“The Elected” need to get reeducated on economics

Hennepin County is looking to cap property tax increase at 7% is the big news. Wow, thank you Commissioners! You are the greatest! The inflation rate so far this year has only risen by an average of 3.86%, and the lowest inflation rate increase over the last three occurred in the final four months of the year. BTW, that would bring down the average if that trend continues this year. The inflation increases over the last three years were 2.85%, 3.24%, and 3.39%. Why does Government need to grow way over the rate of inflation? Who do you know has had an increase in income of over 7% this past year? This only represents the county potion of the property tax increase. It doesn’t represent the increase in state and city property, school, park, sales, user fee, and other misc funding mechanisms. Why is the cap of 7% something to celebrate? The isn’t a cut in the rate we are paying it’s only a cut in the increase we are paying. Is that really the way to help working families out? Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials are trying to “paint lipstick on a pig” here and say they are trying to help families out. What happen to tax cuts?

Minneapolis Public Schools are at it again…another Program of the Day

This time they are creating a special agreement with the African American community. Now I agree with family involvement, which is key to a child knowing that his or her parents place importance on getting a good education. However, creating a culturally responsive curriculum doesn’t make sense. Culture, what culture. You mean to tell me the school system doesn’t have a curriculum that doesn’t appeal to American sensitivities? I thought this was an American school system. What special curriculum needs to be put into place to feed the needs of someone that is an American? I understand language barriers and new Americans or immigrants getting adjusted, but members of a community that have been here for generations needing a whole different program doesn’t make sense. I come from a Swedish, French, and Dutch background. So where is my special curriculum? Isn’t this really about taking responsibility? Why should the school system need to compensate for parental irresponsibility? Maybe the school system just needs to take a different approach towards discipline instead of changing it’s programming. Maybe an agreement between parents, students, and teachers outlining expectations is needed. There are better ways of closing the achievement gap then creating another special program.

Homicides have doubled in Minneapolis over the last month

Welcome to crime time all you citizens. The August Homicide total doubled over July, Robberies increased 16%, and Aggravated Assaults are up. Can “the elected” continue to say crime is down? Fortunately as we get away from the summer months crime will decrease, maybe.

A city that doesn’t work

According to the Mayor crime is worse that it has been. Whew..talking out of two sides of your face. Straight from the Mayor’s web site.
------------------------------------
Closing the Gaps
Closing the gaps between the haves and have-nots is the most important value for our city because the story of this period in Minneapolis cannot be a tale of two cities. While billions of dollars of investment are lifting most of this city, parts of Minneapolis are falling further behind. Crime is worse, unemployment is higher, heath and education disparities are growing. I believe that the role of government is more about leveling the playing field than about treating everyone equally. Where there is disproportionate need, we need to make disproportionate investment. We have proven in the Phillips neighborhood, where a once-distressed area is now creating more jobs than any other part of the state, that investment in areas in need pays off tenfold. We need to reproduce the success of Phillips to north Minneapolis and the entire city.
-------------------------------------

The biggest problem that the Mayor nor the council really seem to properly address is the high taxes that the city has. Be it taxes on business, property, sales, user, or amount heavy handed fees, Minneapolis faces some of the highest around. The education system is a complete failure, and the city keeps getting whacked by lawsuits for things that are avoidable or the results of their overreaching authority. One of the most distressing parts of being low income is being able to meet the basic needs.
- If you want to own a home.. you need to pay high property taxes … to pay the city.
- If you want electrical, water, sewer, and trash service for your home… you have high fees and taxes to pay..the city.
- If you want to educate your kids… you have to pay high school taxes … to the city… and get failed results… so you need to go to some alternative … which costs less but you still have to pay the high school taxes .. to the city in addition to your choice.

Whew… what a crazy cycle of tax and spend .. and for what?