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| Post Number: 101
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Madd Max 
Group: Members
Posts: 1345
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,1:35 pm |
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The DFL caucus is at the Union Center, There will be a potluck from 5 to 7 P.M. with meeting starting at 7 P.M. Dan is right that the time is now to get involved. Since I do not get the paper can someone fill me in on when the meetings are for the watershed board (Dates, Times and place) so I can see if I can work it into my schedule to attend these meetings.
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Heck, if crazy were a pre-existing condition, the GOP wouldn't be able to get insurance. James Carville
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| Post Number: 102
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repdan
justdan
Group: Members
Posts: 649
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,2:28 pm |
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Anyone know about the Independence party?
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carpe ductem.....remember we're all in this together..I'm pull'n for you.
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| Post Number: 103
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jimhanson
Group: Moderator
Posts: 8491
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,3:34 pm |
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Now that Nader is going to run, (and (NOT under the Green party) where will the Green Party and whatever Nader is going to call himself caucus? In Nader's case, will he have anyone to caucus WITH? 
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"If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie. If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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| Post Number: 104
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Liberal
Group: Moderator
Posts: 11451
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,6:06 pm |
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Why is it that certain people think that we don't have a right to say anything about an issue or question the "powers that be" unless we are willing to get involved in that issue?
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I don't remember seeing you at the local sales tax meeting either
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You're right you haven't seen me at any sales tax meetings. But, if there was an anti-local sales tax meeting you'd see me there. I think any local option sales tax is wrong no matter what the reason. And I think they are especially damaging to the state and local govt. when you have one in a county that borders a state that's 1 1/2% lower already. I know people say 1/2 percent isn't much, but, it puts us at 2% disadvantage to Iowa. House Tax Committee chair, Rep. Ron Abrams said it best when he said,"What's best is tax policy that proceeds from an understanding that Minnesota is one state, not a confederation of competing locales. It has succeeded by aggregating its resources and doing things like building roads, providing education and caring for the poor in concert."
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To bad you have not been at either of the lake meetings, but that would have taken some effort.
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I wanted to attend but I just couldn't keep up with the grueling schedule of the meetings.
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I would also point out, that if we want the lakes cleaned up we better plan on paying most of the bill ourselves. Is there other money out there?
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Go back and read post from Nose for News it mentions a DNR program that helps fund 50% of dams.
I agree with you 100% that we need to pay for this ourselves (through property taxes). But part of the problem with that is we've always had these politicians from St Paul telling us that they are "seeking funding" for lake restoration. If you ask around town most people will tell you that they believe you and other state politicians are trying to get funding for lake restoration projects right now. There are even people that believe the federal govt. may pay for some of it. If we could get politicians to be honest with us about funding then maybe we could change this local attitude that someone else is going to come in here and pay to clean our watershed.
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Help me pick a plan....the Soul plan, the Lakes Committee plan, the County plan, one of the DNRS six plans. Which one should I have used?
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Pick the plan that has the greatest possibility of getting us funding for smaller projects that all the plans agree on. Like slowing down the water coming in from Bancroft Creek and setting up silt traps. (If we could have gotten funding for just that one part of the 1975 plan then fountain lake might not be 6 ft deep today.)
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The people are masters of both Congress and courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it!
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| Post Number: 105
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repdan
justdan
Group: Members
Posts: 649
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,9:30 pm |
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Liberal,
You can say anything you want. Seems to me you are a little sensative when someone questions you. You can get involved or not get involved up to you but at least take the time to find out the whole story before commenting.
The DNR does have some programs, but had you been at the meeting at Riverland you would have heard the regional director say that until we are all on the same page we have little or no chance. There are many dams that are in the same shape. In fact, the programs that Local Units of Government can apply for require no action by the legislature after the program is funded. At this point, the Agency scores and ranks programs.
For example, I think Conger is going to get some WIF funding this year or next. The legislature funds the program and trys as much a possible not to let power politics play a part. I can take no more or less credit for this funding than can the other 200 legislators.
Like the Watershed, Local Option is not my first choice, in fact I will tell you that the focus on only one funding source has held us back. When I first met with a group of local people on this, I asked them what their plan B was...still no answer.
My first choice of plans? Lake Imporvement District. Like a Watershed but controled by the County. They could draw the lines and asses the tax. They could have had lakeshore owners pay a higher rate than others and left most of the county out all together.
Your comments on the Iowa sales tax are close, but remember that rate is only one part of the tax. We exclude much more and have a higher rate, they have a lower rate but a broader base. I have no idea which one is "higher".
Who is telling you that we are seeking funding. This is the first year that I think we are ready. I was not in office in 1975 so I don't know what happened since then.
Maybe I read your posts wrong, but you seem to be both unhappy that I have not done anything and upset that you feel someone has given you a false sense of doing something.
You are right about the meetings. Read my post about when the DNR does not want to do something, the meet you to death. At the risk of firing you up..there is a growing number of us evil folks in St. Paul trying to take back some control and thus the responsibity.
Abrams is right about taxes, however the cat is already out of the bag on this one. Before the LGA program there were local options all over, the state got rid of them and started the LGA program. Had we never allowed a local option Abrams point would be well taken. However, given that Mankato, Rocherster, MPLS, St Paul, Duluth, and many others have them it does not ring true.
I know of several people who would vote no on the tax but are unhappy because the State is picking winners and losers. It does not pass the smell test that it is good enough for Rochester and Mankato but not us.
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carpe ductem.....remember we're all in this together..I'm pull'n for you.
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| Post Number: 106
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repdan
justdan
Group: Members
Posts: 649
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 22 2004,9:33 pm |
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By the way, the answer to our other house was Fountain Lake. I started talking about the Lake Improvement District about the time we moved. I had one lady call me and say now that I am moving off the lake I want to jack up lakeshore property taxes. Then a guy came into my store and said now that I'm going to live on a lake I start caring...a guy can't win with some people....including you Liberal if you read your post on now that I live on the lake.
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carpe ductem.....remember we're all in this together..I'm pull'n for you.
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| Post Number: 107
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jimhanson
Group: Moderator
Posts: 8491
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 23 2004,9:37 am |
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Repdan--Liberal is becoming more conservative as he gets older, as evidenced by his post| Quote | | I agree with you 100% that we need to pay for this ourselves (through property taxes). But part of the problem with that is we've always had these politicians from St Paul telling us that they are "seeking funding" for lake restoration. |
I think he nailed it--we shouldn't be seeking "help" from the State, the Federal government, or the DNR. Waiting for these agencies has cost us 30 years on this project.
If we had just "invested" (good grief, I'm talking like a liberal!) in the dam, we could have just added it to our own property tax. If we had just done the dam or repairs at the local level, we wouldn't have to appeal to St. Paul for "permission" in the form of a local option sales tax.
To paraphrase Will Rogers--"The magic of government is convincing the public that the OTHER guy will pay" (for OUR project). Liberal is right--This project is something that should have been a local project in the first place--the State and Feds should not be involved--holding out the prospect of "free" money. There isn't a compelling reason for State or Federal involvement--this project demonstrates the gross inefficiency of "letting the government do it."
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"If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie. If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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| Post Number: 108
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repdan
justdan
Group: Members
Posts: 649
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 23 2004,10:55 am |
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Yup....there are some funds we can tap in to for part of it, but the vast majority of it will come from us.
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carpe ductem.....remember we're all in this together..I'm pull'n for you.
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| Post Number: 109
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MrTarzan
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 23 2004,11:22 am |
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Finally people are talking correctly, that would have been a much better investment then a new courthouse. Mower county moved into an old mall building,and we could have too. The dam and clean lakes really might attract business, at least bring in tourist dollars, a bigger administration building won't do anything except give the politicians here a palace to gloat about. I still don't see why they could not have moved into the school. Water over the dam now ;)
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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| Post Number: 110
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Madd Max
Group: Members
Posts: 1345
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 23 2004,12:57 pm |
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Does anyone have an idea what the cost would be to replace the dam? Since the DNR conceders All Waters Public Waters are we not forced to work with the DNR in replacing the dam. Also since part of the lake is a game reserve and is a resting spot for migrating waterfowl does or doesn't the federal government have any say into what we do with the lake? Just a few questions I would like to hear answers for.
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Heck, if crazy were a pre-existing condition, the GOP wouldn't be able to get insurance. James Carville
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