The Cities Category Archive: Politics

Maine a preview of MN's marriage vote?

Posted at 7:00 PM on May 11, 2012 by Sasha Aslanian (0 Comments)
Filed under: Arts , Livability, Marriage amendment, Minneapolis, Politics, Religion

Anyone interested in Minnesota's vote on a constitutional amendment defining marriage this November will find the documentary Question One intriguing.

Filmmakers Joe Fox and James Nubile got extraordinary behind-the-scenes access to both sides of the debate over Maine's 2009 referendum on marriage. In an interview from his office in New York, Fox explained he "wanted to tell the human story of the people caught up in the fight that would change their lives."

Fox will be in Minneapolis for screenings of the film May 14-19 at 7 p.m. at the Mall of America Theatre as part of the Twin Cities Film Festival.

For three months, the film crew embedded "war-room style" as Maine voters considered whether to repeal a state law that had legalized same sex marriage. (Spoiler alert: Maine voters repealed the law, but it's headed for a rematch this November.)

So what are the lessons for Minnesota?

Fox says to expect the same playbook. The Yes on One campaign was run by Frank Schubert, a Sacramento-based PR consultant who also led successful campaigns for Prop 8 in California, in North Carolina last week and is working with Minnesota for Marriage.

Even knowing the outcome, the film is dramatic. Right up to the vote, the No on One side was polling ahead. Why did they lose? The No on One campaign director wonders in the aftermath, "People lied in the polling, and that's been eating away at me."

Looking back, Fox remembers a portend. In the phone bank room, Fox overheard Yes callers telling people who were supporting gay neighbors or friends that gays and lesbians already had their civil rights and they didn't need marriage. "When I heard those calls, there was something in my gut--and the person changed their mind during the course of the call--that I felt perhaps the No side would not win."

Lesson number 2:

"Never underestimate the passion of people," said Fox. "I went into this thinking the passions would mostly come from a religious base and yes, that was true, but the passions went beyond that," said Fox, reflecting on the winning side. "These were people that felt they were being ignored, their voices weren't being heard and there was a rage that was brewing inside of these people that their leaders weren't listening to them."

Lesson number 3:

Conversations matter. "I saw how people's minds were changed through one knock on the door and the hello that followed," said Fox. "You're not fighting an issue. It's all personal."

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No response from governor to URS invitation

Posted at 5:06 PM on May 1, 2012 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, Transportation

Gov. Mark Dayton has not yet responded to an offer by San Francisco-based URS Corp. to fly its chief executive officer to Minnesota to discuss the company's history in the state and its bid for engineering work on the proposed Southwest Light Rail project.

URS VP and Minneapolis Office Manager Tom Bader sent the letter last Friday in response to another recent letter - this one from Rep.Tom Tillberry, DFL-Fridley - asking the governor not to give URS more state contracts.

"I, along with many other Minnesotans, lost a good friend on August 1, 2007. Others lost fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, aunts and uncles," Tillberry wrote. "I am sure that they would ask - as I do - what does a company have to do before we will cease to do business with them?"

URS consulted on the 35W bridge before it collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people. Now URS is up for a $100 million contract on the Southwest Corridor LRT, one of Gov. Dayton's top bonding priorities this session. The governor has expressed strong concerns over URS bidding for more work in the state.

In URS' letter, Bader said the company understands the impact of the 35W bridge collapse, saying URS "did not design or build the I-35W bridge, nor were we involved in any of the construction work, including the resurfacing being done when the bridge collapsed. In fact, there were no findings of fault against us."

The company offered to fly CEO Martin Koffel to Minnesota to meet personally with Dayton to address any concerns.

We'll have to see whether the governor takes URS up on its offer.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are deadlocked at the Capitol as the end of session nears with no indication of whether they'll approve funding for the SWLRT.

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Rybak's staffers really like their jobs

Posted at 5:10 PM on March 29, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Budget , Minneapolis, Politics

R.T. Rybak must be a pretty good boss. The Minneapolis mayor's office received the highest marks of any department on the city's 2011 Employee Engagement Survey, whose results were released today.

The mayor is responsible for only 11 employees (although the overachievers in his office somehow managed 12 survey responses), but all of them say they're "extremely satisfied" with their jobs.

In fact, there was only one area on the 68-question survey where a majority of Rybak's staff gave the gig a thumbs-down: the paycheck. Almost two-thirds of them say they're underpaid. Welcome to the club.

Now for the bad news

The most dissatisfied workers in city government are the firefighters. Only three percent of them think they have enough bodies in the department to get their jobs done. A whopping six percent think city leaders care about their abysmal morale.

Since 2001, Minneapolis has cut 71 firefighters from the department -- about 15 percent of the force. The city installed a new fire chief this year. Clearly, John Fruetel has his work cut out for him.

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Business leaders say they'll fight for Southwest light rail

Posted at 5:14 PM on March 28, 2012 by Jessica Mador (1 Comments)
Filed under: Business, Politics, Transportation

Both the House and Senate have failed to include the Southwest light rail line from Eden Prairie to downtown Minneapolis on a list of recommended projects. Top Republicans in the House and Senate say they have concerns about the cost of building and operating the $1.25 billion line.

The Southwest light rail is among a handful of projects around the country selected to receive competitive federal grants. If the state doesn't fund the light rail line this year, Todd Klingel, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, says the state risks losing that matching money.

"This is about jobs and this is the most powerful leveraging opportunity that they could have for anything in the bonding bill," he says, "and that if nothing happens that opportunity could be lost."

The state's total share of the project is $125 million, or ten percent. Aside from the state's share, the cost of the LRT will be paid 50 percent by the federal government, 10 percent by Hennepin County, and 30 percent from a five-county transit-dedicated sales tax.

Governor Dayton requested $25 million from lawmakers for the project in his bonding proposal. As the session gets closer to ending, discussions are sure to heat up over what would be the third light rail in the metro.

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Cupcake may make a comeback in St. Paul

Posted at 8:25 PM on March 22, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (0 Comments)
Filed under: Business, Politics, St. Paul

After you've stuffed yourself on tilapia tacos at Tin Fish this summer, you might be able to drive over to St. Paul for a gourmet cupcake and a glass of wine.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman today announced he's found the parking spaces and has the votes to revive plans for the popular Minneapolis bakery Cupcake to open a second location on Grand Ave.

But a parliamentary tactic from Council Member Dave Thune, whose 2nd Ward includes that stretch of Grand, could pose additional delays.

Cupcake started renovating the retail space formerly occupied by the Wonderment toy store earlier this year after the city granted it a parking variance. Because the business will include a wine bar, it's supposed to have ten of its own off-street parking spaces. But it had only three connected with its building.

The owner had an agreement to rent additional spaces in the lot attached to Anderson Cleaners, across the street. But some neighbors objected the plan was insufficient and worried it would set a bad precedent. They filed an appeal, and a 5-2 majority of the City Council granted it.

Since then, Cupcake has found four more spaces in a nearby ramp for its employees to use. And Coleman's office says it has convinced one member of the council, Chris Tolbert, to change his vote. That, combined with the mayor's veto, is enough to trump the previous council action.

The mayor's office says that when Thune heard about the veto plan, he pulled off a parliamentary maneuver to delay any further action on the issue for four weeks.

Thune hasn't returned calls from MPR seeking an explanation, but he told MinnPost he objected to the mayor's "brinksmanship." In the article, Thune suggests the council may reconsider Cupcake's parking variance next week.

Cupcake owner Kevin VanDeraa says he's already sunk more than $100,000 into the venture, which he'd originally hoped to open last year. He's frustrated with Thune's move, but at this point he's willing to wait.

"If I walk away, I've spent all this money and I walk away with nothing," VanDeraa said. "If I stay and fight and spend a little more money, I end up with a store. Hopefully in five years this all will be just a bad dream."

He hopes to have the place open by June.

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Minneapolis draft map doesn't pair incumbents

Posted at 10:06 AM on March 14, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (0 Comments)
Filed under: Minneapolis, Politics

The latest map from the Minneapolis Redistricting Group makes big changes to many of the city's political boundaries, but it doesn't pit any incumbent city council members against each other.

Every council member's home remains in the ward he or she currently represents -- though in many cases, just barely. In fact, nearly half the council members find themselves within two blocks of a proposed ward boundary.

Cam Gordon's house is about 200 feet from the proposed border of his 2nd Ward. Lisa Goodman is in her proposed 7th Ward by a block.

Even before redistricting, 6th Ward Council Member Robert Lilligren could walk one block south and find himself in Ward 9. Under the proposed map, he could also go two blocks west if he wants to visit Ward 10.

Sandy Colvin Roy (Ward 12) and Gary Schiff (Ward 9) each enjoy a two-block buffer between their homes and their proposed ward lines. So does Meg Tuthill, but that was the case already.

The previous draft map didn't have as many incumbents skating close to the line, but just like this one, it left all members in their own districts.

The Redistricting Group, which consists of the city's Charter Commission plus nine additional members from around the city, agreed on five principles that guide the map-making process. Keeping incumbents in their wards wasn't one of them.

"It's supposed to be irrelevant, technically," said Jeanne Massey, one of the group's advisory members. "That doesn't mean that it isn't informally considered."

Massey pointed out that since the Redistricting Group tries to make minimal changes where possible, the process tends to protect incumbents.

The map isn't final, yet. It will be subject to a pair of public hearings next week. Following those, there could be additional changes before the city's Charter Commission approves the final boundaries on March 26.

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Stenglein took some lumps in his career on the county board

Posted at 5:00 PM on February 24, 2012 by Brandt Williams (1 Comments)
Filed under: Minneapolis, Politics, Race

For the record, Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein says he decided to accept the job of CEO and President at the Minneapolis Downtown Council because he thought the opportunity too good to pass up.

He leaves the county board at the end of May.

Stenglein was elected to the board in 1996 to lead the county's 2nd District, which includes parts of north Minneapolis and Golden Valley. I've covered Stenglein's career as an elected official and here are a few things that stand out.

At the time he was elected, I was working for the African American community newspaper, Insight News. The paper held a weekly public meeting at Lucille's Kitchen, a north Minneapolis soul food restaurant that closed several years ago. The meetings eventually became a live broadcast event, but in 1996, the format was much more informal. Conversations between newspaper staff and neighbors and newsmakers were held over plates of scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy. Stenglein was an early attendee to the meetings. And from what I remember, the dialogue often got tense as some black community members challenged this newly-elected, white, conservative-leaning politician who lived on the other side of the river. Stenglein took some lumps then. But he kept coming back to Lucille's.

Stenglein says while some of the meeting participants took verbal shots at him, he never felt intimidated by being the lone white guy in a group of African Americans.

"What was most interesting to me was people would say to me - people from northeast or the suburbs -- would say, 'well gosh, you're going to represent all of north Minneapolis. A bunch of black people live over there.' And I'd say, 'oh, yeah. I used to live Nigeria, for a couple years. I'm used to being around a bunch of black people.'"

In 1999, Stenglein championed a new effort at the county called the African American Men Project. At the time Stenglein said the idea for the project came to him as he drove through north Minneapolis and saw so many black men standing around on the street. He was criticized by some African Americans who took offense at the idea that black men needed to be studied. But the project continues today and is housed at Northpoint Health and Wellness center. It offers help for black men who are struggling to find employment, housing and other basic needs.

Stenglein ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Minneapolis in 2001. The mayoral primary was held on Tues, September 11. I was assigned to watch the election returns from Stenglein's home and interview him. However, for most of the evening, media and Stenglein supporters alike, watched television news coverage of the attacks in New York and Washington DC.

Commissioner Stenglein was also present for two of the most controversial measures passed by the board in recent years. He opposed the countywide smoking ban, which eventually passed. And Stenglein voted in the majority to approve the countywide sales tax that helped build Target Field. The public hearings before both votes featured some of the most passionate and at times nasty rhetoric I've ever heard directed at elected officials. Often that invective was hurled directly at Stenglein.

Stenglein says some of the worst came from anti-smoking advocates. One accused him of wanting to kill babies. "Yeah, it was nasty," he said.

Stenglein says after the Target Field sales tax vote, a group of protesters gathered on the front step of his home. Some carried signs calling him a "traitor to the taxpayer." But despite threats from voters that they were going to kick him out of office for his stance on these issues, Stenglein kept getting reelected.

But he will not face reelection this fall. Stenglein will replace Sam Grabarski as the leader of the Downtown Council starting June 1. He will still be a public figure, but chances are Stenglein will not need a hard hat for this job.

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Rep. Ellison meets young men trying to leave crime behind

Posted at 4:20 PM on February 21, 2012 by Brandt Williams (0 Comments)
Filed under: Crime, Minneapolis, Politics

Congressman Keith Ellison was a bit wary of the reporters gathered today at the Emerge office in north Minneapolis. He was at the social service organization's offices to meet with a group of participants in a program called the North4 Project. The program helps gang-affiliated teens and young men get jobs and leave the criminal lifestyle.

Ellison told the nearly dozen group participants that he didn't want them to feel like the media was putting them on display. But he acknowledged that the presence of an MPR news reporter (me) and a Star Tribune reporter would help bring attention to a positive program. Any concerns that the young men would be too shy to speak in front of reporters were put to rest when the first group participant, Tyron Jenkins, 20, opened his mouth.

Jenkins presented his autobiography, which was punctuated by 'youknowwhatimsayin' and 'you feel me' inserted in to nearly each sentence. We 'felt' him. Jenkins talked about how he was thrust into adulthood at an early age.

He'd been 'hustling' ever since he was eight years old. Trying to make a million dollars, he said. And at age nine, he was introduced to gun violence.

"My childhood got tooken [sic] very young, very, very young. I got shot at nine. I was in the hospital, on the bed at nine years old from a gunshot wound. You feel me?"

Jenkins says North4 helped him get a job at MnDOT, where he wears a button-down shirt and tie every day. And he's also in school working on a business degree.

But some of the young men in the program are still struggling. Brandon Turner, 22, (pictured above) told Ellison that he recently lost his truck because it broke down and he couldn't afford to fix it. And Turner says he's facing eviction at the end of the month. Ellison didn't make him any promises, but told Turner he'd see what he could do to help him.

Ellison also encouraged the young men to apply for internships in his office. However, Ellison told them, by rule he can't hire an intern who isn't in school. So Ellison told them now is a good time to go back to school if they aren't already.

Ellison helped secure $240,000 in federal funds to start the program two years ago. To date, the program has involved 31 young men. However, five participants have wound up in jail. But as one staff member pointed out, 'all 31 participants are still alive.' And that's an important statistic. According to data from North4, on average, each participant has lost 5 friends or family members to homicide.

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Minneapolis Lutherans oppose marriage amendment

Posted at 9:44 PM on February 17, 2012 by Sasha Aslanian (14 Comments)
Filed under: Marriage amendment, Minneapolis, Politics

The Minneapolis Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passed a resolution this evening opposing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Made up of 155 congregations from Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Isanti, Scott, and parts of Sherburne and Wright counties, the synod represents nearly 190,000 baptized members.

The resolution opposes the amendment that would "would prevent one group of committed couples and their families from pursuing ordinary legislative or legal means to gain the support and protections afforded to all other."

In 2004, the Minneapolis Synod opposed any effort to rewrite the federal or state constitutions to forbid the the creation of legally recognized relationships between same sex couples.

In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the national group, voted to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.

The resolution takes pains to point out Lutherans may "hold various convictions regarding lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships," nevertheless, the church "has called upon congregations and members of this church to welcome, care for, and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection."

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Gingrich protest a sign of Edina's changing politics

Posted at 1:04 PM on February 7, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (5 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, Suburbs

A colleague of mine noted with interest that the hecklers who interrupted GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich last night were high school students from Edina.

"Why do you support discrimination against gays and lesbians all the time?" shouted Gabe Aderhold at Gingrich's Bloomington event.

Aderhold and his accomplice Isaac Rothberg, both 17, live in Edina. At first glance, the tony suburb seems an unlikely hotbed of liberal activism -- but upon closer examination, it's not as unlikely as it looks. Edina's politics are changing.

With a median household income of $79,535 (well above the statewide average of $57,243,) Edina used to be a GOP stronghold. Republicans have represented the city in the state Senate since party designation was re-instituted at the Legislature in the mid-70s.

The GOP also held Edina's two state House seats during most of that time, save for a brief, two-year period when DFLer Paul Rosenthal snagged one of them.

Rosenthal's 2008 win is a sign of the GOP's loosening grip on Edina. It can partly be attributed to the ample coattails of President Barack Obama. He won the city handily -- 55 percent to 43 percent -- against Republican John McCain. That improved on the showing of the Democratic Party's 2004 nominee. John Kerry also carried the city, but by less than 3 percentage points.

These days, Edina swings easily back and forth between the GOP and the DFL -- even splitting its vote some years.

This year, Obama shares the ballot with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the city's three GOP-held legislative seats and a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. It will be interesting to see how the vote breaks down.

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Top Mpls aide Steven Bosacker resigning

Posted at 4:15 PM on February 2, 2012 by Brandt Williams (0 Comments)
Filed under: Minneapolis, Politics

The city of Minneapolis is losing the most influential non-elected official most people have probably never heard of. City Coordinator Steven Bosacker announced he's leaving next month. For the last six years, Bosacker has worked primarily out of the public eye on several major policy issues, most notably the creation of the 311 information call line and the city's conversion from the 20-year-old Neighborhood Revitalization Program to the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department.

Bosacker didn't operate completely in the shadows. Anyone who has watched a city council meeting has probably seen him called to the podium in council chambers to answer an elected official's question. Advising the council and mayor are just two of several duties of the position. Bosacker also oversaw six city departments.

In a press release Mayor RT Rybak praised Bosacker's work:

Steven Bosacker is one of the most gifted public administrators in the history of Minnesota and his work for Minneapolis had been nothing short of transformative.

Bosacker says he's leaving to pursue a "life-long dream" of traveling the world.

No word yet from the city on a possible interim or permanent replacement.

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Stillwater Lift Bridge to close later this year for repairs

Posted at 11:54 AM on January 31, 2012 by Jessica Mador (2 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, Suburbs, Transportation

With a proposed replacement bridge over the St. Croix River moving forward in Washington, MnDOT is planning work on the existing span.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge will close for repairs from Sept. 10 through the end of the year. MnDOT says workers will paint and repair steel connections, electrical systems and concrete on the project, which is estimated to cost $3.6 million.

When (if?) a new river bridge goes up, the Lift Bridge will be converted into a bicycle and pedestrian facility as part of a looped trail system connecting both bridges.

Opponents of the proposed almost $700 million four-lane bridge over the St. Croix are calling for a smaller, cheaper span.

MnDOT is hosting an open house about the project from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at Stillwater City Hall.

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Redistricting game about as fun as it sounds

Posted at 12:04 PM on January 30, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (0 Comments)
Filed under: Minneapolis, Politics, St. Paul

Ever wanted to gerrymander Minneapolis? Now's your chance.

The good-government group Common Cause Minnesota is encouraging members of the public to redraw the city's ward boundaries using specialized online mapping software.

The object of the game is to ensure each ward has the same number of residents based on the 2010 census. If you like jigsaw puzzles, it might even be fun for you. Or then again, maybe not.

After several frustrating attempts, I called up Mike Dean, who's in charge of the state Common Cause chapter, and he walked me through it. The current map is on the left. Mine's on the right. Can you tell the difference?

Confused? I was too. There's a lot of information displayed there. The yellow lines are what you're actually adjusting -- the ward boundaries. The checker board of black, white and gray represents census tracts. The brown-tinted wards on the left-hand map have too many people in them right now. The blue-tinted ones have too few.

So you basically have to shrink wards two and seven, which include the U of M, downtown and neighborhoods to the west of it. They've gained population over the last decade. And you have to grow wards four, five and six, which have a smaller share of the population now. Those wards include north Minneapolis, plus Whittier and some neighborhoods south of the 94/35W intersection.

I'll admit I learned a lot going through the exercise, but I also had an expert to hold my hand. Plus, I got to do it on company time.

I had a harder time picturing many members of the general public slogging through the process. I'm not sure most people even care whether they end up in Ward 2 or Ward 6.

"They should," Dean said. "Part of the problem is that redistricting for decades has been done in the back room. Because of that, there's not much understanding of how it works or why it matters."

Dean acknowledges that the mapping program can be a little clunky. But he hopes those bugs will be worked out by the time the 2022 redistricting process comes around.

In other cartography news...

The Minneapolis Charter Commission will draft a final map by mid-March, with draft proposals and opportunities for public comment between now and then. A court will decide state legislative and congressional district maps in late February.

St. Paul finished redrawing its wards last year. Its population shifts were much smaller than those in Minneapolis, and the process was largely uncontroversial. But city political maps can certainly be contentious. Ten years ago, the Minneapolis redistricting process resulted in a lawsuit.

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Lawmakers graded for efforts on racial equity

Posted at 3:15 PM on January 26, 2012 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Livability, Politics, Race

Almost three dozen Senate and House lawmakers got As. More than a dozen earned Fs and Gov. Dayton received a grade of B-minus for efforts to advance racial equity last year. The report card gave the Legislature a D overall for 2011. The Legislature got an F for budget equity.

The Organizing Apprenticeship Project Thursday released its 6th annual Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity for 2011, which grades lawmakers and the governor on their performance proposing and advancing bills that would improve racial equity in the state. Organizer Vina Kay says lawmakers need to do a better job to increase equality among all of Minnesota residents.

"There are these huge disparities at the very same time that we are seeing and increase in populations of color in Minnesota so something isn't working right in the structures that support our communities," Kay said. "They are not serving everybody well."

Kay's group held a rally at the capitol to highlight their findings.

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Key Ramsey County commissioner retiring

Posted at 5:40 PM on January 10, 2012 by Tim Nelson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, St. Paul , Suburbs

Jan Parker, one of seven Ramsey County commissioners, says she's decided not to run for re-election.

The four-term commissioner from New Brighton has been a swing vote on the board, which often splits along suburban and urban or liberal and conservative lines -- although strictly speaking, it's a non-partisan position.

Most recently, she's been a fourth vote on the Vikings matters. It was her affirmation that she supported a "request for qualifications" that indicated the board's most recent stadium maneuver was going to pass.

It was an uncommon 4-3 vote on the board, a sign of sharp division among a group that often works by virtual consensus.

But Parker says stadium politics have nothing to do with her departure.

''No. Absolutely not," she said today. "The Vikings issue is just one more challenge. You know, the role of the county commission goes unnoticed most of the time. But there is always something exciting and interesting going on. And so, no, the Vikings stadium is not any part of my decision.''

Parker said personal issues played a bigger role. Her husband recently retired, and she has a new granddaughter in Milwaukee that she'd like to spend more time with.

"And 16 years is a long time for anybody to serve in any capacity," Parker says. "It's a good idea to rotate around a little bit."

Parker says she won't be endorsing any successors, but figures there will be plenty of contenders.

She represents the cities of Lauderdale, Little Canada, New Brighton, Roseville, St. Anthony and part of Mounds View. She'll serve through the end of 2011 -- and may yet have a hand in where the Vikings play during her successor's tenure.

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Scott County administrator survives vote to fire him

Posted at 3:10 PM on January 3, 2012 by Curtis Gilbert (1 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, Suburbs

After heated and at times personal debate, the Scott County Board voted not to fire County Administrator Gary Shelton today.

The 3-2 vote came after Commissioner Joe Wagner introduced a motion to terminate Shelton.

"All I've got to say, it's time for a change," Wagner said. He did not elaborate on his problems with Shelton, nor did Commissioner Dave Menden, who also voted to fire the administrator.

"There's a lot of mistrust between me and Gary and it goes way back," Menden said. "I got a list of at least 20 things at home, none that I'm going to bring up."

Just four months ago the commission voted unanimously that Shelton exceeded expectations in his annual performance evaluation, according to county Employee Relations Director Jack Kemme. That led other members of the county board to suggest today's motion was motivated by personal differences.

"Do you get to say, 'I don't like somebody, so we should fire him?'" Commissioner Jon Ulrich asked. "We're here to represent the public and work for the betterment of our county. If we've got a personal feeling, get over it."

If the board had voted to fire Shelton, he could have demanded a public hearing on the matter and formal written charges from the board. Shelton declined to comment on today's vote.

Video of the debate is available on the Scott County website.

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Why Mohamud Noor supports same-sex marriage

Posted at 10:20 AM on November 29, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis, Politics

In his bid to become the first Somali-American state legislator in Minnesota and possibly the country, Mohamud Noor is explaining to some voters why his Islamic faith is not in conflict with his support for LGBT rights.

Noor is one of five DFL candidates who will face off in a primary election next Tuesday, Dec. 6, to replace former Sen. Larry Pogemiller. Last week, Noor was endorsed by Stonewall DFL, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender caucus of the party. On his website, he argues "marriage is a basic right."

Noor, a former state worker, is courting voters in Minneapolis neighborhoods with heavy East African concentrations, including the Cedar-Riverside area. Many Somalis, but not all, are socially conservative on the marriage question due to religious beliefs.

Some Somali-Americans have questioned him directly, or indirectly, including in at least one spirited debate on Facebook, about his position against the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

What does he say in response?

"I have good friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are LGBT. They don't have the same basic rights as my wife and I do," he said in an interview. "It's more explaining the issue -- we are all in the same boat. How will they feel if their rights are taken way? It's about informing them, educating them. I'm not trying to push them at this stage."

Noor says every voter will be pushed plenty enough as the state ramps up to the ballot question next year. But one thing he can do now, Noor says, is encourage dialogue within the Somali-American community, where sexual orientation is rarely discussed. "In Somalia, if you say you're gay, you will be stoned to death," he says.

He says the Somali and LGBT communities actually have a lot in common, including clashes between youth and their parents, resulting in teen runaways and homelessness.

The marriage question, however, isn't the highest priority for most Somali voters, Noor contends. "They don't talk about the stadium or the gay-marriage issue," he said. "Their concern is just basic one: How can we survive? How can we make sure our children have a better future?"

Noor ran unsuccessfully for the Minneapolis school board last year. But another Somali-American, Hussein Samatar, was elected, and became the first Somali-American to hold public office in Minnesota and likely the nation.

The other contenders in the DFL primary are Peter Wagenius, Jacob Frey, Paul Ostrow, and Kari Dziedzic. All of them say they oppose the marriage amendment. Republican Ben Schwanke has also filed for the seat, and will advance to the general election on Jan. 10.

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Ranked choice voting explained in under 2 minutes

Posted at 12:00 PM on November 8, 2011 by Curtis Gilbert (0 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, St. Paul

Don't understand St. Paul's new ranked choice voting system? MPR News is here to help!

Two years ago, when Minneapolis switched to the system for its municipal elections, Molly Bloom and I put together this handy little video. It explains how ranked choice (a.k.a. instant runoff) voting works in less than two minutes.

The system comes into play only in St. Paul city council races with three or more candidates running. So if you live in wards 1, 2 or 3, you'll have the option of ranking the candidates for city council.

St. Paul school board elections still work the old fashioned way -- vote for up to four candidates, no ranking necessary. There's no election today in Minneapolis.

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I voted

Posted at 9:32 AM on November 8, 2011 by Laura McCallum (0 Comments)
Filed under: Politics, St. Paul

I cast my first ranked-choice ballot at my St. Paul polling place this morning, and I'm pleased to report that it wasn't hard. The ballot and the instructions at the polling place make it quite clear that you pick your first choice, second choice, etc. It probably helps that I watched Curtis Gilbert and Molly Bloom's excellent primer on how instant runoff voting (IRV) works:

Laura Yuen has also reported on St. Paul's first test of ranked choice voting. She'll follow up after the election to see if things went smoothly. Any problems at your polling place? Tell us at The Cities.

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