Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Time for the Veto Pen

Increasingly, Republicans are abandoning traditional core principles in favor of a “new conservatism” that has no definition or purpose other than political convenience. The latest alteration is the Republican proposal in the Minnesota state legislature’s conference committee on transportation that will prohibit local governments from making certain transportation decisions such as light rail. Republicantransportation proposal imperils future LRT projects

The party of local control is now espousing a centralization of power in the State Legislature. One can only wonder what is next. Presumably, any local decision that displeases them is potential fodder for this new effort toward a Super-Legislature.

It is clear that Republicans do not like light rail. However, as the May 3rd Star Tribune poll noted, 76 percent of the residents of Hennepin and Ramsey counties do want light rail. Why are their wishes and those of the local governments they elect ignored while legislators representing other areas of the state make the decision?

This usurpation of local control is a dangerous move and warrants Governor Dayton’s immediate announcement of a veto. Take out the pen and put this absurd idea out of its misery.



No comments:

Post a Comment

Gopher Football - Reason for Optimism?

          With the advent of Fall, our attention turns to football and the joy of speculating. The media is all over the Vikings but it is t...