Twins Blog Praises the 4 Horsemen of Larceny

Here. Meanwhile, the single most significant development during the 2006 season took place last week when the board of Hennepin County Commissioners voted to authorize a .015 percent county-wide sales tax with proceeds directed to fund a portion of a new Twins ballpark in the Minneapolis Warehouse District. Last Tuesday’s vote represented the final hurdle in a ten-year struggle to finance a ballpark and preserve Twins baseball for future generations. Years from now, long after the new ballpark is opened, I’m quite confident the citizens of Hennepin County, the State of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest will look back at this period of time and recognize the significance of last week’s 4-3 vote. Last May, in the wake of securing legislative approval for the Twins-Hennepin County ballpark bill, we offered well-deserved kudos to Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum and many others for their efforts to support the plan and resolve this important issue in a bi-partisan manner. There is no question that everyone mentioned above played a HUGE role in getting a ballpark approved and thus ensuring the long-term viability of baseball in this community. However, the true heroes of the day are Hennepin County commissioners Mike Opat, Randy Johnson, Peter McLaughlin and Mark Stenglein. These are the gentleman who demonstrated the vision to dream about what a 42,000-seat open-air ballpark could do for Minnesota and downtown Minneapolis. These are the officials who filled the “leadership void” on this issue by coming forward with a comprehensive plan and delivering a fair, responsible solution. Most importantly, these are the leaders who showed incredible courage for standing by their convictions in the face of criticism and attack from various sectors of the public. Yes, Mike Opat, Randy Johnson, Peter McLaughlin and Mark Stenglein deserve the credit for their unwavering leadership and support of the Twins-Hennepin County ballpark plan. They also deserve special THANK YOUs from Twins fans across the region. I'm sure the businesses who are being told that patrons will no longer come to them after this tax is imposed are really thrilled with Mike Opat for foisting this stadium on the Hennepin County Taxpayer only.

Tell the Strib to do More Coverage of Commissioner Races

I posted this on the Editor's blog: Eva Young says: September 23rd, 2006 at 12:18 pm Hi Anders - I like this new feature in the strib. I’d like to bring a debate to your attention. There was a debate for County Commissioner in District 2 - sponsored by the Urban League the saturday prior to the primary. I believe that KMOJ might have audio from that debate. Please try to get the audio, and cover the debate - this was a debate between Mark Stenglein and Greg Gray. We all know the Strib will prefer and endorse Mark Stenglein because of his stadium vote. However readers of your paper deserve more information. Voters deserve to hear more about both candidates in this race - the county races are important. The county has a 2 billion dollar budget. (That is double the bonding bill for the state this year). If the Star Tribune fails to cover these races, and fails to sponsor a debate in county commissioner races, it means that the Strib is failing to live up to its responsibilities. Please consider sponsoring - along with organizations like the Twin West Chamber of Commerce, the Minneapolis Chamber, MPR, City Pages and other media organizations, debates for all the competitive county commissioner races. Please do make an effort to obtain audio from the Urban League debate between Stenglein and Gray - and report on that debate from that audio. Thank you for your attention. It's important for voters to hear a debate between Mike Opat and Mary OConnor. The Strib should be sponsoring such debates.

Won't it be grand....

.... to watch a 3 hour baseball game outside on a night like tonight in downtown Minneapolis? Thanks, Mike Opat and Carl Pohlad and Tim Pawlenty, for bringing outdoor baseball back to Minnesota.

Vote Today

It's primary election day, and everybody in Minnesota has a chance to vote against Governor Tim Pawlenty, who didn't only sign off on a 30 year tax for Hennepin County residents to subsidize private investors, but he made a media event out of it. I was also happy to vote for Peter McLaughlin's opponent. If you live in Mike Opat or Mark Stenglein's districts, take 10 minutes out of your day and go vote against them. The Hennepin County commissioner primary is on the non-partisan section of the ballot, so whether you want to vote in the GOP, DFL, or Independence primary, everybody can vote against the Hennepin County commissioners who denied us the chance to vote in a referendum.

Magnificent Rage

I watched the replay of the August 29th Hennepin County Board meeting. Linda Koblick was magnificent in her rants about the stadium swindle. She went after Opat, his assistant's new job with the stadium commission, the Twins, the Legislature, the Star Tribune, and all of the paid lobbyists. It reminded me of Brenda Wehle as 'Medea' at the Guthrie Theatre in the early 90's, or Isabel Monk as Clytemnestra a few years later. I expected claps of thunder as she held forth. The pathetic author of Ordinance 26, Mike Opat, didn't directly answer any of her charges, including the one about purposely omitting public statements about the lack of a referendum when the board passed the resolution that went to the Legislature.

Sounds Like a Mike Opat Supporter Is Blowing Off Steam

This email was received at CCARL: hi there, i am contacting you with questions, comments, concerns, as well as suggestions. first of all i would like to start off by saying nothing is better for the state of Minnesota than the twins baseball team. no other group of people in the world deserves this new stadium more than them. along with being great for the team and organization, the state and city will greatly benefit from it as well. the city will be cleaned up from crime as well as drugs because of all of the people being around. the economy will benefit from it most of all because the stadium and sport will bring in much tourism. there is a thing in baseball called the mid-summer classic, or to the idiot such as yourselves, the All-Star game. baseball always has these games at the newest stadiums and with our stadium we are sure to have one here and that alone will will take care of most of YOUR worries. now that i have gone over all of the positive things this new stadium will do, i would like to comment on the way your group does things. first of all, you fuckers put up the HOME phone Numbers of three of our states law makers. now i can understand giving an office number but when you cross the line like that and give away some body's home number, you fuckers have no soul. people have a home so they can get away from ass holes such as yourself. you are the reason people are unlisted in the phone book you prying pieces of shit. along with our lawmakers you should be ashamed of giving out Carl Pohlad number as well. the man over 90 years old and you bitches have nothing better to do than bug an old man over THREE FUCKING PENNY'S!!!!!!!! the next point i would like to make is that THE TAX IS THREE CENTS ON A TWENTY DOLLAR BILL!!!!!!! if you cock suckers are worried about three cents than trying to get something like this should be the least of your problems. you fuckers need to worry about what is more important in life like family and friends rather than losing three cents on a fucking twenty dollar bill. from where I'm sitting, all i understand your group to be is a bunch of money hungry fuckers who want to be heard for something, ANYTHING. why didn't you try and get gas cheaper? have you ever thought about that? that is something that affects everyone every day and your fucking worried about three cents on a twenty dollar bill. this whole thing blows my fucking mind!! you punk bitches cant leave well enough alone you always have to through in your two fucking cents. Your entire group makes me so fucking sick!! in my opinion, your organization is worse for this country than the aids virus. i believe your organization and the aids virus should be breathed in the same breath. fuck you and your entire organization and never do i want to see anyone of you fucks in or new state of the art stadium. FUCK YOU!!! I don't quite get the "cocksucker" reference. Does Mike Opat claim the stadium will clean up the crime problem? Funny - I thought better policing would do that.

Let's Advertise this blog with Signs at this Parade

From Tom Reynolds, posted on the CCARL yahoogroup: Dear Ray, I will be busy tomorrow door knocking and handing out literature. On Saturday September 9th I will be doing the Osseo Roaring Lions Parade and festival. During the weekdays leading up to the primary I will be touring the six cities with our mobile billboards on our cars. If there are other events that I can attend between now and the primary I will be attending. If I had more money I would be doing a selected mailing. However, at this time what I will be doing is emailing as many folks as possible asking them to spread the word. Following the primary if I am able to move on I will be holding several fundraisers at local businesses located in the district. What I need are yard sign locations, persons willing to March in the Parade in Osseo wearing Tom Reynolds T-Shirts and carrying signs, mailing lists of persons in the district, emails if possible, and of course money is always needed. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support. Tom For more information on defeating Mike Opat, check out the CCARL website.

Commissioner Opat Confirms that He Has Superior Knowledge

From the Star Tribune story on Tuesday's Hennepin County Board vote: While Opat thanked those who had testified at three public hearings last week, and added that their testimony had raised "a few concerns for me," he said that he had analyzed the stadium plan in depth and that "a lot of the questions I wrestled with, I wrestled with a long time ago." Well, Commissioner, as long as you're okay with it.

My first New Years Resolution for 2007

If Ordinance 26 (the Stadium Swindle) passes next week, I've let the Hennepin County Board know that I'll be making every effort to do my discretionary spending outside of Hennepin County. Not that I'm a huge spender, but I'll miss the downtown Target store, and certain coffee shops, restaurants and taverns. Ah well. Hopefully more people will do the same.

Does Sue Jeffers Make Mike Opat Nervous?

During the Thursday night hearings in Maple Grove, Commissioners Opat and McLaughlin both jumped out of their seats when Sue Jeffers stepped up to testify. I could do all sorts of speculation here, but it was a funny visual on TV.

What Other Information Do You Need?

My schedule this week didn't allow for attending any of the public hearings before the Hennepin County Board's final stadium vote, but I was able to watch part of Tuesday's live coverage on MTN between work and another meeting. The people speaking were all over the map, but the last speaker I heard asked a very good question of Commissioners Opat, Stenglein McLaughlin and Johnson..... I'm paraphrasing, but he asked the four supporters of the stadium tax just what they would need to be told for them to change their minds. No public opinion poll supports their action. It got through the legislature via support from outstate members, whose local constituents will feel little or no effect of the tax. The bill was signed by an admittedly faux 'conservative' governor, who knows he could never win a majority of the votes in Hennepin County on the best day of his life, so tax away. Economic research does not support this proposal. Long term results of other publicly funded stadiums do not support this proposal. This 30-year sentence will affect Hennepin County residents who haven't even been born. I could conceivably be paying this tax for the rest of my life. The mission statement and operating budget of the County does not support this proposal. It was pointed out that 'building stadiums' does not appear anywhere in the county budget. A true conservative political orientation would not support this proposal, nor would a true liberal philosophy. Peter McLaughlin's opponent in the November election cited only one person out of thousands she has met while door-knocking who supports the proposal. If the reason to not have a referendum is the belief that it wouldn't pass, how cynical do you have to be to go ahead and do what the taxpayers do not want to do? If a school board has to pass a levy referendum to raise operating funds for the school, which is one of the core responsibilities of government, how is it we can tax for an amenity without a referendum? Commissioner Opat - what information are you missing here?

Sending a Message to Mike Opat

CCARL dropped by Mike Opat's home to let him know how they felt about his single minded efforts to stick them with a tax increase. See photos of the action at CCARL's website.

Dang I missed this one

From CCARL: THURSDAY Evening, August 10 7:00 to 8:30 PM --- Mike Opat Mike Opat 4529 York Avenue North Robbinsdale, MN 55422 Click here for: Map to Commissioner Opat's house Very easy to find. In Robbinsdale. This is almost at the corner of Lake Drive North and Memorial Parkway. York is on the north side of Lake Drive. This area is straight east of downtown Robbinsdale. This part of York Avenue is very short and a little oddly shaped and narrow. One side is no parking. It is a small brick house, pretty much in the middle of the block. There is a small adress plaque by the front door. Since I was out of town for this scheduled visit, I'll do my own visit - and get photos of the house to post here.

Does Dan Kenney Serve the Taxpayers or the Pohlads?

Kudos to Matt at North Star Liberty for pointing this out. Tuesday, August 08, 2006 Dan Kenney serves the taxpayers...or the Twins? By Dann Dobson No Stadium Tax Coalition NoStadiumTax@Yahoogroups.com Not unexpectedly, the new Minnesota Ballpark Authority, which will oversee the construction of the new Twins Stadium, appointed Dan Kenney as the first Executive Director, Friday at a salary of $110,000. This is like handing the keys to the Hen House to the fox. For those who do not recall, in February Mr. Kenney posted in this group [E-Democracy.org Minneapolis Issues Forum] that there was no requirement for a referendum for a sales tax increase in Hennepin County under state law and posted his message as an average citizen, simply signing his post, "Dan Kenney Ward 11". Kenney did not disclose or reveal that he was Commissioner Mike Opat's aide, for the past ten years, that he was a member of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, nor that he had and Opat had been secretly negotiating with the Twins for over 6 months. At that time I raised the question about Mr. Kinney's potential conflicts of interest. "It seems to me that if Mr. Kenney is going to try and get the Twins out of the Dome and into a new stadium, (largely at taxpayer expense), he should NOT be serving on the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission." As a part of the discussion about Mr. Kinney and his potential conflict of interest, I predicted "I would wager if the Twins stadium bill passes, Mr. Kenney has a cushy job waiting for him with the new Stadium Commission or with the Twins." I have written repeatedly how the enabling legislation is so poorly written, putting all of the "infrastructure costs" onto Hennepin County taxpayers and infrastructure is defined as anything other than the actual "ballpark", so land costs, environmental remediation, decks across I-394, rail line extensions, landscaping and anything else in the ballpark district will be paid by Hennepin County taxpayers and not the Twins. Mr. Kinney thus far has shown himself to be far more interested in what is best for the Twins and himself and not the taxpayers of Hennepin County. With Kinney as executive director of the new Minnesota Ballpark Authority, (which was appointed by the 4 male members of the Hennepin County Board who did not want Hennepin County taxpayers to vote on this project), I do not see any party who will protect the interests of Hennepin County taxpayers. The Ballpark Authority could have appointed someone with a history and record of vigorous fiscal responsibility. They failed to do so. Instead they appointed someone who has been disingenuous when debating this project, which does not bode well for the future.

More Candidates Run Against Opat

0391-COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 MARY O'CONNOR HENNEPIN Weblink: Email: Campaign Address: 5429 LYNDALE AVE N BROOKLYN CENTER MN 55430 763 5618038 7/7/2006 I talked to Tony Pistilli, and he decided against running. He was impressed with Mary O'Connor, who is a libertarian sitting on the Brooklyn Center city council. 0391-COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 MIKE OPAT HENNEPIN Weblink: Email: MIKEOPAT@AOL.COM Campaign Address: 3001 AQUILA AVE N CRYSTAL MN 55427 763 5338034 7/11/2006 0391-COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 TOM REYNOLDS HENNEPIN Weblink: www.tkreynolds.com Email: treynolds@tkreynolds.com Campaign Address: 5438 71ST CIR N BROOKLYN CENTER MN 55429 763 5600035 7/5/2006 0391-COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 JAMES P WIRTH HENNEPIN Weblink: Email: Campaign Address: 5857 PERRY AVE N CRYSTAL MN 55429 763 5312669 7/19/2006 I'll be calling all candidates to ask them their positions on the Stadium Boondoggle.

Minneapolis Throws Down the Gauntlet

The City of Minneapolis has set the bar very high for naming horrible choices for the Mike Opat Ball Park Authority. Joan Campbell is the worst of the worst when it comes to stupid elected officials. She got thrown out of office along with Sharon Sayle Benton and Jackie Cherryhomes. Can't wait to see who the Governor names. Ballpark agency has first member Minneapolis City Council on Friday named a former member, Joan Campbell, to the Minnesota Ballpark Authority. Former Minneapolis City Council Member Joan Campbell was named Friday as the first appointee to the new five-member Minnesota Ballpark Authority, which will own the new Minnesota Twins stadium and supervise its construction. A 12-year City Council member who left office in 2001, Campbell was appointed on a 12-1 vote by the City Council. The authority's other four members are expected to be announced next week, when Hennepin County and the governor's office each make two appointments. The authority, which is scheduled to begin meeting next month, will own the stadium and sign an agreement with the Twins for the team to manage its day-to-day operations. Campbell, also a former Metropolitan Council member, said she told City Council President Barb Johnson of her interest earlier this week. Campbell said she supported Hennepin County's controversial decision to impose a 0.15 percent countywide sales tax increase, or 3 cents for every $20 spent, that will be used to help build the $522 million stadium. She said she also backed the equally controversial decision to levy the tax without a referendum. "There needs to be a political will to do what's right for the city, and I think this is right for the city," she said. "I'm happy the county's willing to do this because obviously the tax base in the city would never support that." But Campbell acknowledged that she became interested in the job only recently after finding out that she was eligible. Members of the Ballpark Authority cannot have held elected office in Hennepin County or Minneapolis within the past two years. Johnson said Campbell, who served on an implementation panel for the city's new downtown library, was a good choice. "She's extremely loyal and also knows our process," Johnson said. "She's been through this stuff before. She knows how to get a project done on time and on budget." MIKE KASZUBA

Hennepin County Schedules Vote on Stadium Spending

The board has not yet officially approved the Mike Opat sales tax, but spending has to be approved with no secure funding source. From the MPR website County board sets timeline for stadium vote Hennepin County officials say they expect a vote to approve the Twins ballpark sales tax increase by October. But county officials say there is much to be done in the meantime. The county has to start negotiating a lease agreement with the Twins. Once the agreement is complete, county commissioners will take public testimony at three public hearings likely to be held in August. The board is expected to vote next week to approve spending $5 million to cover some initial costs. The money would be recovered after the tax increase is imposed next year. However, commissioner Penny Steele expressed concern about where the county would find $5 million if the sales tax increase doesn't pass. "Stranger things have happened, people either somehow aren't in office or somehow things can happen in a time gap in the world of human beings. I assume then that property tax would pay those $5 million," she said. County staffers confirmed Steele's assumption. Steele opposes the tax increase for the stadium. However, the supporters on the county board still outnumber opponents 4-3.

Mike Opat and the Four Horsemen

From the Pioneer Press: "From Sid's Sunday column: 'Phil Krinkie, the esteemed so-called state representative, recently described the four Hennepin County commissioners in favor of the Twins plan — Mike Opat, Randy Johnson, Peter McLaughlin and Mark Stenglein — as "the Four Horsemen." Well, that is very nice of him to give these courageous politicians a name, because they deserve to be remembered for the courage they showed to continue voting for the stadium.' "I'm not sure the so-called representative intended the same homage to the commissioners that Mr. Hartman seems to find in the appellation. Maybe he doesn't recall the descriptive portion of the text Grantland Rice provided in 1924: " 'Outlined against a blue, gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. " 'In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death.' "Maybe Sid can decide which name fits which politician." The combo platter

Opat Concerned Stadium Boondoggle Could End Political Career

From Patrick Reusse: "If this issue finishes me [politically], it was one worthy dying on." -- Mike Opat, who was out front in putting together a ballpark deal to secure the Twins' future here, and faces November reelection as a Hennepin County commissioner. Here's hoping. I'd be interested in hearing from Mike Opat's constituents. Does Opat return phone calls? Does he attend community meetings? The DFL will be having their county convention in Minneapolis next Saturday. Opat's opponent, Tom Reynolds will be going. It will be interesting to see what his reception is.

It isn't over yet...

If you don't like the Mike Opat-sponsored Hennepin County Twins stadium scam, there will still be chances to complain and votes to count. The Hennepin County Board is now faced with making the final deal. More public hearings are promised, and while the outcome seems certain, if you don't like the plan, you should still keep letting the board know your concerns. And ask your neighbors, your local city leadership, and business leaders (especially people who try to sell big-ticket items) to step up and complain about this unholy alliance. Rep. Phil Krinkie was on David Strom's FM 100.3 program on Saturday, and he said the legislature and governor did not get the negative feedback from constituents that they've heard in past sessions, the poll results notwithstanding.