximately $900 million in fees over the next fiscal biennium.  This amount is $893 million more than the state collected in fees in the biennium before Pawlenty took office.  Fees cover everything from court filings to fishing licenses to license tabs.  In addition, property taxes in many Minnesota communities have risen sharply to compensate for cuts in state aid to local governments.  This begs the question of whether Pawlenty’s promise not to raise taxes has created any real savings for Minnesotans.  I expect his opponents, whoever they are, to hit him hard on this issue in the upcoming election.  And even if Pawlenty does win another term, I wonder how eager he’ll be to sign another no-new-taxes pledge.

Welcome to a newly renovated 19th Floor!  While I was remodeling my physical space, I figured I might as well do the same for my virtual space.  The new layout should be a a little cleaner, with content in the middle and peripheral information on either side.  All of the credit goes to my artist friend Bran, who took my very vague instructions (“make it look cool”) and came up with a design that is both functional and beautiful.  Bran has her own blog, so go check it out and give her the love she deserves. 

 

Hope you enjoy the new digs.

I went to an art exhibit on Friday at Augsburg College.  To access the gallery, I had to take the freight elevator up to the second floor.  In older buildings that were designed with no thought given to the needs of visitors with disabilities, the freight elevator is the de facto structural accommodation.  For me, riding in freight elevators is one of life’s minor annoyances, on the same level as narrow store aisles and snow drifts piled up directly in front of curb cuts.  Freight elevators are dimly lit places that always seem to smell of yeast and mayonnaise.  When I use a freight elevator, I get a vague feeling that I’m trespassing and that sooner or later someone from security will appear to escort me from the premises.  The only good thing about freight elevators is that most of them are pretty spacious, which is more than I can say for the elevators in my building. 

 

I’m not sure what I’d do if I ever got stuck in an elevator.  I’m actually a little surprised that hasn’t happened to me yet.  If it does, let’s hope that the people with whom I’m trapped are at least interesting and somewhat hygienic. 

Patty Wetterling dropped out of the Minnesota Senate race today, which means that Hennepin County chief prosecutor Amy Klobuchar should now be able to focus on the general election as the presumptive DFL nominee.  I never understood why Wetterling decided to get into the Senate race.  She has a much better shot at Mark Kennedy’s former Congressional seat in the 6th District.  I know that she assured another candidate that she wouldn’t run for that seat,  but I hope she’s reconsidering.  Pushing a progressive agenda at both the state and national level may have to take precedence over someone’s hurt feelings.