Tuesday, January 3, 2017

MN GOP Goals

I haven't even jumped into this one yet, but it looks interesting !!! MP 7 Things to Watch For


Thoughts?

1 comment:

John said...

From MP

"Excellent summary, I am looking forward to seeing how the session progresses. It still amazes me that Gov Dayton is still pushing for that regressive gas tax..." G2A


"Much work has been done planning and preparing these construction projects that are actual long term investments in our infrastructure.

It is wasteful to allow deterioration beyond maintenance, as the original investment is also lost.

Please, fiscal tightwads, try to see the need to pay for long-term assets with bond sales, and maintenance with a stream of funding that will not allow the loss of these assets.

Regressive taxes like the sales tax, or user fees, like the gas tax, are not evil, but simply available.
Perhaps somebody has an idea for a funding stream for maintenance, but bonding is the reasonable approach for long-term projects. If our fore-fathers/mothers took care of our roads for us, it is our job to keep them operable for those who come after. It won't get cheaper.

Simply NOT funding these needs is stubborn and short-sighted governance.

Do Republicans still pledge their oath to Grover Norquist to "never raise taxes?"

Is this the real obstacle to common sense?" Richard


"I am fine with doing the work, but how about:

- we stop artificially raising the costs of doing so (ie high "prevailing wages" for employees who work on State contracts)

- take funding from more progressive tax sources within the general fund

- discontinue public employee tenure related wage and job security protections. Change to a job challenge and effectiveness pay and job security model, like private firms

- discontinue minority worker / company mandates on State jobs

- pay for maintenance out of today's dollars. Save bonding for new buildings and big remodels." G2A