See More Community Solutions on TV!
The Community Solutions Group and the Andrew Richter Show are teaming up for a series of new shows about local government. See Andrew Richter and Jason Bradley speak about the origins of Community Solutions and the issues that they have faced and continue to face going forward. They will air on Comcast channel 19 on the following dates and times;
Thursday, January 26 at 6pm
Friday, January 27 at 2am and 10am
Thursday, February 2 at 6pm
Friday, February 3 at 2am and 10am
That’s six chances to watch!
Also Dennis Holman guest hosts as Jason Bradley and Andrew Richter join him in a roundtable discussion about the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and the Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. The show also marks the start of Andrew’s forth year on the air. They will also air on Comcast channel 19 at;
Thursday, February 9 at 6pm
Friday, February 10 at 2am and 10am
Check them out!
Mold found at Pilgrim Lane Elementary!!!!!!
Per RAS Discover – January 18, 2012:
Mold was recently discovered on several surfaces inside the unoccupied Pilgrim Lane building during a routine visit by district employees. Indoor air quality experts from Air Tamarack, Inc. were contracted by the district to assess the conditions and provide recommendations for appropriate clean-up procedures. Pilgrim Lane has been used as storage space for selected district items since it was closed as an elementary building in 2009.
The district is in the process of generating schedules for short term clean-up of stored items that may be sought for use, and for long term building wide clean-up tasks using the guidelines presented by Air Tamarack, Inc. District employees will be able to enter Pilgrim Lane safely for essential tasks after receiving training and personal protective equipment. Routine entry to Pilgrim Lane is not recommended until clean-up can be completed.
For questions, contact Brian Koch 763-504-8139.
This appears to be another GOOD REASON TO DISPOSE of this building as the Divestiture Committee said should be done, if Pilgrim Lane Elementary School was not need while remodeling at Northport or Lakeview.
GET RID OF THIS PROBLEM SITE NOW BEFORE IT COSTS EVEN MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please contact RAS Board members and Administration with your questions and concerns.
Get to one of These Meetings!!!!
From the Sun Post;
A light rail or bus rapid transit line could link the northwest suburbs to the rest of the Twin Cities’ transit system by the end of 2018. The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority – which consists of the same members as the Hennepin County Board – and its partners will soon begin an in-depth study of several possible alignments for the Bottineau Transitway, and they are seeking public input.
The Bottineau Transitway is a proposed project that would begin in downtown Minneapolis and extend approximately 13 miles northwest through the suburbs of Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove. The county says the transit line is needed to connect the northwest suburbs to the rest of the metro, as well as to keep up with regional population increases and encourage economic growth.
“I think it’s important because I think transit is poor in the northern suburbs,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat, a strong proponent of the project. Opat represents all or part of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Minneapolis, New Hope, Osseo and Robbinsdale. “The northern suburbs just need to be connected,” he said. A map of transit routes in the Twin Cities shows several planned or existing light rail or bus rapid transit options for travelers in the south metro, but only the Northstar commuter train serves the north metro, and it’s on the other side of the Mississippi.
And the Northstar Line has been a huge failure! It is 22% under the projected ridership!
County Commissioner Mark Stenglein – who represents all or part of Crystal, Golden Valley, Medicine Lake, Minneapolis, New Hope, Plymouth and St. Anthony – agrees that connecting the northwest suburbs to the rest of the area is vital. “It’s an incredible economic boost.” Stenglein said. He said that it will not only help bring people into Minneapolis but will also provide a frequent, time-efficient means for people to access jobs and points of interest in the suburbs.
In addition to connecting the northwest suburbs, the county hopes the Bottineau Transitway project will help ease increasing traffic congestion. “Our transportation system is on the edge of maximum capacity,” said Hennepin County engineering and transit planning manager Joseph Gladke. He said it doesn’t take much to overload the system and cause congestion.
The communities along the Bottineau Transitway are expected to grow by about 140,000 people by 2030, representing almost 60 percent of the projected population growth in Hennepin County. State- and regional-level studies have concluded that roadway expansion will not be able to keep pace with future growth of travel demand in the Twin Cities. The county says that makes it important to create more transit options.
The county is studying four possible routes for either light rail or bus rapid transit. Bus rapid transit would include a “dedicated guideway,” meaning it would have its own roadway to ensure efficient operation. The middle section of the project would run through the existing BNSF railroad corridor that runs west of Bottineau Boulevard (County Road 81). According to Gladke, the county considered alternatives along West Broadway Avenue, but using the railroad corridor will reduce the number of street crossings and increase the speed of the line so it can provide better service.
At the north and south ends of the corridor, the railroad authority is considering two options each. One northern option would end in Maple Grove at Hemlock Lane and Arbor Lakes Parkway, near the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. This alignment would follow the future Arbor Lakes Parkway and Elm Creek Boulevard until it reached the BNSF corridor near 73rd Avenue and Bottineau Boulevard.
The other northern option would end at Target’s north campus, just north of Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park. It would follow West Broadway Avenue, running down the middle of the road south of 93rd Avenue and crossing Bottineau Boulevard at 73rd Avenue to connect with the BNSF corridor. Opat and Stenglein prefer this option. On the south, the project will end downtown Minneapolis, where it will connect with the Hiawatha line, but there are two ways it could get there.
One proposed southern route would keep the line in the BNSF railroad corridor through Golden Valley to Olson Memorial Highway (Highway 55) and then follow the highway into downtown. The other possible route would bypass Golden Valley, exiting the rail corridor near 34th Avenue and running down the middle of West Broadway Avenue past North Memorial Hospital. This route would then travel down Penn Avenue to Olson Memorial Highway.
According to Brent Rusco, the Bottineau Transitway project manager, the goal of each alignment is to take advantage of existing right of ways in order to minimize impacts on private property. But in some cases, such as with the Penn Avenue option, the plan could require the acquisition of some property.
Yes of course, what is government if they aren’t buying property and forcing business out of business and people out of their homes.
The Bottineau Transitway project has roots going back to 1988, when Hennepin County began conducting transportation and land use studies in conjunction with the Hennepin County Comprehensive Light Rail Transit System Plan. Now the project is going through an extensive analysis and planning process required by the Federal Transit Administration in order for the project to compete with other proposals nationwide for federal funding.
The federal government could fund up to 50 percent of the cost for constructing the line according to Gladke. Of the remaining 50 percent, Gladke said 30 percent would likely come from the Counties Transit Improvement Board, 10 percent from the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and 10 percent from the state. For light rail the total project cost is expected to be in the neighborhood of a billion dollars.
It doesn’t matter who pays for it! It is ALL OUR money!!!!
In March 2008 Hennepin County began the Alternatives Analysis phase of the project, which focuses on identifying feasible modes and alignments for further study. During the Alternatives Analysis phase, the county and its partners looked at a broad range of possibilities and narrowed them down. Commuter rail was eliminated from consideration early, because it works best over longer distances with stations farther apart.
According to Rusco, the analysis evaluated 21 alternatives using 31 criteria to narrow the options for more in-depth study. Throughout the process, work was reviewed by three committees that include policymakers, business stakeholders, technical experts and members of the public. Those committees will continue to be involved in the evaluation process.
In December the project entered the Scoping phase. “This is a key piece of the whole process,” Rusco said. “It will define what will go into detailed study in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.” The Scoping process seeks public input in order to determine what to study further and to identify a “locally preferred alternative” route. Identifying this alternative is a required step in competing for federal funding. Based on information collected during the Scoping period, the railroad authority and participating cities will recommend a locally preferred alternative to the Metropolitan Council. The Scoping period ends Tuesday Feb. 17.
After identification of a locally preferred alternative, the county will begin creating the Environmental Impact Statement. The statement will provide in-depth analysis of the several alternatives – including the locally preferred alternative – and their anticipated impacts. The statement will study not only impacts on nature, but also on the surrounding community. It will also address concerns raised by the public during the Scoping phase.
“It is a rigorous, required process based on federal policy,” Rusco said. “It’s very comprehensive.” A draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected by the end of 2012. Then there will be a chance for public comment before the final statement. After that, Gladke said it will take a few years to complete the pre-engineering and final design before construction could begin. Of course, all this depends on whether the project gets the nod from the Federal Transit Authority at several steps along the way.
Gladke said an optimistic target for project completion is the end of 2018. The first step to getting involved is learning more about the proposed project. A good place to start is the Scoping Booklet, a 14-page document that gives an overview of the project and the process it must go through. It’s is available online at bottineautransitway.org, along with much more detailed information. The website includes an option to sign up for project updates.
This month there will also be four open houses where the public can learn more about the project and ask questions. The county is seeking the public’s comments on the purpose and need for the project, the alternatives proposed for study and project impacts or benefits that should be evaluated.
Rusco said the county wants to know, “Did we get it right?” Comments can be submitted in writing by mail, e-mail or fax and must be received Tuesday, Feb. 17. Submit comments to Brent Rusco, Bottineau Transitway Project Manager, Hennepin County, 701 Fourth Ave. S., Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55415. E-mail comments to brent.rusco@co.hennepin.mn.us or fax them to 612-348-9710.
Info: bottineautransitway.org
Scoping Open House 1
4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23
Theodore Wirth Chalet, 1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway, Minneapolis
Scoping Open House 2
6-8p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 24
Brooklyn Park City Hall, 5200 85th Ave. N., Brooklyn Park.
Scoping Open House 3
5:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25
Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis
Scoping Open House 4
6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31
Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakeview Ave. N., Robbinsdale
We need to get to these meetings and give our planners an earful, even though we know their minds are already made up.
Who Are These Groups Part 3; The Bottineau Boulevard Partnership
As we continue to examine these third party groups funded by your tax dollars, we now come to our favorite; The Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Here is how they describe themselves on their website at http://bottineaupartnership.org/
Local public officials and business leaders formed the Bottineau Boulevard Partnership in 2000 to mobilize resources and offer civic leadership to guide the redevelopment of the Bottineau Corridor (County Road 81). A new, high quality transit investment has been a consistent priority for the Partnership. Hennepin County is currently leading an Alternatives Analysis to study Light Rail Transit and other options for this Corridor, which will narrow the transitway options and may decide a preferred alternative.
So business leaders and government are teaming up to “invest” or as we call it, spend, for transit. Usually when business and government get together to do something, the taxpayers are the loser. And, yes they are pushing light rail but they are also pushing something else called Transit Oriented Development;
Transit investments can stimulate new forms of investment and development that might otherwise not occur. If carefully planned, transit oriented development, or “TOD” can offer walkable, mixed-use development options that complement a transit line and revitalize communities.
What is TOD? Transit Oriented Development is considered to be more compact development within easy walking distance of transit stations (about ½ mile) that contain a mix of uses such as housing, jobs, shops, restaurants and entertainment. TOD creates walkable, sustainable communities that provide more housing and transportation choices for people of all ages.
Let us interpret for you; they want to build light rail and then use that as an excuse to redevelop. And notice other parts of the plan; they want walkable and sustainable communities within 1/2 mile of public transit. In other words they want to cram as many people and businesses in as small of an area as possible in an effort to force them to take public transit. We are already seeing this. In Crystal the city “loaned” Northwest Family Physicians $400,000 to move right on the northeast corner of Bottineau Blvd or as we call it highway 81 and Bass Lake Road. They approved a regional trial to run alongside highway 81 to accommodate all those non-existent walkers and bikers. The city plans for high density housing to replace Thrift Way grocery store. They also just re-zoned the soon-to-be closed Cavanaugh School building to be “high density senior living.” This is all in preparation for light rail. Here are some more “ideas.”
Pursuing Bottineau TOD will be a process that involves both dreaming and hard work. These design images may help people to get excited about the possibilities–and to think about planning issues such as station layout, parking, market realities, and phasing of development. It is not likely that the introduction of light rail will change these areas overnight. Development happens over a long period of time and a sustained commitment to planning and implementation of changes is important for success. These images help to communicate how the stations and surrounding areas might change over time.
Dreaming and hard work? Is not likely these changes will happen overnight? In other words, we will be working on highway 81 forever!! Let’s take a look at some their dreaming might look like in our neighborhood;
Hubbard Marketplace Station Area Case Study, Robbinsdale
This case study of the Hubbard Marketplace Station Area considers ways the land uses around the transit station could change with the construction of a park and ride that also serves downtown Robbinsdale and with the reconfiguration of the block to the east of the station.
The view from 42nd Avenue and West Broadway looking
southwest:
Phase One: A park and ride?
Phase Two: One-story retail + street trees?
Phase Three: Two stories of housing or office above?
Housing or office above retail? Would you want to live there? Do you want Robbinsdale to be even more crammed than it already is?
Now who is a part of this group? Well here is a list;
North Hennepin Community College
Dawn Reimer, CFO
North Memorial Medical Center
Jerry Pedlar
Target Corporation
Irene Quarshie, Director, Civic Affairs
Wells Fargo Bank
Ellen McInnis, Director, Minnesota Government Relations
City of Brooklyn Park
Mayor Jeffrey Lunde
City of Crystal
Council Member Mark Hoffman
City of Maple Grove
Mayor Mark Steffenson
City of Minneapolis
Council Member Barb Johnson
City of Robbinsdale
Mayor Mike Holtz
Metropolitan Council
Adam Harrington
Hennepin County
Commissioner Mike Opat
North Metro Mayors Association
Phil Cohen
So you can see it is a who’s who of local government along with Target, Wells Fargo, the county, the hospital, the met council, and the community college all working together to force this on us! And when did Mark Hoffman replace Mayor ReNae Bowman? Mayor Bowman gave up power?
And who funds this organization? These is no transparency whatsoever on this website (surprise, surprise)! We know the city of Crystal pays the BBP $4,125 a year so you can take a good guess as to how much your city is paying.
So this is YET ANOTHER unconstitutional third party group that spends your money but gives you no voice! You have to love government!
See Community Solutions on TV!
Tune in on Thursday, January 19, 2012 to the Andrew Richter Show as guest host Dennis Holman and community solutions members Jason Bradley and Andrew Richter discuss the following;
*The 2030 plan of the Met Council
*2030 plans of cities
*Transportation including light rail corridors
*Transit Oriented Development
*Who pushing this agenda and who is funding it
The show will replay on January 20 at 2 am and 10 am. Please send comments to Andrew’s email at rikta11@yahoo.com or our email at communitysolutionsmn@gmail.com
Cross Posting from Speed Gibson on the RAS STEAM Magnet School!!
Here is link http://speedgibson.typepad.com/speed-gibson/2011/12/steam-the-heat-is-on.html to Speed Gibson’s recent posting. Please go read and comment.
Also, call and/or write to the District with your opinion on this subject.
A New Definition of a Budget Cut
So if you “cut” your grocery bill, you would spend less right? But government seems to have a different view of what a spending cut is as evidenced by a recent letter to the editor;
Over the past few years, I’ve been following the budget of my home city of Crystal, and all I ever hear is how much the mayor and the city council are cutting the budget. I have heard on several occasions, most recently at the Nov. 10 work session that I attended, that $3-4 million has been cut in the past 6-8 years. The number is different every time I hear it. So, I pulled up the city budget on their website and according to the city’s own numbers, the city spent $10,885,459 in 2007. So if we have cut $3-4 million, then that number should be lower, right?
Well, not exactly. The projected budget for 2012 is $12,340,040. That’s nearly a $1,500,000 increase over five years or 13.4 percent. How is that a $3 million or $4 million cut? I went and asked this question to the council at the truth-in-taxation hearing on Dec. 6. Mayor Bowman passed the buck to the finance director who explained that the reference to “cutting $3-4 million was due to the state of Minnesota promising local government aid and not delivering it.”
Now, that may be true, but think of how the city defines a cut. A “cut” is not spending less. A cut is not getting all the state money that they think they are entitled to (and last time I checked, I pay the state as well). Only in government can a spending increase be considered a cut.
Andrew Richter, Crystal
So a $1,500,000 increase is a cut?? Truthfully, Crystal isn’t alone. All we ever hear about is how local government is cutting and cutting and cutting and eliminating everything “non-essential.” Yet every year they continue to spend more and more! Remember government comes first!
Who are These Groups Part 2; The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Well, the League of Minnesota Cities isn’t the only the third party group your taxes dollars are going to. The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities is yet another. Here is their self-description;
Metro Cities (created in 1974 as the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities) primary objective is to be an effective voice for metropolitan cities at the Legislature and Metropolitan Council, so as to influence state legislation affecting metro area cities, and regional policies that accommodate the needs of metro area cities. Metro Cities is the only metro-wide entity that lobbies and monitors the Metropolitan Council, and the only region-wide organization representing cities before the Legislature and Executive Branch.
Metro Cities represents 79 member cities, comprising 90% of the region’s population, including the core cities, inner ring and developing communities, before the State Legislature and Metropolitan Council. Metro Cities provides a forum for bringing city officials from across the region together to share ideas and experiences and works to foster open lines of communication between city officials and officials at the state and regional levels of government.
Metro Cities lobbies on a wide range of policies, over 60 in all, including transportation, local government aids and credits, wastewater, redevelopment and housing. Legislative policies are developed each year by consensus of our membership.By statute, Metro Cities makes municipal appointments to the Met Council’s TAB, TAC and GIS Boards, and convenes the election of city members to the GEARS committee, giving metro area cities a voice on these important boards and committees.
Check it out here;
http://www.metrocitiesmn.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={7BAE703E-619E-4255-B70D-E75AE87777B4}
Once again, it is a group of elected officials and government bureaucrats. How do these people represent their cities and a third party group?? Conflict of interest anywhere?
So what do we the taxpayers pay these groups; Well, they don’t say on their website. In fact, they don’t even provide a budget. The only thing they have is the following statement;
Annual dues are calculated as a percentage of each city’s LMC dues, and reflects population.
Wow! Nice transparency!! we know the city of Crystal pays about $7,800 to the AMM every year so you can guess what your city pays. For a list of member cities click here;
http://www.metrocitiesmn.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={49B5A48B-0BD3-4DEE-B35A-D3D746E5A172}
What are legislative policies? Check out a couple of them;
Metro Cities opposes state attempts to control or restrict city fund balances. These funds are necessary to maintain fiscal viability, meet unexpected or emergency resource needs, purchase capital goods and infrastructure, provide adequate cash flow and maintain high level bond ratings.
Oh yes! You want all the “free money” from the state, but no restrictions on any of it! No restrictions or control of fund balances??
Metro Cities supports the appointment of Metropolitan Council members by the Governor with four year, staggered terms for members. The appointment of the Metropolitan Council Chair should coincide with the term of the Governor.
That’s a great way to “represent the people!” You support the state “appointing” a third party group with no accountability but you favor local control!!
Metro Cities supports the bi-partisan Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Government, or another entity, to monitor and review the Metropolitan Council’s activities and to provide transparency and accountability for the Metropolitan Council operations and functions.
So we should form a committee to watch the unelected body of government!
Metro Cities strongly supported the ¼ cent sales tax passed by the 2008 Legislature. This tax is levied in the Metropolitan Area and dedicated to transit. The sales tax represents a commitment to investment in our region’s transit ways.
Yeah, you guys have never met a tax hike you didn’t like, and by the way isn’t that money thrown in the general fund and necessarily “dedicated to transit?” And how about complete streets!
A complete street may include: sidewalks, bike lanes (or wide paved shoulders), special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes and more.
Narrower travel lanes? Special bus lanes? More median islands? Ugh!
They also support a telephone tax using dialing 911 as the scare tactic;
Public safety answering points (PSAPs) must be able to continue to rely on state 911 revenues to pay for upgrades and modifications to local 911 systems, maintenance and operational support, and dispatcher training. Metro Cities supports state funding for the technology and training needed to provide the number and location of wireless and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls to 911 on computer screens and transmit that data to police, fire and first responders.
Yes, pay a larger tax or nobody will be there when you dial 911!
If you can read anymore of their agenda without puking click here;
http://www.metrocitiesmn.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={AA0C5E20-1E93-4EE8-94E9-93ADB8219091}
Ladies and gentlemen, your tax dollars at work!
Who Are These Groups Part 1; the League of Minnesota Cities
If you follow local Minnesota politics on a regular basis, you’ve probably heard of groups like the League of Minnesota Cities, The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and Bottinueu Boulevard Partnership, Watershed Districts, and the Minnesota School Boards Association. We’re going to take a series of posts to explain who these groups are, what they advocate, and who funds them. This post will be on the League of Minnesota Cities.
The League of Minnesota Cities describes itself the following way;
The League of Minnesota Cities was founded in 1913 by a special law passed by the Minnesota Legislature. It was initially a part of the Extension Division of the University of Minnesota. In 1974, the League became an independent organization. Today, the League’s membership includes cities and their elected and appointed officials, as well as a number of special municipal districts and townships.
So what does this “league” stand for? Well here are some of their policy priorities for the 2012 legislative session;
*The League will work to ensure that if there is a bonding bill in 2012, water and transportation infrastructure programs are adequately funded and that federal matching funds are maximized.
Yes! Put that infrastructure spending on the credit card and get that federal “free money.”
*The League supports eliminating the need for state approval for local sales taxes, and will work to secure authority for any city to impose other types of taxes such as a local payroll tax or an entertainment tax. Cities should also be able to modify the use of their local lodging tax revenues and have general authority to create utilities, similar to the storm sewer utility authority, in order to fund local services where benefit or usage of the service can be measured.
Cities to impose a payroll tax or an entertainment tax? Is that what is meant by local control. Of course cities want all the free money they can handle, but nothing that goes along with it.
*The League urges the Legislature to recognize the need for local decision-making authority by local elected officials with regard to the terms and conditions of employment for local government employees. The League will seek relief from expensive and, in some cases duplicative, personnel mandates.
You want to get rid of mandates? How about we get rid of the Met Council!
*The League will advocate for term extensions for redevelopment tax increment financing (TIF) districts, which are taking longer to develop as a result of the economic crisis, and support increased bonding appropriations for proven Department of Employment and Economic Development programs such as the Redevelopment Fund and the Minnesota Investment Fund. Additionally, the League will work to fix the negative impacts on housing TIF districts, and economic development authority/housing redevelopment authority levies that are a result of the switch from the market value homestead credit to the homestead market value exclusion.
More Tax Increment Funding! You see, this is where the government takes your money, invests it so they can take more of your money!
*The League supports efforts to promote sustainable development where cities are provided tools and flexibility to determine what works best for their community and the effectiveness of the proposed practice is supported by sound science. The League opposes mandates that supersede or limit the authority of cities to determine what practices will best meet the needs of their communities.
It’s funny how they promote sustainable development and oppose state mandates. Sustainable development IS a mandate from the Met Council and Agenda 21! This means more bike paths, sidewalks, and complete street while bridges crumble and roads have huge potholes. Nice priorities!
The full agenda can be found here;
http://www.lmc.org/page/1/legislative-policy-priorities.jsp
These legislative priorities were adopted by their Board of Directors. And who are they you ask? Here’s a list;
League President
H. Dan Ness
Mayor
City of Alexandria
nesshd@gctel.com
First Vice President
Betsy Hodges
Councilmember
City of Minneapolis
betsy.hodges@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Second Vice President
Shaunna Johnson
City Administrator
City of Waite Park
sjohnson@waitepark.org
So Mr. Ness is the president of the League yet at the same time he is mayor of Alexandria. How can he represent both? No conflict of interest there? There are 12 other directors on the board made up of local elected officials and government bureaucrats. It can be found here;
http://www.lmc.org/page/1/league-bod.jsp
And who funds this organization? The answer is YOU the taxpayers! It is broken down by population and per capita. Here is the breakdown of “member dues”
Population
- 249 or less=$333
- 250-4,999=$116 plus 88.05 cents per capita
- 5,000-9,999=$919 plus 71.98 cents per capita
- 10,000-19,999=$1,992 plus 61.24 cents per capita
- 20,000-49,999=$6,800 plus 37.20 cents per capita
- 50,000-299,999=$20,126 plus 10.55 cents per capita
- 300,000 and higher=$33,896 plus 5.96 cents per capita
- Special Districts=$1,488
(Population represents the 2010 State Demographer and Metropolitan Council Estimate)
Look at where your tax dollars are going! Think of the population in your city! Do you support this agenda??
Who is a member around here?
Oh…..only Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale! Yippy!!
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ON STEAM??
The following questions were requested from the Robbinsdale Area School Board and administration on December 1, 2011. A bullet point outline or skeleton answers were requested;
1. A list or bullet points comparing STEAM Magnet school vs. other RAS elementary schools, as to what is going to be the difference of materials taught?
2. How long until full curriculum will be determined?
3. Will the STEAM curriculum be reviewed by the Systems Accountability Committee?
4. What is the extra $2,000,000+ cost going to get in student achievement and opportunity gap closure across all students, not just 400-500?
5. How is the lottery going to be structured to achieve balance of economic and social mix to look like other elementary schools within District? What is the outline of the plan?
6. Is RAS starting from scratch in creating this magnet school or using existing model(s) already proven in other school districts? Where are these districts and the proven results for the community to review?
Because for no answers to the above questions, we are making them public for the community to determine if they believe that it is important to have at least an outline answer to each of these questions? Please let us, the School Board and administration know if you want these and other questions answered?
