ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

I keep trying to ignore this and adapt an attitude of “each man for himself” and too bad if you are silly enough to be taken in….but today a serious discussion in STRIB about whether super market prepared foods should be required to post calories like restaurants do  pushed me over the edge. 

To base the argument on “leveling the playing field” is silly.  Let’s be honest – it is a health issue. 

Sometimes it does amaze me…as people rush off to the “the club” to work out….and then feeling good about themselves for doing it, they often stop at the grocery store en route home for a rotisserie chicken-one of the LEAST healthy things you can buy in a grocery store!

Do they really think its the rotisserie “method” that creates that enticing and almost intoxicating smell?!!

Next time you are tempted into fooling yourself, think injections of unidentified chemicals and other ingredients carefully concocted to draw you in.  Frankly, the SODIUM alone should be enough to scare you away but the unidentified elements are probably just as worrisome.

You will quickly turn your attention to “cook it at home” chicken products if you are concerned about your health.  Really, how difficult is it to turn on the oven….and if you must, rub it with a spice blend identified in several grocery stores as “chicken seasoning”.

And with that, I am off to the Farmer’s Market to buy some asparagus and salad greens – and maybe some mo-mos from Gorkey Palace to dine on later!

 

A FAIR SHARE

Not getting a “fair share” popped up twice in the STRIB today and both caught my eye.  See what you think:

First, the James Lilek column was dedicated to the MOA expansion.  His vision of what was to come was humorous, but hidden within he emphasized Bloomington whining about not being on the RECEIVING END of the Fiscal Disparities Program. 

FYI, that is a program that uses non-residential tax receipts to assist communities that do not have a strong tax base.  Hard to believe Bloomington feels they should be on the RECEIVING end of that aid…didn’t we just read another article lauding the economic BOOM in this first ring ‘burb?

Somehow with logic that escapes me, Bloomington and the Minnesota Legislature feel justified in setting this unheard-of precedent to build a bigger MOA than the original – right next to the existing one. Not only will it focus on luxury stores but will greatly expand itself as an amusement park which includes, by the way, a new waterpark that will compete with the one that already exists in Bloomington – across the street!

What you may not have picked up is that $250 million granted for MOA expansion came from that Fiscal Disparities fund!  Yes, from a fund designed to help the have-nots, we will build a massive complex that targets those that are looking for the luxury market.  I am not sure what about the inability of Bloomies to thrive at the MOA these people do not understand.

And not only that, this is the FIRST TIME funds have ever been diverted from its original purpose – but of course, for a good cause like MOA , why not?

The winning reasoning: Bloomington (Not MOA) as a whole apparently is a big giver to the fund (obviously supporting the fact that they are not among the HAVE-NOTS – but I digress)…”money is redistributed to everyone else but us”.  Sounds like a grade school kid arguing with his mother, doesn’t it?

Apparently the mom was tired and for a little peace and quiet, she gave in to the irritating child.  That does not make it right.

 

The second example had a different ending – at least temporarily. 

The Minnesota Legislature also voted to divert grant money provided by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment to habitat projects in the metro parks.

The proposed use for prairie restoration efforts to provide habitat for waterfowl and animals is a worthwhile one, as the prairie that originally made up Minnesota is being destroyed, but Dayton vetoed the investment based on the recommendation of the council appointed by the legislature to administer the funds created by the 2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment designated for outdoors and arts initiatives.

However, at the same time, Dayton asked that this request be considered by the council in their next round of funding considerations that begin in June.  Although disappointed it was not approved immediately, there was some acknowledgement that those asking for the funds need to regroup and do a better job of illustrating why their mission  parallels the goals of the outdoor heritage council and should be considered in sanctioned funding.

To me, the first example is playground bullying, the second is reasonable citizens of the state trying to reach agreement through collaborating and sharing – for the ultimate good of all. 

LEARNING TO READ

A big round of applause should go to Minneapolis Andersen United School!  They achieved a 76% increase in reading proficiency in grade school students by getting parents engaged in the process.   Asking parents to help by engaging kids in reading road signs, recipes and talking about plots and characters in books did the trick.

That made me sit up and pay attention….as I was reminded one more time how grateful I should be to my mom!  Whether that was her own love of books, or advice from Mr. Pennock and Jefferson Elementary in Rochester, I will never know for sure, but…..rides out to the Kranz farm, or to St. Charles or Grandma’s in Wisconsin were often spent reading road signs and word games based on what we read.  I always thought that was a distraction invented so my younger sister might not get car-sick or an activity to maybe delay the eventual fight that would break out in the backseat between the two of us.  It did not help much with the car-sickness problem or the fights, but yesterday I recognized how much it probably contributed to my own reading ability!

Of course, so did Saturday mornings in front of the fireplace in the Children’s Library, gifts of books for birthdays and Christmas, and bookshelves in our bedroom filled with children’s books from our older siblings.

So while I sit here, surrounded by bookshelves in my own “library”, I thank my mom for her influence….although our own experience will attest to the fact that Andersen United will probably not ever reach 100%.  I may love books, but my “little sister”?  Not so much!  I often am visited with a vision of the two of us-grade school age and maybe a bit younger-perched on the steps upstairs to our room…me with a book on my lap…pointing to the words as I read them trying to “teach” her…while she sat, finger in mouth, repeating NO! at short intervals until my persistence finally made her cry and I was told to leave her alone!

 Not to say she is not a good reader…just that a quiet walk in the woods does more for her than an afternoon curled up with a book.

TAX BREAKS FOR MALL OF AMERICA?

Wow!  A great ruckus over the Mayo Clinic….and quietly under the radar, Bloomington scored big time.  The Mall of America received $250 million in tax breaks for the expansion of Mall of America.

It is amazing how little press was devoted to this…while so much flack about the Mayo Clinic agreeing to pay all the due taxes, but simply asking for a commitment for some of it back in INFRASTRUCTURE needed by Rochester….a function of government.  MOA however, just got half of that amount ($250 million vs $500 million) in forgiveness of taxes.

I am not sure if that is because it was a metro project vs an outstate project or because retail trumps medical and medical research or what…but I suspect it merely to be more shady than that – or at least more quiet arm-twisting vs an upfront honest ask for consideration  when Mayo recognized that their own expansion and growth would put a burden on the small population of Rochester . I admit, I find that attitude refreshing….and only makes MOA move more suspect!

Personally, I think subsidizing a PRIVATE BUSINESS is eyebrow raising and particularly one not locally-owned that grew at the expense of metro retail and other existing major shopping centers – most of whom need financial help to recover from the damage done.  And of course, the more they grow, the more they tax the existing infrastructure of Interstates and main thoroughfares in the area.  Were I an East Bloomington citizen – I would start thinking about how I could escape the circus MOA has created in my town.

Unfortunately since I have always disliked MOA from the very first opening event, I tend to agree with Citizens League who asked the question:  Do we really need more office and retail in Bloomington? 

To me it seems another example of “my way or the highway” with little thought to a healthy metro area in total.   As a student of future city-making and community needs, this violates every principle of healthy growth of urban visionaries and certainly cannot be applauded by MSP THRIVE 2040 is it?

MINNESOTA LEGISLATIVE SESSION RESULTS

No matter who we are, I’m sure each of us has an opinion on what got accomplished in our Legislature this year…and what did not.  I looked through the capitol scoreboard myself yesterday morning with both smiles and frowns.

The minimum wage issue issue earns both sides a big negative in my book.  Yes I know, wait until next year.  That is easy to say for those not impacted; not so easy for those trying to exist…day by day.  But like it or not, they will have to wait.  It is still hard for me to accept that those catergorized by Romney as the despicable 47% are not only constantly criticized but also shackled by their plight, In my mind, if you cannot afford to pay your employees a reasonable living wage then perhaps that is a sign of your own poor business skills or personal greed-not the unworthiness of your employees to earn a living wage.

The only possible consolation for this was that as we turned our backs on the most needy citizens, we increased tax rates on top income Minnesotans.  Unfortunately, my first thought was how much will that really yield?  The affluent, also the most educated and well-equipped to get help in finding tax loopholes, may just increase the snowbird population or use of off-shore accounts.

I’ve talked about this before.  That one day less six month loophole is a travesty.  Reduce it to three months to escape the worst of winter, if you must, or consider other options that perhaps limit what services are offered to these folks when they return to Minnesota in their 70s/80s to spend the last years of their life here.  Unfortunately, this time around the “Snowbird Tax” did not pass – maybe next year!

I’m good with the cigarette tax….ultimately, smoking and its consequences both in one’s health and in pollution issues becomes a state problem so it is only fair smokers pay it forward.  If they cannot afford to, they they will have to quit – a good outcome for all.

It is interesting though, that the smoking tax passed, but not an alcohol tax.  I am a bit suspicious but definitely lean towards special interest group lobbying against this may be supported by those more affluent than the smokers are!

In either case, using the cigarette tax to pay for a sports stadium seems a bit irresponsible.

We made some progress on education issues; a token gift of tuition rates for undocumented immigrants and the RIGHT to decide if they want to unionize for home-care providers and personal-care assistants.

That particular issue has always surprised me.  We say our children are most important to us, and represent our future…and yet, we resent that those with whom we entrust them want to be paid a living wage….

And the list goes on.  I am sad we couldn’t make any headway on gun issues and immigrant drivers license…I don’t think frac sand legislation went far enough; it seems ludicrous we legislate to protect the trout that are impacted but don’t see a need to protect the  innocent people in impacted areas…I am surprised the convention center needs in outlying cities cannot get approved when we readily give more dollars to Xcel Center in Saint Paul…I’m please we are addressing autism treatment; and saddened that transit did not fair better.  One only needs to look at the time and efforts spent in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul efforts in creative placemaking and community building to understand the importance of transit….I find Twin West objections baseless,  and I still believe if it is built, those objectors will use the improved system.

But I am pleased that Rochester received the commitment that a portion of the $3 billion taxes generated by Mayo growth and improvements will be returned to Rochester for infrastructure needs that will result.  That is what government is for; and I’m pleased the legislature recognized it.

And so we move forward….and see what will happen next year – the bonding year.

The rain has been a challenge, but it did make the leaves finally open; Our building entrance is very colorful right now.

FRACKING – NEXT STEPS

A baby step made in the fracking controversy…we now have regulations we hope will save the trout streams in SE Minnesota.

As for people?  Not so fast!  The latest moves did nothing about real concerns:  water depletion, water pollution, air quality and transportation…let alone the destruction of SE Minnesota Paleozoic Plateau – the Bluff Country along the Mississippi.

It is ironic, I think, that this news was positioned by the STRIB this morning on Metro Page 2 – directly above yet another article over the 3M PFC case that has continued over the last ten years. Certainly this is a testament to how difficult it is to FIX something once it has happened.

I really do not understand what about the benefits of PREVENTION vs CORRECTION we do not understand…well, I guess that is not really true.  I do understand – although I do not willingly accept- that money talks.  CASH trumps all in the short term – allowing us to push the concern down the road for others to deal with “sometime” in the future.

That said, this week’s action at least was a baby step in the right direction with a a few more minimal regulatory steps still pending in the State Legislature.  MAYBE we will get environmental studies on any plan involving more than 20 acres, and possibly we will see some new air quality rules from Pollution Control Agencies.

But let’s not kid ourselves when we count on the local government authority to extend sand moratoriums.  Not only can local governments in these small communities not afford to take on mining money, let’s not forget that lack of knowledge of long term consequences generally does not win against short term financial gain and land is sold….especially, if you  as that impacted small land owner can see the destruction coming….you would be tempted to cash in as well, as a way to escape.

We are still a long way for good solutions!