Posted on 07/06/2011 3:31:44 AM PDT by Son House
Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican leaders restarted budget talks Tuesday for the first time since Minnesota's government shut down five days earlier, but with no progress to speak of the focus shifted from the Capitol to a courtroom where recipients of government money pleaded for their services to continue.
Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch met for about an hour and said they would resume talks Wednesday.
The possibility of a lingering shutdown raised the stakes for dozens of groups who spent Tuesday in a courtroom before a court-appointed special master. In the second day of such hearings, the special master — former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz — heard pleas from advocates for the homeless and indigent and sexual assault victims, as well as child care providers, police officers and prosecutors, hospital officials and more.
With 10 beds and a waiting list 21 people long, the Emily Program had planned to open a second in-patient facility for people with serious eating disorders later this month.
The private, St. Paul-based treatment program was waiting on a July 18 inspection by the licensing division of the Department of Human Services. The division closed in the shutdown, and "without that last step in the licensing process, the program will be unable to open," said Jillian Lampert, director of licensing for The Emily Program.
The shutdown that started Friday resulted from a budget impasse over how to erase a $5 billion deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on the state's wealthiest residents to provide more money for social services and public education. Republican lawmakers oppose any tax increase.
Until a budget deal materializes, state spending decisions fall to Blatz, who stepped down as the state's chief justice in 2006. A state district court judge has ordered programs essential to life, health and public safety to continue during the shutdown, and Blatz must make recommendations to her on which programs qualify.
As she presided over the parade of need, Blatz repeatedly reminded those before her that she had limited power.
"It's not a comment on the value of your services. It goes to the limits of the court's power," she said, trying to downplay the expectations of two representatives from the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center, a treatment and counseling center that holds a number state contracts to provide social services.
The center focuses on "prevention and advocacy," which Blatz suggested wasn't essential to the public's health and safety. With no "disruption," she said, "We're limited until they figure things out across the street."
Many requests came from people and groups worried services would shut down because they couldn't get state licenses, background checks and inspections required by law. Ben Peltier, legal counsel for the Minnesota Hospital Association, said hiring at its 45 member hospitals has halted because state background checks required by law aren't available.
Large hospitals can probably shuffle existing staff for a few weeks, but some 65 smaller hospitals that typically treat 25 or fewer patients could end up short-staffed, Peltier said. "The only option is to ask people to work longer hours, and they won't always do that," he said.
A similar dilemma faces police departments, whose new hires must obtain a state license from an office that's closed. Chief Daniel Hatten of the Hutchinson Police Department said he's currently down three patrol officers on his 22-officer team, and he's had to swap several specialized investigators back into patrol shifts.
"It's not just a fatigue factor," Hatten said. "It's the ability to deliver the protection at a level not only that the community expects but also from a basic safety perspective."
Dayton's legal team asked Blatz on Tuesday to expand the list of critical services and recommend funding be continued for special education, mental health and chemical dependency programs, child care assistance and other services to the vulnerable.
After Tuesday's brief negotiating session, Republicans emerged to say they had asked Dayton again to call a special session so they could pass a so-called lights-on bill. That would restart government while negotiations continue, but Dayton has consistently refused.
Dayton sounded pessimistic about the chances the GOP would accept his call for higher income taxes and said Tuesday's session included talk of other revenue sources, including tobacco and alcohol taxes, an expanded sales tax and other ideas.
"I don't give up on anything, but every time I suggest it — even on millionaires, 0.3 percent of the people in the state of Minnesota, it's soundly rejected by the Republicans," he said of the income tax proposal. "They've got control of the Legislature. They're in the majority in both the House and the Senate. If they're not going to support something, I can't singlehandedly get it passed."
Also Tuesday, two of the state's political veterans — former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson and former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale — launched an independent commission they said would offer ideas to resolve the deadlock. They said they hoped to do so by the end of the week.
1.Hold up funding for everything else, 2.pit Americans against each other in class warfare, 3. have the media pass guilt trip articles, ...until you can get your way
There is probably enough administrative waste that would pay for these programs for years. Since when is it the State of Minnesota’s responsibility to care for those with eating disorders?
And we all know that includes a whole host of social service programs. Even in "public safety," it includes bloated police admin salaries and overtime. The courts are usurping the legislature.
The Welfare State has many, many ways to keep the spending binge going even if the legislature tries to stop it. Like HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey," it may have been created by Man, but has become a malignant force in and of itself.
Here are some real live elements of past Minnesota spending bills.
(Not all the bills were passed, but they were all in legitimate spending bills.)
S.F. No. 2089, 3rd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on May 06, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF2089&ssn=0&y=2007 (Page 2865 of the Journal of the Senate, 20070504062-1.pdf)
$31,500,000 for the Minnesota Minerals 21st Century Fund.
What is the Minnesota Minerals 21 century fund?
$250,000 each year of the biennium to teach non-English speaking immigrants how to speak English, and job skills.
A good idea, but shouldn't we require English and job skills BEFORE letting them into the U.S. ?
$150,000 to St. Louis County for the Duluth Depot (see below).
$150,000 to restore battle flags in the State Capitol. Isn't this a bit steep for dry-cleaning...? Or is there more to it?
$100,000 for the Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter. What treaty? Were we invaded by Saskatchewan?
Not spending, but a detailed legal definition of hair braiding and license requirements.
Shouldn't we be worrying about creating jobs rather than red tape?
H.F. No. 380, 4th Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=HF0380&ssn=0&y=2008 (Page 2865 of the Journal of the Senate, 20080402098.pdf)
$20,000 to replace the roof of the potato inspection unit building located at 312 Fourth Avenue Northeast in East Grand Forks.
Shouldn't Ore-Ida or McDonalds be paying for this?
$125,000 to predesign the renovation of Building 189 located within the Rice Creek Corridor in Ramsey County, formerly the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, to serve as a regional, multiuse recreational amateur sports facility, to be known as the Metro North Regional Sports Facility.
(is this contaminated?)
This next one is my favorite in the whole 2007-2008 biennium:
$11,000,000 for a grant to the city of St. Paul to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip Phase 2 renovation of the polar bear and gorilla exhibits at the Como Zoo.
Polar bears are great, so are gorillas. But isn't $11 MILLION a little spendy?
Couldn't we just house them in the potato inspection building instead?
S.F. No. 3651, as introduced - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Mar 10, 2008
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF3651&ssn=0&y=2008
1.5 Section 1. [32.416] SOMATIC CELL COUNT, GOAT MILK. 1.6Notwithstanding any federal standard incorporated by reference in this chapter, the 1.7maximum allowable somatic cell count for raw goat milk is 1,500,000 cells per milliliter.
Again, not a cost, but a regulation. Who counts the cells in the raw goat milk?
And who cares, anyway? Let's just Pasteurize it and get it over with.
S.F. No. 3165, 2nd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Mar 25, 2008
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF3165&ssn=0&y=2008
A bill for an act relating to agriculture; establishing requirements for practicing animal chiropractic care;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 148.01, subdivision 1, by adding subdivisions; 156.12, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148.
Yes, *animal* chiropractic. For when Bessie gets too carried away during the cow-tipping...
S.F. No. 599, as introduced - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Feb 06, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0599&ssn=0&y=2007 doc 22070430058.pdf
A resolution urging the President and Congress to end trade, financial, and travel restrictions to Cuba.
Liberalizing trade with Cuba -- which I guess means Cuban Cigars! But I thought 2nd-hand smoke was bad!
S.F. No. 345, 3rd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Apr 27, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0345&ssn=0&y=2007 doc 20070503061.pdf
Subd. 21. Medical use of marijuana data. Data collected by the commissioner of health relating to registrations for the medical use of marijuana are classified in section 152.25, subdivision 5.
Legalizing marijuana for medical uses. I think they misunderstood the old Blue Oyster Cult Song, "Don't Fear the Reefer..."
S.F. No. 87, as introduced - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Jan 11, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0087&ssn=0&y=2007 doc 20070116005.pdf, referred to Committee on Agriculture and Veterans.
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 41C.02, subdivision 10, is amended to read: Subd. 10. Farming. "Farming" means the cultivation of land for the production of agricultural crops, the raising of poultry, the production of eggs, the production of milk, the production of fruit or other horticultural crops, grazing, the production of livestock, aquaculture, hydroponics, the bottling of spring water, or the production of forest products.
I'll bet you didn't know that bottled water is now considered 'farming'.
S.F. No. 2157, 2nd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Mar 28, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF2157&ssn=0&y=2007 doc 20070328039.pdf
$485,000 for six miles of snowmobile trail.
S.F. No. 1997, 3rd Engrossment - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on May 07, 2007
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF1997&ssn=0&y=2007 doc 20070504062-2.pdf.
$14 million in new tax enforcement hoping to squeeze $42 million out of taxpayers.
In another section, $5 million in accounts receivable management hoping to get $60 million.
Blood out of a stone.
Cheers!
“There is probably enough administrative waste that would pay for these programs for years. Since when is it the State of Minnesota’s responsibility to care for those with eating disorders?”
Just out of curiosity, do you know how much it costs to treat a kid with a eating disorder. Better yet, if you pay thousands of dollars to insurance companies for coverage then they say no do you know-how much it costs out of pocket?
I am not suggesting the state should pay. I am suggesting insurance companies should cover it.
Actually the program is private, all they want is an inspection by state people so they can open.
Cancel all state regulations, then the place can open, no problem.
It’s getting hard to imagine how this Country managed to survive without all these cradle-to-grave services.
“the Emily Program had planned to open a second in-patient facility for people with serious eating disorders later this month”.
...well then, pass the potatoes!
How does a judge get this authority...
Dear God....
What did the people do 200 years ago when there was no such thing as ‘food stamps’ or other socialist services? Did they just lay down and die in the streets from starvation and lack of healthcare? While I’m SURE it might have happened in SOME cases, by and large, surely not.....
A unionized state goat-milk inspector, under strictly controlled conditions that probably double the price of goat's milk, for those who want it, and result in considerable wastage due to his mandated holidays, coffee breaks, and psychiatrist visits.
More than half the items mentioned in the article would be eliminated if people didn't need government approval for just about everything but breathing. Here's a thought, agencies and municipalities: tell the state to freep itself and run your operation anyway. If they're shut down, how will they stop you?
a Customer of mine does electrical work. I asked him last night how they are getting inspections since the state is shut down.
His reply
“simple, we call him directly on his cell phone! He knows there is going to be a huge back log if nothing gets down, he also knows he’ll get paid for the time the gov is shut down.”
You just have to know how to get around the BS to get to the needed inspector and have him come out and sign off I guess.
Good question. Instead of whining to a probably illegitimate court proceeding, the petitioners should pressure their elected leaders. As it is, they are actually facilitating the problem.
Minnesota government has always been gold plated.
Hutchinson, pop. 14,178, requires a 22 officer police department? Whatever for?
$150,000 to St. Louis County for the Duluth Depot (see below).
The Depot hosts several significant Duluth tourist attractions and is home to, among other places, the St. Louis County Historical Society and Duluth's Veterans Memorial Hall. Parts of it are being renovated as funds permit.
$150,000 to restore battle flags in the State Capitol. Isn't this a bit steep for dry-cleaning...? Or is there more to it?
As I understand it, some of the banners date back to the Civil War. Restoration of some of those artifacts isn't cheap.
$125,000 to predesign the renovation of Building 189 located within the Rice Creek Corridor in Ramsey County, formerly the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, to serve as a regional, multiuse recreational amateur sports facility, to be known as the Metro North Regional Sports Facility. (is this contaminated?)
If they made ammunition there, the place is more than likely a brownfield. This is near the area they're talking about placing a Vikings stadium and substantial abatement is needed before anything can be built there.
However, your general premise is iron-clad. Jobs are a priority and there are a ton of things my state government ought not to fund. They, like the Federal government, should get out of the way and let the private sector do what it does best.
“open a second in-patient facility for people with serious eating disorders later this month. “
Only in America would people starve themselves on purpose and get treatment for it. We don’t need a facility. Drop them into an African country where there is real famine and let them fend for themselves.
Eating disorder clinics. Indian intervention centers. Licensing for hairdressers and manicurists. If these were shut down forever, I don’t think anyone but a handful of the Mooch Classes would even notice.
But we’re supposed to wring our hands and tear out our hair for the poor and unfortunate ...
Let me tell you, I’m all boo-hooed out.
Yep. The ever bleedin’ hearts broke my give-a-damn about ten years ago...
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