State Fair poll reveals conservative views

The annual opinion polls at the State Fair conducted by the Minnesota House of Representatives are informal and unscientific, but close to 10,000 responded this year. The poll revealed several positions that conservative Republican candidates should be able to echo on the campaign trail:

• Only 14% favored tax increases alone to balance the state budget. Over twice that percentage, 32%, favored spending cuts alone, while 50% favored a combination.
• 80% favored tax breaks or other funding assistance to encourage small-business growth
• 73% want the Legislature to take steps to limit tuition and fee increases at public colleges and universities 
• 72% opposed giving school districts the authority to increase their operating levy without voter approval
• 69% favored requiring voters to show a picture ID before casting their ballot.
• 66% were against using public dollars to fund a new Vikings stadium.

The state Senate conducted a similar poll, but it has not posted the results as of this morning.

Warning: these donuts may be hazardous to the economy

Public Service Announcement:

WARNING: Purchasing State Fair Grandstand DFL Donuts May Result In Higher Taxes, Increased Regulation, Enlarged Government, Loss Of Employment, Insatiable Spending, And Higher Budget Deficits.

John Benson's tax-heavy voting record

In a previous blog post, I summarized the votes that make up Sen. Terri Bonoff's (DFL-Minnetonka) poor career rating on the Taxpayers League of Minnesota's legislative scorecards. In this post, I'll show why Rep. John Benson's (DFL-Minnetonka) career score is even lower than Bonoff's.

2007: Benson repeatedly voted in favor of what the Taxpayers League called a "bloated" transportation bill, then voted to override Gov. Pawlenty's veto of the bill, which would have raised taxes by billions of dollars, by up to $500 a year for a family of four. Benson also voted in favor of the Health and Human Services Finance bill, which would have reversed many welfare reforms and increased welfare spending in Minnesota (the bill was vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty). Rating: 25.

2008: Benson earned a big zero in this year, for voting contrary to Taxpayers League positions on every one of its tracked votes, including amending the state constitution to dedicate revenue from a new sales tax to fund "natural resource protection and cultural heritage programs;" levying an additional $6.6 billion in taxes on transportation and creating a new Twin Cities metro bureaucracy (vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty, veto overridden), and a $1 billion bonding bill with according to the Taxpayers League, "hundreds of millions for local arenas, hockey rinks, parks and trails and the Central Corridor lightrail boondoggle… with no money for state priorities like road and bridge construction." Rating: 0.

2009: Benson voted in favor of the $4.3 billion transportation bill that included funding for various light rail and commuter rail projects, continuing the trend for rail funding over highways; loan forgiveness for the city of St. Paul RiverCentre Arena totaling $32.75 million (vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty); and a $1 billion tax increase including the fourth tier tax increase, liquor tax increases, and cigarette tax (vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty; Benson voted to override the veto, which did not pass). Benson also voted in favor of the last-hour, end-of-session third attempt by the DFL leadership to pass a billion dollar tax increase. Rating: 7.

2010: At least Benson's score didn't go down this year, but in 2010 and 2009 he missed another zero score by only one vote. He voted against lowering the corporate tax rate (Minnesota has the third highest corporate income tax rate in the world!), in favor of adding a new fourth tier to the income tax, and voted to raise food, beverage, and lodging taxes for select cities as well as to authorize $34 million in additional debt for the Metropolitan Council. Rating: 7.

With another budget deficit looming, Minnesotans can ill-afford even more job-killing tax and spending increases. For more on John Benson's tax-and-spend voting record, and how you can help to restore fiscal sanity in the Minnesota Legislature, please visit the Brian Grogan for House web site (Twitter: @bwgrogan).

Dillon to Chamber: government should live within its means

In its Minnesota Business Community 2010 Election Candidate Questionnaire, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce scored SD43 Republican endorsed candidate Norann Dillon 23 points higher than Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka), 92% to 69%. The most telling difference came from this key question: "If elected, what will be your top priority?"

Bonoff: "Implementing a strategic plan that re-engineers the way we deliver all government services, leveraging the power and efficiency that modern technology provides. In addition, I will be a leader in making the strong and strategic reforms needed in our educational system so that each and every Minnesota child has an outstanding and excellent education. Our youngest learners must leave our schools college and post secondary ready to succeed."

Dillon: "My top priority will be to hold state government accountable to its number one responsibility: passing a genuinely balanced budget. The Legislature should decide how to spend your money by the Constitutionality, efficiency and effectiveness of programs and agencies. We need to apply the common sense that Minnesota families and businesses use every day: needs come before wants, you can't spend money you don't have, and plan for the long run. Let's look beyond the next election to create sustainable solutions and return our economy to prosperity."

While education reform is needed, Bonoff's focus on government services belies her overall philosophy that government just needs to be "more efficient" in its current role.

In contrast, Dillon would focus on making government live within its means, just like families and private businesses do every day. For example, Dillon puts forth these ideas on her campaign web site:

long term thinking is required: no tricks, shifts, or borrowing that delay and compound the deficit problem.

the Legislature will lead by example: no per diem or year round housing allowance; reduce the number of committees and their budgets to 2006 levels; merge and/or eliminate the myriad of commissions, boards and councils.

stop the practice of passing omnibus bills; this is where pet projects and special interest items are snuck into legislation, usually to the benefit of a select few at the expense of the rest of us.

New and improved

North Star Liberty readers, I have been busy over the summer sprucing up the place for campaign season. I hope that these new tools will help our corner of cyberspace feel more like home, and help you to share North Star Liberty with your friends:

• New comment system - my comment system is now powered by Disqus, which provides for authenticated comments (you have to sign in to comment) and other features to make it a more robust and meaningful exchange. Try it!
• Wibya toolbar - the toolbar at the bottom of the screen now incorporates Facebook, Twitter, navigation, and even a very slick translation tool. Be sure to hit the Like button to recommend us to your Facebook friends, or hit the Recommend button to see what posts others have recommended.
• Share buttons - there are now sharing buttons at the end of every post, to enable you to easily e-mail or share them on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Buzz, or your own Blogger blog.

Y'all come back real soon now, ya hear?

Dollars to donuts (to DFL)

It's State Fair time, and once again those clever entrepreneurs at Grandstand DFL Mini Donuts will be fundraising for DFL BPOUs in Ramsey County. And judging from the 2009 report filed by the donut stand PAC with the Minnesota Campaign & Finance Disclosure Board, the amounts of money donated to the DFL amount to much more than (ahem) peanuts:

SD50 DFL: $6,950
SD51 DFL: $2,800
SD53 DFL: $9,700
SD54 DFL: $12,500
SD55 DFL: $6,950
HD66B DFL: $11,100

2009 Total Contributions to Party Units: $50,000.00, up 4% from 2008. That's a lot of bread, man.

The Tenth Ward & Rural Ramsey DFL PAC is not required by the State Fair or any law to disclose at the booth itself where the proceeds from the sale of their deep-fried guilty pleasures are going. I'm not sure whether their sales would increase or decrease if they did. I just thought that you, dear readers, would like to know. Or as Rep. Laura Brod (R-New Prague) was quoted last session:

“If you go to the State Fair and buy doughnuts at this booth, you think you’re buying doughnuts when, in actuality, what you’re doing is making a contribution to a political party of which you have no idea. You don’t know if you are donating to Republicans. You don’t know if you are donating to Democrats. You don’t know if you’re donating to defeat a ballot initiative.

“I want them to know that they’re just not buying a doughnut. They are buying a philosophy along with it."

SD43 picnic fundraiser

Please join me this Wednesday for SD43's event of the season! Share a barbecue picnic with the Republican Party of Minnesota slate of candidates, from SD43 to the statewide offices and Congress:

U.S. Congressman Erik Paulsen, Tom Emmer for Governor, Pat Anderson for State Auditor, Dan Severson for Secretary of State, Chris Barden for Attorney General, SD43 candidate Norann Dillon, HD43A Rep. Sarah Anderson, and HD43B candidate Brian Grogan

Date: Wednesday, August 25

Catering by Famous Dave's
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
5:30 pm Food served
7:00 pm Program begins

Cost: $15 Adults, $6 Children 6 and up, 5 and under FREE

Where: Carlson Cheshire Park
14440 Cheshire Parkway
Minnetonka, MN

Sponsored by Senate District 43 Republicans, Larry Thompson, chair.


View Larger Map

UPDATE: We had great weather and turnout for the SD43 picnic! Here are my photos from this event: