He does not like it.
I do not like Met Council.
Their planners, the whole lot of them and the comprehensive planning process seems to be writing a floor for Crabgrass developers to stand on while picking the public pocket or ruining a community with stupid but potentially profitable bad housing.
They, the Met Council planners, are not worth a pinch of dirt as best as I can see what the planners do to screw communities up and over.
I think the Met. Council should be stripped of all planning functions and their planners go unfunded and be fired.
That said, public transit is a good idea and it will have to be paid for. Elwyn Tinklenberg and I agree on that basic premise, but we diverge on what's best re the Northstar and his being paid to take a position on that/those questions - a paid lobbyist.
Triple-A and I disagree on that. Run the sewers, build a 21st century transit system, flush the planning staff and the comprehensive plan process - welfare for planning consultants such as Bonestroo, Phil Carlson, in Ramsey. Before him, the folks from Hoisington. Public cash, tax dollars, down a rathole for nothing but ultimately promoting the interests of Crabgrass; however comprehensive plans end up. And invariably the will of the land-speculation and other Crabgrass contingent somehow always prevails. Go figure. Not good, but how it seems to be.
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Triple-A ends his post, "A republic, as long as you can keep it ...".
I have seen the quote before, but forget the founding father -- commentator to whom it's attributed.
Ben Franklin, at a guess.
The problem, Triple-A, this is a republic functioning exactly as one. The elected representatives doing their deeds, without a referendum.
I would prefer a more direct and participatory democracy.
A Met. Council tax would go down in flames big time if put to a popular vote.
Met Council IS unpopular.
They are so ashamed they will not even call this particular quarter-cent sales tax hike exactly what it is - a Met Council tax.
In a way I do not blame them. I would be ashamed of promoting that operation too. I would try to hide what I'm up to if I'm up to helping that body mess up seven counties while wanting to reach further where other counties have to sanity to strongly oppose the ongoing steady power grab attempt pressures.
Anoka County Watchdog, Triple-A, and I agree on this tax. Not good.
The vote where Abeler and Tinglestad broke GOP ranks, to the extent it was a tranportation and a transit vote, was needed. But earmark funds to Met Council, and even say "for transit only" and that means they can jiggle the other allocations and do more planning mischief. More total cash to the coffers, more planning mischief. That is cause and effect. Transit is good. Their planning mess-ups where communities are induced to sacrifice their better judgment to Crabgrass is counterproductive to quiet enjoyment of what we have vs. what Met Council would want us to become.
Consider this about this latest tax: Dan Erhart will vote FOR it. That's another reason to dislike it. A litmus test, of sorts.
If Dan Erhart is for it, it can't be that good.
To the extent that veto override gave county boards the excuse to hang a Met Council tax on us, it was reprehensible.
But omnibus bills are like that. Castor oil with sweeteners.