Minnesota Bureaucrats Drop The Ball

A couple of years ago, Minnesota implemented a permanent license for small utility trailers (under 3000 lbs). The license is applied to the tongue of the trailer and we no longer need a plate on the rear of the trailer. This seemingly is a convenience for Minnesotans who own these size trailers.

Wrong! When we travel to other states we now are targets to be stopped by the State Troopers because there is no plate. Unfortunately, the Minnesota DMV has not been updated these new license and registration references that they supply to other states. We are now subjected to be ticketed and fined even though our trailers comply with Minnesota law.

I was stopped in Iowa. The Iowa State Trooper showed me the information he had reference to. it did not reflect the new Minnesota trailer licensing and registration laws. I called an Illinois State Trooper friend who indicated the new Minnesota trailer licensing and registration laws were not in his reference material.

Obviously, some bureaucrat in the Minnesota DMV has dropped the ball. This is unacceptable. We deserve better!

Perhaps Michele Bachmann Was Right

Michele Bachmann caught a lot of flack over her un-American comments on the Chris Mathews show. Recent statements by Vice President-elect, Joe Biden seem to have vindicated Representative Bachmann. Biden recently said that paying higher taxes was patriotic. Does that mean that Al Franken and Tim Geithner who failed to pay their taxes in a timely manner are not patriotic? If we accept Joe Biden's statement as true, then Michele Bachmann is right and deserves some apologies from those who maligned her for her un-American statement.

Should Taxpayers Really Have To Pay For A New Viking Stadium?

The Minnesota Viking are putting forth a renewed campaign for a publicly financed stadium. We have construction started on another new baseball stadium and a new football stadium for the University of Minnesota.

How many new stadiums are enough? Below is a letter to the editor I wrote that was printed in the Duluth News Times in 2001. I think the facts presented in that letter should raise plenty of questions for taxpayers.


Printed in Duluth New Tribune - May 2001

Every day, the Twins and Vikings plea for a publicly financed stadium grows louder. History of professional sports stadiums in the Twin Cities has to be the most compelling reason why any new stadiums should be privately financed. In the last 46 years there have been 8 new stadiums built in the Twin Cities that are used for professional sports. Several renovations have been made to these stadiums.

Metropolitan Stadium and Midway Stadium were built for the Minneapolis Millers and St. Paul Saints. When the Twins and Vikings came on the scene, Metropolitan Stadium was renovated to bring the stadium up to major league standards. The Metro Dome was built for the Twins and Vikings, and the new Midway Stadium is used by the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League.

The Met Center was built for the Minnesota North Stars; major construction was done on the St.Paul Civic Center for the St. Paul Fighting Saints of the old World Hockey League; and the Excel Center was built for the Minnesota Wild. The Met Center was renovated at least twice to increase seating capacity and the Civic Center once. The Target Center was built for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The total comes to Four baseball/football stadiums, Three hockey stadiums and One basketball arena. During the time same period 6 stadiums (Lexington Park, Nicollet Park, the Met Center, and Metropolitan, Midway and Memorial Stadiums) have been torn down. Is there another metropolitan area in the world that has built 8 new stadiums in the same time frame?

Minnesota taxpayers should not have to build a new stadium every 6 years for Billionaire Owners and Millionaire players. Build them if they must, but do it with private funding!

L. M. LaCroix - Cloquet, MN

I'd Rather Switch Than Fight!

Why is it that so many Liberal politicians choose to make the statement that they will "fight for us." I don't need or want someone to fight for me. When I vote for a candidate, I want that person to represent me, not fight for me.

Given that so many members of one party are all to happy to fight is the reason we have so much partisanship in today's Government.