Dedicated to … raising the cost of doing business in Minneapolis

Instead of making easier and less expensive to do business and living in a city overrun with taxes and fees, the “silly” council is into creating new fees. This time it’s the Park Dedicated Fee resolution authored by Paul Ostrow. This is a fee up to $2,000 charged against newly constructed residential property which will be dedicated to new park needs. This is a step closer to allowing the city to charge fees for commercial and industrial to be dedicated for bike paths and other trails.
For this Council Member Ostrow gets the “boo” of the week. The Shadow is very proud of our park system, but we must not keep raising the costs of doing business and living in Minneapolis. As we discussed last week, get more money in the system and then you can pay for new parks and bike trails. Lower taxes and you will collect more money.
Can we blame poor Paul for not understanding basic economics? I think not, he hasn’t spent enough time working in the real world to recognize some of the basic fundamental principles that the rest of us working stiffs know all too well. Go ahead and pass this resolution and make it law. It gives the rest of us more reason not to invest in the city Minneapolis. Go head and charge businesses more money for operating in Minneapolis. You will keep scaring well meaning business owners into the suburbs, at least until the suburbs catch up. This type of policy making is like a disease, and can spend to the area surrounding the infected areas. So, for all of you suburban types who like to poke fun at Minneapolis, just remember… they are coming for you too.