Copyright 1999 Star Tribune
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN)
February 15, 1999, Metro Edition
SECTION: Pg. 3B
LENGTH: 992
words
HEADLINE: Inside Talk;
News, information and
observations from the halls of government and the campaign trail
BYLINE: Robert Whereatt; Bill McAuliffe; Jean
Hopfensperger; Staff Writers
BODY:
Looking down the
line with commuter-rail plan
Elwyn Tinklenberg, the new
governor's new commissioner of transportation, showed his political savvy last
week when he altered a two-year study on the feasibility of using
freight rail tracks to carry Twin Cities
commuter trains.
The study proposed an initial line
running from Minneapolis to the city of Ramsey in Anoka County.
On the
job a couple of weeks, Tinklenberg reviewed the study before it was submitted to
the Legislature and extended the line a few miles northwest to Elk River in
Sherburne County. In a cover letter to key legislators, Tinklenberg explained
that it made sense to extend the line to Elk River, where it would meet two
major roadways, Hwys. 169 and 10. But there's another reason, the commissioner
told a reporter. Elk River is in the Eighth Congressional District, the home
turf of U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Democrat and a major player in transportation
policy and funding.
- Robert Whereatt
New rules for
bonding bills?
This week House Republicans intend to change the rules
dealing with state bonding bills; they would require that any projects to be
financed by borrowed state funds have statewide significance.
House
Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, contends that too many local projects find
their way into state bonding bills. For example, he said, about $ 200 million
worth of local projects were in the nearly $ 1 billion 1998 bonding bill. Many
of those projects were municipal convention centers, ice arenas and other
recreational facilities.
If Sviggum has his way - and most House
speakers do - bonding bills in the future would be smaller and more
state-oriented. They might also be harder to pass. Bonding bills require a 60
percent vote for approval. Floor shepherds often have added local projects to
entice reluctant votes.
- Robert Whereatt
Tax cuts and
rebates when tulips bloom
Don't look for that state tax rebate check any
time soon. Sen. Doug Johnson, DFL-Tower, says a compromise version of the rebate
bills already passed by the House and the Senate may not be decided until there
also is agreement on permanent tax cuts. The permanent tax-cut bills are still
in House and Senate committees.
Though the rebate and permanent tax cut
are separate bills, Johnson says legislators view them as a package. Look for
both to get settled in the spring.
- Robert Whereatt
Last laughing all the way to the bank
It might be tough
enough for some Iowans that their state generally doesn't hold its snow long
enough for good snowmobiling.
But our neighbors to the south popped back
up as a punching bag for some legislative humor during the ongoing debate over
snowmobile studs.
At a discussion about whether state agencies could
provide banners next year to Minnesota retailers advertising where snowmobile
stud stickers will be sold, Rep. Mike Osskopp, R-Lake City, suggested "something
simple, to deal with the Iowans."
Iowans may get the last laugh, though.
The House Outdoor Recreation Task Force, of which Osskopp is a member, has
proposed that Iowans and all other non-Minnesotans be able to run snowmobiles
with studs in Minnesota next year without buying the proposed $ 10 sticker. The
idea is to not discourage tourism. - Bill McAuliffe
Name-giving
and name-calling
The Sierra Club returned serve Tuesday in the name game
over the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
In response to U.S. Sen.
Rod Grams' bill to have the BWCA named the Hubert H. Humphrey Boundary Waters
Canoe Area Wilderness, Sierra Club officials proposed changing Grams' own name
to "Sen. Evan Rude" - as in Evinrude, as in outboard motors, as in all that
wilderness advocates regard as reprehensible and threatening.
Officials
from the Sierra Club and the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness charged
that the Grams effort to rename the BWCA as the HHHBWCA was, in fact, a move
that could offer anti-wilderness interests in Congress an opening for amendments
to undermine the reserve's federal wilderness status. Environmental groups have
given Grams low marks for his votes on environmental issues.
Grams'
press secretary Steve Behm called that assertion "ridiculous."
"Senator
Grams thought adding Hubert H. Humphrey's name to the BWCA would be an
appropriate tribute to one of Minnesota's statesmen. We're sorry, but obviously
some people disagree."
- Bill McAuliffe
The practice of
speaking legibly
During a hearing on new welfare-to-work transportation
schemes, Sen. William Belanger, R-Bloomington, made clear his criteria for good
employees.
It happened during the testimony of Chris Roberts, general
manager of Global Aviation Inc., which employs about 4,000 workers in and around
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Roberts was telling the Senate
Transportation Committee that his company has had good luck finding airport jobs
for workers who didn't speak English.
Belanger, looking stern, told
Roberts he didn't think those workers should be placed in jobs such as
supervising the airport X-ray machines. The senator mentioned an incident when
he had a problem at the electronic baggage check, but he couldn't understand
what the airport worker was saying.
"They need to speak legible
English!" Belanger declared.
- Jean Hopfensperger
Politics at play
Jesse Ventura action figures
were introduced last week at the American International Toy Fair in New York
City. They'll arrive in stores in April. The 12-inch dolls come with three
clothing options: a gubernatorial-like suit, a Navy SEAL outfit and
football-coach sweats. They'll sell for $ 15 to $ 20.
Verbatim
"If you had to talk to the press, your
hands would get sweaty, too."
- Gov. Jesse Ventura, shaking hands with a
young student Friday at a Capitol rally for more funding for public education.
Ventura had just finished fielding several questions from reporters.
GRAPHIC: Photograph; Photograph; Photograph;
Cartoon; Cartoon
LOAD-DATE: February 17, 1999
