Post Election Thoughts for Bemidji

Thank you. Thank you. I've been elected to city council. Thanks to everyone for their support and votes. I'm pretty excited about that, but have to say that the budget challenges and the changes coming at the state and federal levels could make the job a bit more difficult. Or at least a bit different.

State Capitol

Local Government Aid
2011 is a budget year and Minnesota has a huge hole to fill. One of the talking points for the top of the Republican ticket was eliminating LGA. I understand that there will be changes to LGA. Let's hope our legislators can keep the formula fair for Bemidji. If we lose substantially more LGA, there will be property tax increases.

Headwaters Science Center

Bonding Bill (aka Jobs Bill)
Bonding for infrastructure and capital investments is done in even numbered years and our next large bonding bill will come in 2012. I will be interested to see if this legislature proposes a small bonding bill, which is a common practice and would have almost certainly been the case with a DFL controlled legislature. The bonding bill is usually considered one way to jump-start jobs in the state. There is a backlog of projects from 2010 that are "shovel ready," but were vetoed by Governor Pawlenty. One of them is $475,000 in planning money for a new Headwaters Science Center.

Transportation funding
With the defeat of Congressman Jim Oberstar, we have practically been cut off at the knees with regard to ever getting federal transportation projects in northern MN. According to this article in The Pioneer, Chip Cravaack does not support many of the airport, trail, and alternative transportation (rail) projects that are Oberstar's legacy and have benefited northern Minnesota and the Bemidji area.

Airport Groundbreaking 2010

Our airport has been expanded thanks in a great part to Jim Oberstar. Our state has a fantastic system of trails partly because of Oberstar. The city of Bemidji has requested federal funding to build a bike/pedestrian/snowmobile bridge over TH 197. Now, if it is built, it will likely be without federal money.

Trail advocate, the late Terry McGaughey and Congressman Jim Oberstar at 2009 Paul Bunyan Trail Ride reception.

There is even talk that Safe Routes to School funding and Transportation Enhancement funding could disappear.  Safe Routes provides funding to improve the safety of children walking to school with investments like sidewalks, signage, and new crosswalks. TE funding is for multi-modal connections. Bemidji has received TE funding to pave the East West Trail and the West Lake Bemidji Trail.

The Active Living partnership may have to rethink their plans, which currently rely heavily on both of these funding streams to move their agenda forward and increase recreation opportunities in our community.

January will bring a new city council, a new majority party at the state capitol and a new face in the 8th Congressional District. In the words of Bob Dylan, "the times, they are a' changin'." It remains to be seen how these changes will affect the city.