Looting in North Minneapolis

I took a bus tour of the eastern sections of North Minneapolis yesterday.  I saw a lot of trees down of course, and considerable structural damage around Lyndale and Dowling including two flattened garages.  News reports have the total property damage at around $180 million.

When disasters strike, the human urge is to act quickly, if anything doing too much.  Unfortunately, some take advantage of such haste, receiving aid by pretending to be worse off than claimed.  Contractors have been known to take advantage as well, doing major work when only minor repairs were truly indicated.

State and Federal relief will no doubt cover much of what insurance does not.  And when that money starts flowing, you can bet that Mayor Rybak and the Council will be working the system as well, looking for ways to sneak unrelated work and spending into the mix.  If I ran the Star Tribune, I'd put a reporter (having fired all the journalists) on this, following the money, looking for the new water fountains, yellow bikes, outreach coordinators, grief counselors, and green roofs.  I'd keep an eye on the Minneapolis Public School system, too.

And if I were Governor, I'd tell Rybak et al that any overreaches will be deducted from LGA and/or other outlays next session.

 

Comments

[anonymous]

Ah, compassion.

Too soon, Speed. Let's get roofs over people's heads and food in their bellies before we start giving the side eye to the politicians. Plenty of these folks were barely holding it together financially before they got a tree through the front door, they could use help right now.

--Annie

ps--if anyone hasn't donated, they can really use things like canned meat, peanut butter, crackers. Donations to Shiloh Temple (1201 Broadway) or KMOJ Radio.

[Margaret]

I think his point is that before anybody starts talking about criminals looting stores, they ought to look at the more genteel looting that was going on before and will continue after the tornado cleanup. Never too soon to point that out and I live in the tornado zone.

One correction though--it's green bikes not yellow bikes.

[Speed Gibson]

Don't forget: this mayor lays off real cops in response to imaginary LGA-induced deficits. The Twins Stadium bill, golly, had some library money in it. His idea of new Vikings stadium somehow remodels Target Center and part of Block E. Never let a crisis go to waste.

[anonymous]

The conversations shifts, but if we're talking about LGA cuts--Imaginary? Hardly.

"In December 2008, Local Government Aid to Minneapolis was reduced through unallotment by $13.2 million. Six months later, LGA was cut again through unallotment: $8.5 million in 2009 and by $21.3 million in 2010. In addition to these reductions, the Minnesota Legislature affirmed the 2010 cut and acted to further reduce LGA and Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC) funding to Minnesota cities. Additional cuts to Minneapolis in 2010 included a $4.7 million LGA cut and a $6.2 million cut to the City’s MVHC allocation."

You may think these cuts are swell, and you may hate LGA in general, but it's simply not true to call them imaginary. You can't cut that much from the budget without feeling some pain. Taxpayers have seen double-digit increases in property taxes, and still street plowing and maintenence is failing and cops and firefighters get cut.

There's a pretty interesting article looking at the LGA cuts in the new issue of MSP magazine, including an interview with the Crystal city manager. It's a good read.

--Annie

[Speed Gibson]

Against a budget of $1.3 billion, of which maybe 11% is police, an LGA cut of 1% does not in the least require laying off police, perhaps the city's most vital function. I'm just saying that people who play these games are likely to keep on playing them until they're caught.

[anonymous]

Your numbers are off, Speed.

"of which maybe 11% is police"
Public safety--police, fire, 911, and the criminal division of the city att'y--comprises 55%, not 11%. (I don't know the exact % that covers police--I'm sure it depends if you include salary, pensions, equip, etc.) You'd prefer cutting dispatchers, prosecutors, and firefighers, perhaps? Tomato/tomahto. Public safety is public safety.

"An LGA cut of 1%"
Under the Legislature's plan, LGA is projected to be cut 25% annually over the next four years until it disappars entirely.

LGA comprises a quarter of the Mpls budget.

--Annie