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The Questions:
On
a scale of (0) most disagreement , to (5) neutral, to (10) most
agreement, what is your view on the following:
1. _7.9
average response_
Potential redesign of services will likely assume low priority for
the Governor and Legislature in 2010.
2. _6.1
average response_____ Higher
education will need to move even further toward a high-tuition-high
student aid model.
3. _7.8
average response_____
K-12 education must be more open and responsive to student and
societal needs, which means it must be consumer-driven, with more
choice.
4. _8.6
average response_____
The fiscal and structural relationships between the state and its
local governments (cities, counties, townships) needs to be
re-thought.
Kent Eklund (9) (9)
(9) (9)
The entire fiscal
model of the state must be as substantially reconfigured as the
Minnesota Miracle redesign of the 70's.
Dewayne Dill (10)
(10) (6) (3)
K-12 reform is less about school choice and more about redesign of
the K-12 school to support individualized learning. The notion of
grade and class size need to be eliminated as every student is in
multiple grades by subject and class size is only at one point during
the day but is constantly fluctuating.
Al Quie (10) (10)
(10) (10)
Interesting that he
and I are on the same wave length. Other than saving LGA, I agree with
what Pogemiller said.
David Allan Pundt (8)
(0) (10) (10)
Question 1: Sounds
that way if you can listen between Pogemiller's lines.
I think there is some appetite for serious reform in the state but
Pogemiller and his party have too many high-paid interest groups to
support with our tax money. His 'getting elected' speech should be
required reading in every pol sci class in the land. Classic stuff.
Question 2: Higher
ed could move to a consumer model, let the market set tuition rates,
get unions and lobbyists out of the mix. But too many six-figure
salaries depend on the status quo. Sorry incoming freshmen; you'll dig
even deeper to pay for your two years of remedial classes.
Question 3: I'm
supportive but skeptical. Pogemiller has teacher's unions to protect
and early childhood ed is a good place to start. When we get
competition in k-12 ed, we'll get better results. Strange; football
coaches seem to understand this but superintendents and shop stewards
don't.
Question 4: Too
many Minnesotans are completely in the dark about the 'Miracle' and
its tax shift to take from some areas and give to others. Why not make
it voluntary? If you live in Minneapolis and want Pillager to have a
new police car, send in a dollar or two. LGA is a scheme Bernie Madoff
would be proud of.
Question 5: Keep up
the good work. And get Pogemiller to sponsor legislation to require
these conversations be used in every civics classroom in the state.
The best disinfectant is sunlight.
Clarence Shallbetter
(9) (8) (6) (4)
Time is running out for this session. The chief priority of this
session. and maybe the next, will be the budget. Re-design proposals
that will clearly result in reducing expenditures in the short run may
get considered. However, we are only at the early stages of devising
the actual content of re-design proposals in most large areas to the
point where they can be advanced in bill form for discussion,
amendment and movement through committees. Not sure what is the better
way of getting hard proposals except for those interested in these
issues to continue working on them and to either advance proposals
through other venues such as local units or put the effort into
develop them for the next session.
Babak Armajani (9)
(10) (10) (10)
We
should stop expecting our legislators to lead or champion redesign
and reform efforts. The founders created legislative bodies as a
check and balance, not to lead. In addition our legislature is even
more under the control of special interest groups than the Executive.
The best we can do is find individuals in the legislature who will
help champion reform if it ever comes out of the executive. And these
individuals are less likely to be people who hold leadership positions
in the legislature—as such they are beholden to the majority of their
caucus (which, in turn is highly invested in the status quo.)
Bright Dornblaser
(10) (10) (10) (10)
Chris Stedman (5) (5)
(8) (10)
Wayne Jennings (8)
(2) (10) (10)
Jan Hively (8) (8)
(8) (6)
Glenn Dorfman (10)
(10) (5) (10)
Question 3:
Or there should be less choice
and more stringent academic requirements/standards with much less
emphasis on “responsiveness to students” and more on
“responsiveness of students. Without hesitation, there needs
to be greater emphasis on the academic excellence of teachers and
improved pedagogy. The best and brightest need to be attracted to k-12
education with higher pay, based upon performance not breathing on a
mirror and the taking of mickey-mouse courses (steps and lanes).
Question 5:
The state should pay 100% for k-12 and all other local units of
government should be on their own with total local control of the
property tax. “If the local citizens want services, facilities, etc.,
they should pay for it directly.”
Bev Bales (10) (10)
(5) (10)
Charles Lutz (8) (8)
(7) (9)
Peter Hennessey
I
am having difficulty is seeing how most of these questions arise from
the topics in the Summary.
I
am also having difficulty with calling education an "industry," and
with wonky terms such as structural imbalance, re-engineering
government, appetite for reform.
But
it is interesting that a DFL politician would mention "consumer-driven
education," but I am also suspicious of what he means by that. It is
refreshing that a DFL politician would even mention consumption-based
taxes, but again I am suspicious that he is actually thinking of that
infernal value-added tax, not the sales tax.
On
the other hand, it is not surprising at all that he cites a need to
raise revenue to balance the budget; what else would you expect from
the DFL. What is wrong with that proposed constitutional amendment?
What is wrong with common sense? It is constantly surprising to me
that a nation composed of individuals and enterprises routinely
striving (struggling) to live within their means, would all of a
sudden be clueless as to how to apply the same principles and
procedures to government -- that you can't spend money you don't have,
or can't afford to borrow and repay, no matter what the need or how
noble the cause.
At
some point politicians have to answer a few fundamental questions:
what happens when government borrowing sops up all available credit?
what happens when taxes rise to 100% of all income? what happens when
100% of the government's revenue goes to servicing debt?
Gary Hendrickx (8)
(5) (8) (9)
Arvonne Fraser (8)
(2) (5) (6)
I agree with your
comment that Pogemiller is candid and thoughtful. As a constituent I
can say his town hall meetings are like seminars in public policy.
Tom Swain (10) (8)
(10) (10)
Ellen Brown
You
all seem to have quit asking about electoral reform issues like ranked
choice voting this year. Yet, with the multi-multi candidate governor
race, it is more pertinent than ever. How about getting this back on
the radar screen in interviews with folks like Pogemiller?
William Opsahl
Ask
leader Pogemiller if his Harvard classes included at least one in
Mathematics. Actually, Arithmetic.
My
observation over the past 20+ years in state government is that the
usual DFL majorities are devoted to spending and refuse to do the math
to determine if the State's population and business bases can afford
these expenditures. With only around 5,000,000 residents and a
continually declining share of major USA businesses, there is not
sufficient money available in Minnesota to meet these political goals.
Robert Lambert (9)
(8) (7) (10)
Thank you for the
opportunity to respond. I was impressed with Senator Pogemiller's
frank responses to those questions.
The major concern I have with more "choice" for K - 12 is to require
charter schools to provide the same "unfunded mandates" as public
schools, otherwise it is not a level playing field. If this is the
only way to break the teachers union that requires districts to keep
poor teachers, then I support it. I am a strong proponent in the
public school system, but until the State requires a review of tenure
every five years, we will not be able to make significant improvement
in the quality of public education.
Regarding a different tax system, I would support a simpler tax
system such as a 10% flat tax for everyone, with no loopholes. I would
also support the proposed RACINO. I don't believe that is "expansion"
of gambling for anyone who doesn't already have access. It would only
mean that a few very wealthy Native Americans would only be
millionaires rather than multi-millionaires.
Chris Brazelton (6)(_) (7)(6)
Question1: Not
because it's not important, but because there will be too much
wrangling and posturing over the budget issues to spend time on the
long term solutions.
Question 2: Not enough information presented here to reach a
thoughtful conclusion.
Question 3: Another area that could use some major overhauls, and
another area where short term budget constraints will win out over
much needed long term solutions.
Question 4: We spend an awful lot of time and energy on emotional,
knee-jerk reactions of uneducated citizens and politicians who always
have another election just around the corner, and
not enough on thoughtful research-driven solutions. While we are
fortunate to have several outside groups studying the issues, their
reports and conclusions are not disseminated
widely enough to reach critical mass. They can't get past the noise
of partisan talk-radio and cable t.v. talk-at-you shows.
Dan McElroy (3) (7) (9) (9)
A reform proposal
on how hearings for civil commitments are heard was first considered
in 2003 and is likely to become law this year, transferring
jurisdiction from the district courts to administrative law judges.
Change takes time - perhaps a little less time when budgets are
tight.
David Sorensen (10) (5) (5) (10)
Bill Hamm (9) (9) (5) (2)
Question 1: Rightfully so as the mood of the public is not in favor
of more Socialist games. It's time to apply the same sound economic
design we all have to use to balance our personal checkbooks. It's
hard to justify further taxing the underemployed, a concept "Pogey"
has a better concept of than you. The Armani suit with no taxes was a
stupid try at justifying adding sales taxes to clothing. The truth is
that the person at the $25,000 income spends a higher percentage of
his or her income on clothes, they need, than the rich spend on Armani
so they really get screwed. All this just so you can do something that
feels good, but it doesn't really affect the rich guy you claimed to
be after in the first place. A little redesign in your thinking would
help here a lot.
Question 2: That is exactly what reality is looking like. Looks like
a really good time to begin a drive for some Corporate contributions
here. You have a lot of overly rich mega millionaires down in that
Metro area, time to start laying the world's biggest guilt trip on
them instead of targeting us 62% for the bite.
Question 3: Much like "Pogey" you miss the boat again on this issue.
We want an education that is Student Based, Knowledge Based, and
locally controlled. Yes, it is time to scrap the Socialist "Minnesota
Miracle" and its lies.
Question 4: It's been re-thought enough, you should have listened to
"Pogey" on this one. As I have repeatedly told you, if it comes
from you metro mega minds it's dead on arrival in outstate.
You
are having a difficult time pushing your progressive agenda even to
one of the state's leading progressives, perhaps that will give you a
few moments of inward contemplation.
Rodney Bounds (6) (5)
(7) (5)
Vici Oshiro (10) (_)
(_) (10)
Question 4:
Rethink yes; but
don't assume change. Rethinking should include possibility that
little change is needed.
John S. Adams (9) (_)
(8) (10)
Question 2: Higher Ed will try, but there will be significant
resistance. Too much higher ed resource is being devoted to
"developmental/remedial" effort for huge numbers of unprepared
students, and colleges and universities are inefficiently run for a
variety of reasons, among them weak leadership and inept management.
Bob White (2) (7) (9)
(10)
John Milton (_) (5)
(7) (10)
For
the past 8 years with Pawlenty, MN has been unraveling its
partnership between state and local government. For 30+ years after
MN Miracle, property taxes -- the most regressive -- were under
control, rising only at the rate of inflation. Under Pawlenty,
property taxes have increased nearly 50%. For the average
Minnesotan, the last eight years have been horrible. Worse yet, he's
intimidated the DFLers who don't even want to talk about taxes.
Minnesota was blessed to have political leaders like Elmer L, Wendy,
Arne Carlson, Nick Coleman, Holmquist, Popham, Al Quie, but that was
then. I doubt we'll ever get back there, or find the kind of leaders
who get elected to help people who can't do any more for themselves.
Mike Hanson (3) (5)
(5) (3)
Paul Hauge (8) (8)
(8) (8)
David Broden (5) (4)
(8) (10)
Question 1:
It will be low priority
only if the legislature continues to be self protective and proceed
with business as usual. Someone will need to have a very strong
leadership impact and at this time this is very doubtful.
Question 2:
There is no need to
rush to this assumption--this is clearly one option but not a done
deal.
Question 3:
This needs to be the direction for
those who can work the decision path.
Question 4:
This is a positive step but should
only proceed with some strong guidelines for what needs to be uniform
etc.
Kevin Edberg (7) (_)
(_) (8)
I don't understand
the value proposition in Q3, and I say that after spending 20 years as
a school board member. Does the question refer to the ability of the
state to dictate a common curriculum (because the state pays for a
majority of K-12 costs and the state represents the highest common
expression of "the people"), or does it mean that we have (go back
to?) high levels of local autonomy in the development and adoption of
curriculum (because at the local level , school boards and supts and
teachers "know best" what our community needs and are the
closest level of government to hear and act on those needs), or that
we entirely discard the notion of education as a "public good" and
place all schools in a position of pure consumer markets with parents
holding vouchers (because "parents know our children best"), or...or..or...?
I think the way Civic
Caucus phrased this issue was notably less coherent than your work in
so many other areas. Maybe I'm just dumb. Here are things I'm pretty
sure I believe:
1) MN out-performed
other economies in the US in the latter 20th century because we
invested in human capacity (i.e. K-12-post 12 education); we also
invested in human capacity when we invested in tolerance (educating
women particularly and supporting them in fully joining the work
force). Both resulted in high levels of work force readiness and
entrepreneurial creativity that resulted in higher median family
income than should otherwise have been predicted by a cold northern
state distant from markets and previously highly dependent on farming,
forestry and mining. Both of those investments carry a high
characteristic of public investment in a "public good" synonymous with
"the public good". Things have changed, but a key to the
conversation, for me, keeps coming back to the articulation of "common
wealth" and "the commonwealth".
2) The human brain is
a highly complex organism, and we human beings are only beginning to
understand how complex that is. Each person has an individual dominant
learning style; most teachers have a dominant teaching style. This is
why two students can sit in the exact same class and say teacher X was
"the best teacher in the school" and another say "the worst". and both
could be right. A trick in the application of educational pedagogy is
to try to teach in multiple learning styles and thus customize at the
point of delivery a teaching style to match each student's learning
style. This capacity is not likely to be routinized in technology
anytime soon, and thus the best education experience will come from
having well trained, motivated masters leading the class room. There
is a place for technology, but there are limits too.
3) The dynamics of
the classroom are different today. We are more heterogeneous than 30
years ago, and that brings both challenges and opportunities. We also
do not have a common societal view of education as the way up and
out. This lack of common view manifests itself in underachievement,
class room behavior issues, and a host of other things. I don't know
what we do about that. In a sense, we as a society are too rich, and
not hungry enough to improve ourselves. Perhaps that is the curse of
the American empire: we have succeeded beyond our ability to sustain
investment in our individual and shared achievement.
Carolyn Ring (8) (8)
(8) (8)
I find it
unfortunate, but probably true that redesign of services will be a low
priority, but that could be crucial to financial problems
Bert Press (10) (0)
(0) (10)
David Dillon (10) (0)
(10) (5)
Question 1: How depressing to agree with such a prediction. One
would hope for more from our leadership than this negative
predictions. Still, as Sen. Pogemiller has a lot to say about the
future of such creative thinking.......if he doesn't believe in
it.....how could it happen. Yuck. Too bad.
Question 2: Right, let unions and the education bureaucracy continue
to drive up costs and then just make the tax payers cover the cost.
Now I understand why he takes such a dim view of creative thinking.
Question 4: These sound like code words. Why not just say what you
think should happen?
John Rollwagen (9)
(10) (10) (10)
Looks like you had an excellent meeting with Larry Pogemiller. I seem
to agree with everything he had to say. I guess you can talk sense
when you’re not really running for something. But I’m really troubled
by the sad state of affairs we seem to be sinking into.
Even on a national level, I am very disappointed with Obama’s
inability to capitalize on his political capital. Personally I think
both the economic crisis and the health care situation have presented
amazing opportunities for meaningful and positive change which we just
don’t seem able to grasp politically.
Ray Ayotte (8) (5)
(10) (8)
George Pillsbury (5)
(8) (10) (10)
Will be surprised if
anything major happens in this legislature.
Bill Kuisle (1) (1)
(10) (10)
Donald H. Anderson
(10) (5) (5) (10)
I'm afraid there is
too much polarization for this Governor and Legislature to ever come
to a worthwhile agreement on what is best for the state.
Michael Martens (10)
(_) (8) (8)
LGA is broken. I have
yet to find an LGA supporter who can explain why some cities get
$zero/ resident, some get $200/ resident and some cities get
$400/resident.
Roy Thompson (3) (3)
(4) (8)
Teachers are important but parents must instill the need for
education. Education at all levels will remain as the engine for
development. Jobs are important but education at all levels is
essential for long range development. Look at the effect of education
following WWII. Meaningful education can provide jobs for both
students and mentors or teachers. It will be expensive but in the
long run the only answer.
Terry Stone (10) (5)
(10) (10)
Mr.
Pogemiller says that if he “has one dollar (he’d) like to see it go to
early childhood because research shows that’s where it’s at.” I’d like
to think that he would be spending that precious dollar on his own
children; but liberals want to use it assure that government is
raising other people’s children.
Joe Mansky (10) (4)
(10) (10)
On
question #2: before going farther down the road of a “high-tuition,
high student aid” model of higher education, perhaps it would be more
productive to determine how to reduce the costs of a college education
for the students and taxpayers. For example, is it necessary for the
University of Minnesota to offer any freshman-sophomore level courses,
or would it make more sense for students to take elementary math,
English, science courses at a lower cost community college and devote
the U’s resources strictly to upper division undergraduates and
graduate students?
Chuck Slocum (5) (8)
(10) (10)
Let’s hope that redesign is on the governor and legislator’s agenda in
numerous ways. Much to think through and much progress can be made
under the current circumstances.
Robert J. Brown (8)
(10) (10) (10)
Question 1: It should receive a higher priority, but the current
elected officials aren’t ready for significant change.
Question 2: The Brandl-Weber proposal developed for Gov. Carlson was
excellent on this matter, but there was no follow up.
Scott Halstead (10)
(0) (10) (10)
We need to start with
reducing the size of the legislature by a minimum of 50% and get the
legislature out of the redistricting process. There is a lot of
excessive local government and corresponding duplication of services.
A smaller legislature should be able to function more efficiently. We
need some term limits and legislative report cards made public.
Lyall Schwarzkopf (9)
(7) (7) (9)
Dick Angevine (9) (6)
(8) (10) |
the