-Gov. Mark Dayton, basically.
Gov. Dayton warned us that his being reelected for a second (and, in his words, final) term would result in his being less willing to allow scurrilous Republicans to obstruct his grand "progressive" vision for the state (funny, but I don't recall bipartisanship being a crimp in Dayton's prior actions). That conservative haven that is the Minneapolis Parks & Rec. Board is finding this out the hard way.
Re-election-immunized Boss Mark and his Metropolitan Council enforcers want to cut the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s budget by $3.8 million over two years over its “efforts to obstruct progress on the Southwest Light Rail Transit project.” That quote isn’t from some about-to-be-fired underling — it’s directly from Dayton’s budget, and at his news conference Dayton confirmed his intention.
To paraphrase: Time for some budget jams, Park Board.
Legendary scribe Joe Soucheray also weighed in.
This is progress? To put a train through one of the most lovely urban areas in all of America? Not only is it apparently progress, the governor, knowing that he is on the back nine of his political career and pining for a legacy, has cut the park board's budget by $1.85 million a year because the board wants to commission that study.
The governor is saying, in essence, "I want a bridge. The Metropolitan Council wants a bridge. Quit stalling and get on board. So long as you park board people want to keep objecting, you are going to lose about $2 million a year. Got it?"
No one is quite sure how to handle a Mark Dayton who has suddenly become a tough guy.
Eh. I think it's more a situation where the puppet strings are being yanked with extra rigor.
My friend and NARN colleague may have been on to something when he referred to the Twin Cities as "Chicago west of the Mississippi."
---------------------------------------
Here's a thought. Let's not spend the money on the study, because it's unnecessary if we just cut out all that light rail nonsense!
ReplyDelete