This morning I muddled through another daily dose of predictable propaganda from our friends at the StarTribune. Letters to the editor read like a promotional package from the group of lobbyists and special interests that made the transportation bill happen this year. Lori Sturdivant criticizes any scrutiny of the six turncoats who abandoned their party and sided with the democrats to override the Governor's veto. Once again, media playing it's critical role in managing public opinion rather than reporting on it. The choreography is precise and the playbook shrewdly crafted. And it's all made to look like what happened last week in the legislature was the result of some organic grassroots effort to remedy our sick transportation system. If the people only knew the truth.
Driving in to my office this morning I heard a few different ads on the radio sanctifying the heroic victory for the people that the transportation bill passing so "definitely" represents. What a bunch of crap!
Surely every Minnesotan deserves to know the players behind the power and influence exerted in Minnesota. This is all public information so it can't be corrupt, right? Weigh the details for yourself. Make up your own mind.
Let's take a look at the "powers that be" behind the scenes on this shrewdly crafted outcome "for" Minnesota:
Let's start with the Transportation Alliance.
Ames Construction
Parsons Brickerhoff
Bonestroo
HDR
HTNB
Short Elliott Hendriksen
SRF Consulting
3M Worldwide
WSB
Ayers Associates
Bolton & Menk Surveyors
Amalgamated Transit Union
URS Corporation
MN Building Trades Council (AFL-CIO)
International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 49
Jacobs, Edwards & Kelsey
Teamsters Local 120
Now lets take a look at the massive mob of organizations under the advertising campaign I heard this morning under the Progress In Motion moniker:
Supporters:
Professional Associations
The Minnesota Transportation Alliance
A statewide coalition of approximately 275 public and private sector organizations involved in the development, construction and operation of Minnesota’s transportation system. Alliance members include most of the 87 Minnesota counties, cities, the highway industry, transit organizations, unions and other transportation advocates.
Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
The AGC is a non-profit professional trade association consisting of 450 members that is dedicated to promoting opportunity and excellence in the building and highway construction industry.
Minnesota Public Transit Association
Statewide Association consisting of over 60 transit systems statewide and other transit advocates.
Minnesota State Patrol Troopers Association
City Engineers Association – Represents 142 cities
County Engineers Association – Represents all 87 county engineers
American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota - ACEC/MN’s 150+ member firms represent over 4,500 employees and over $350 million in annual gross billings.
Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association - Approximately 29 asphalt producers along with 7 asphalt non producers and 95+ associate members.
Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota – Represents approximately 70 member companies
Aggregate Ready Mix Association
Minnesota Utility Contractors Association
North Central Cement Council
Local Government
Minnesota Association of Townships
Minnesota Inter-County Association
Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
North Metro Mayors Association
North Metro I-35W Corridor Coalition
Highway 14 Partnership
Highway 52 Freeway Partnership
Highway 55 Coalition
City of Hutchinson
City of Minneapolis
City of St. Michael
Beltrami County
Blue Earth County
Lyon County
Ramsey County
Agricultural Groups
Broiler and Egg Association of Minnesota
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Land Stewardship Project
Minnesota Association of Cooperatives
Minnesota Barley Growers Association
Minnesota Farmers Union
Minnesota Food Association
Minnesota Land Trust
Minnesota Turkey Growers Association
Minnesota Wheat Growers Association
Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
Other Supporters
Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Brain Injury Association of Minnesota
Growth & Justice
ISAIAH
League of Women Voters Minnesota
Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce /Transportation Committee
Minnesota Consortium For Citizens With Disabilities
Minnesota Public Interest Research Group
Minnesota Senior Federation
Transit for Livable Communities
Unions
AFSCME Council 5
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49
Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota
Minnesota AFL-CIO
Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council
North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
Teamsters Local 120
United Transportation Union
Environmental Organizations
Alliance for Sustainability
Conservation Fund
Conservation Minnesota
Fresh Energy
Friends of the Mississippi River
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Institute for Local Self – Reliance
Izaak Walton League – Minnesota Division
Lower Phalen Creek Project
Mankato Area Environmentalists
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Minnesota Conservation Federation
Minnesota Council Trout Unlimited
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
Minnesota Food Association
Minnesota Land Trust
National Environmental Trust, Minnesota
Sierra Club
Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota
Will Steger Foundation
Windustry
Businesses
Aggregate Industries
American Engineering Testing
Ames Construction
AVR
Bituminous Roadways
Bolton & Menk Inc
Bonestroo
Braun Intertec Corporation
Central Specialties Inc
Century Fence Company
CS McCrossan, Inc.
Cemstone
CitiCapital Construction Equipment Finance
Cobb Strecker Dunphy & Zimmerman Inc.
Dahl Trucking Inc
Duininck Brothers Construction
Eagan Connection, LLC
Edward Kraemer and Sons
Erickson Engineering
Frattalone Companies
Geyer Signal
Hardrives
HDR Engineering Inc
Highway Technologies
HNTB
Hoover Construction
Intex Corporation
Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey
J.D.P. Safety Consulting LLC
Kadrmas Lee & Jackson
KGM Contractors Inc.
Knife River Corp
L.H. Sowles Inc.
LHB Inc
Lunda Construction
Martin Marietta Materials
Master Engineering, Real Estate and Construction
Mathiowetz Construction Company
McCarty Group
Midwest Asphalt
R and G Construction
Rachel Contracting
Riley Brothers Construction Inc.
Road Machinery and Supplies Company
Robert Schroeder Construction
Ryan Companies US Inc
Sellin Brothers
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc
Simcote Inc.
SRF Consulting Group Inc
Stellar Contracting Inc.
TCC Materials
TKDA
Tiller Corporation
Tower Asphalt
Ulland Brothers, Inc
Valley Paving
WSB and Associates
Ziegler Inc.
Don't let the democrats fool you. This is the group of special interests that made the transportation bill happen. They are the companies and organizations that will be building the train lines and pocketing the windfall at taxpayer expense.
The 2008 Transportation Bill goes to show that if a group of folks who stand to benefit directly from public contracts spends enough time and money organizing, they can pretty much have whatever they want. I feel like I need a shower.
I have more questions. How many of the groups that are on this list are already funded by taxpayer money? How many of the folks behind these companies give big money to political campaigns?
If this cadre had been assembled by republicans you can bet your back pockets the shrill screams of Nick Coleman would be heard throughout the land. But no, this extortion of taxpayer money is the handiwork of liberals who have deftly figured out how to fleece the system and make it look like an offertory procession.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
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5 comments:
I don't know if your related tp Rep tom Emmer, regardless, we need to draft him to run for Governor. I have watched his floor speeches on both the light rail tax grab and again today in the bridge victims fund. The guy says everything I would say if I was in his position. I would only hope I could say it as clear and concice as he does.
Drew,
Your list is impressive, and it gives people something to think about regarding the role of the transportation industry in supporting road construction legislation.
But calling this bill the work of "special interests" and attributing its passage to an orchestrated effort by groups as diverse as the Isaak Walton League, the Teamsters and Potato Growers is a bit silly.
Your compilation becomes even less credible because it also omits two of the most influential groups who favored passage — the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Itasca Project — two broad-based business groups concerned about the region's economic health and competitiveness.
I think the claim of liberal "special" interests starts to lose all meaning when the interests represent virtually all the state's businesses, counties and municipalities in addition to the others you mention.
Isn't it just possible they all agreed — beyond their parochial concerns — that it was time to invest in the state's infrastructure?
Dear Charlie,
No. Your dismissive comment suggests that this group made a decision based on some sense of idealism for the good of Minnesota. In fact, they put forth the effort they did to pad the lining of their own pockets.
That you support their collusion is certainly your right.
Who do you work for again Charlie?
Charlie,
I can't believe how easily you dismiss the influence of a vaiety of special interest groups simply because there areas of work are different. every one of these groups has an interest in increasing tax rates simply because they'll be more money to lobby foroverall. Do you honestly think that this bill is going to focus on roads, because thats not even the point. This is a transit bill. They are going to pump money into transit, and then move to transit centered development, which will create al new sorts of funding opportunities for almost every one of these groups. Don't you find it a bit strange that after a year of explaining why we can't use bonds for roads, they push right into a billion dollars of prok bonds for unnecessary projets (right after they raised taxes). Of course you don't because you probably didnt even notice since it hasnt been reported. They spent months telling us that Bonds will cripple the future of MN and they went ahead and sold a billion $ in bonds for: outstate hockey arenas, polar bear exibits, bike paths, The U of M, recreation centers, and on and on the list could go. That billion dollars would have nearly doubled the roads spending budget, but we were told there was no money. This bill was passed for the direct benefit of the politicians, and special interest. Look at the polls. Minnesota citizens didnt want this tax. almost 70% view it negatively, yet its heralded as the saving grace of our state. If you dont believe me look at the money. There is no way is hekk they can continue to fund LRT the way they want with out significant new revenues. FYI the transportation budget has rose to over 2.3 billion dollars. We spend 52% more on roads per person than the national average, but we dont spend it where we need it. LRT does nothing to fight congestion. 70% of riders dont own cars, and all LRT riders combined only add to about 6% of the commuters in the state. These LRT's are killing our economy. We are in a recession and no kanesian or classical economist ever thought it was smart to raise taxes in a recesion. Its just stupid. There is no excuse for MN legislature when this regressive tax starts to destroy the poor communities. We are already the:7th highest in taxes per capita, 9th worst in business tax climate, 2nd worst for taxes on low income taxpayers (taxpayer being the key word),and we are seeing our wealthy investors leave only to be replaced with welfare recipients(since 95 our population has grown and yet tax revenues have fell dramatically).
I do collect a stipend from Growth & Justice that represents less than 10% of my income, so I guess you could say I work for them. You'll have to explain to me how a gas tax increase lines the pockets of Growth & Justice, the League of Women Voters, Isaak Walton League, etc.
As for the commercial interests you cite, my previous comment acknowledged your point. But to expect no one to benefit from building infrastructure strikes me as a bit unrealistic. I thought the Republicans were the party of business.
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