A Very Bad Idea

Podcast Audio: https://commsolutionsmn.libsyn.com/episode-298-a-very-bad-idea

YouTube: https://youtu.be/alo8dvgaetY

It’s no secret, we hate odd year elections. Very few people come out, and the majority of those are activists, union members, and the uber political. Should 3,500 people decide who makes policy for a city of 50,000? Why don’t we just make it easy for people to vote? We hear so much about making it as easy as possible for everyone to have their voice heard, and then so many places have these odd year elections. They are done solely so one side can control the election results. This is the wrong way to go about it.

You will find odd year elections in small cities like Appleton and in big cities like Minneapolis and St Paul. Some races have competition and some are completely uncontested. How do races even go uncontested, let alone an entire slate of races in a single city or school district? There were numerous referendums and sales tax implementations on the ballot, which passed more in the metro than outstate. Minneapolis also has a number of races where candidates are either on the Democratic Socialist ticket and the Socialist Workers’ Party ticket. Ilhan Omar hand-picked the new mayor of St Louis Park. Have fun with all that. We have to stop with the odd year elections. They do nothing, but secure the DFL’s hold on local elections.

We also discussed the recent death of Matthew Perry and those that went too soon that have left an impact on us. It prompts a discussion on the search for meaning, and I think we may have figured it out.

Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy!

Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!

They Need More Money

Podcast Audio: https://commsolutionsmn.libsyn.com/episode-266-they-need-more-money

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rGwVYwVmVRk

Today we bring you the story of some Minnesota cities that have asked for obscene amounts of taxpayer money to pay for things that they haven’t planned for in advance or that nobody wants. There hasn’t been so much begging for pork since the 1930’s.

Emily Larson, mayor of Duluth, took a taxpayer-funded trip to Washington DC in order to visit with lobbyists, senators, and whomever will listen in order to beg for money for the Arial Lift Bridge ($15 million), the Blatnik Bridge, the RAISE grant ($25 million), and more. It cost the residents of Duluth $932 for airfare and $647 for the hotel bill. At least the city will have room to live under the bridge they are trying to spend money on.

The Twin Cities Boulevard is back in the news. Minneapolis and St Paul are applying for a federal grant to ask for money to begin to move forward with ripping up I-94 through the heart of the Cities to put up a boulevard with stop lights. Who will stand up and stop this before it’s too late.

Chisholm hasn’t chosen to save money for a new fire station in about 100 years, so they are begging for other’s people money to do it. Aurora needs a new water treatment plant, and rather than saving for it over the last seventy years, they want a handout from the federal government.

We also discuss our bold predictions on the upcoming midterm elections and review the Oz/Fetterman debate for Pennsylvania Senate.

Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy!

Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!