Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Gov. Dayton said seat licenses would make 'People's Stadium' into 'Rich People's Stadium.' Do you agree?
Updated below. Gov. Mark Dayton lashed out against the idea of the Minnesota Vikings selling seat licenses at the new stadium in a letter to team owners. Do you "deplore" the idea like the governor does, and would you pay for a seat license? In his letter to Zygi and Mark Wilf (see PDF), Dayton wrote: Now comes word that the team is considering requiring season ticket-holders to pay part of the "NFL Team/Private Contribution" for construction costs. I strongly oppose shifting any part of the team's responsibility for those costs onto Minnesota Vikings fans. This Private Contribution is your responsibility, not theirs. I said this new stadium would be a "People's Stadium," not a "Rich People's Stadium." I meant it then, and I mean it now. …
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Charities, Vikings stadium will share proceeds from new high-tech gaming.
Electronic pulltabs are coming to a charitable-gambling site near you, thanks to financing provisions in the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill signed into law last week. Do you plan to try them out? Two local American Legion posts are featured in a Star Tribune article about the new electronic pulltabs—the Fridley post is pictured and the manager at the Kraus-Hartig post in Spring Lake Park is quoted: Don LaCroix, manager of the Spring Lake Park American Legion, is among the hundreds of charitable gambling leaders waiting to hear how Minnesota will roll out its games -- games that haven't even been invented by a manufacturer yet. LaCroix hasn't decided whether he'll buy any new games, largely because no one knows their cost and how …
45.114552
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8100 Pleasant View Dr NE, Spring Lake Park, MN
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45.102
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Marino's
7365 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN
/articles/poll-will-you-try-electronic-pulltabs
1708313
/locations/7060064
Thursday, May 17, 2012
"Hardest vote I hope I ever have to take" says MN state senator representing parts of Fridley.
State Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL-50) sent this letter to the editor Thursday morning: The 2012 session ended without an attempt from House or Senate leadership to develop a plan for paying back the over $2 billion we borrowed from our schools and without working to prevent another big budget shortfall we know will happen again in the 2013 session. Once again, social issues and the stadium dominated the session. Especially concerning were the continued attacks on working people of many trades and professions. Two attempts were made to get our governor to sign a tax bill that would have given big business tax breaks and end up creating higher property taxes for homeowners, both of which were vetoed by the governor. Much of our time—those who …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Overnight, Fridley reps voted 2-1 to help House pass bill's final version.
Watch livestreamed video of Minnesota legislative action via The UpTake. The Senate was set to convene at 9 a.m. (but is running behind that schedule) to take up the same final version of the stadium bill. As in the House, Fridley's representatives in the Senate are divided on the issue. On Tuesday, Sen. Pam Wolf (R-51) cast her vote against the Senate's version of the stadium bill, while Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL-50), calling it one of her toughest votes, supported it. UPDATED (4 a.m. Thursday): It was past 3 a.m. Thursday when the Minnesota House of Representatives voted on the final version of the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill that came from the House-Senate conference committee only a few hours before. There were jokes from speakers on …
Of Fridley's three reps in House, she was only 'No' vote.
State Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL-50A) explained her "No" vote on the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill in an email to constituent Wednesday: The Vikings stadium bill was one of the hardest votes I recall as a state representative. There are good and important reasons both to support and to oppose the proposal. I listened carefully to them all. Based on my own conscience, as well as what I discerned to be the majority opinion of my constituents, I finally voted no. Although the argument that stadium construction would provide much needed jobs was extremely persuasive to me – my heart goes out to unemployed trades people – I could not rationalize the stadium as the best way to do that. (A robust bonding bill would create opportunities all over the…
Final tally was 38-28 in favor; both Fridley senators spoke during floor debate.
A final vote on the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill Tuesday had Fridley's state senators on opposite sides of the issue. The stadium bill passed 38-28 after more than 11 hours of floor debate, with Barb Goodwin (DFL-50) voting in favor and Pam Wolf (R-51) voting against. Wolf had pledged to vote no, but Goodwin's vote was a mystery until a Y appeared next to her name on the Senate's electronic tally board—one of the last votes to be cast. Goodwin had in recent weeks asked constituents for their opinions and abstained during her last vote in committee on the bill. At a hearing last December she called the planned stadium "extravagant." Voting on Amendments The two senators, who represent different areas of Fridley, often voted together in…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Fridley rep says constituent comments are 15:1 in favor.
Here's how state Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) explained his "Yes" vote on the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill in an email Tuesday: I was an original author to the Kreisel charitable gambling bill, which now turned into the Viking stadium bill. We needed to resolve the stadium issue and this was the best way possible for this legislature at this time. Although we have other needs in our community that have more priority, the decision to build the stadium would supply us with more job opportunities for people who have been waiting for work. I can't be sure that the bonding bill will pass. We need to get our workers back to work. If we wait for a good time to build a stadium, it will never be built. It's been argued for over 6 years and my …
Of Fridley's 2 senators, Wolf is a No, Goodwin abstained in committee.
Fridley has two representatives in the Minnesota Senate, where the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill is set for a floor debate and vote on Tuesday. Watch the action here with live streaming video via The UpTake. Sen. Pam Wolf (R-51) has said she plans to vote "No" on the stadium bill. Wolf has been hearing from stadium fans who want her to vote in favor of the bill. Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL-50) has asked constituents for their opinions and abstained during her last vote in committee on the bill. She has also called the planned stadium "extravagant." On Monday, two of Fridley's three representatives in the Minnesota House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, which passed. Reps. Tom Tillberry and Kate Knuth voted "Yes" while Rep. …
Tillberry, Knuth vote Yes; Laine votes No.
The Minnesota Senate takes up the stadium bill Tuesday.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Watch the action as it happens here as the full MN House takes up bill.
Watch video via The UpTake as the Minnesota House of Representatives debates and votes on the Vikings stadium issue on Monday. The Minnesota Senate may follow shortly with its own floor debate and vote. Also on tap: Action on a bonding bill for state construction projects. How will Fridley's representatives vote on the stadium bill? Fridley Patch has polled Fridley's delegation at the state Capitol by email to get their views on the Vikings stadium bill, now set for floor votes Monday: The other question is what Fridley's representatives will say about the bill during the floor debates. If you hear them speak, please leave a comment below with a quote or the gist of what they said.
Donna Schmitt
7:14 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I agree with David-Governor Dayton should have read the bill. At least Carolyn Laine has a legitimate argument since she voted against it. As the bill stands-the Vikings have every right to sell seat licenses. more ›