The Company You Keep

Golden Valley, the city that we call home, publishes a bimonthly city newsletter that's sent out to all residents. It' s a well-designed glossy that usually runs sixteen pages. Most of the information presented is on the mundane matters of civic life: taxes, zoning, budgets, recreation activities, city services, events, etc. There's also usually some hectoring about how you can be more "green" or some other pet cause deemed good by the city's powers that be. The November/December edition included such a section on how buying locally was more "eco-friendly." This nugget caught my eye:

Minnesota2020, a local non-partisan think tank, has promoted a “buy local” campaign for the last three holiday seasons. It also lists Minnesota-owned and operated businesses at www.mn2020.org/giftguide.

While it's true that Minnesota2020 does technically claim to be non-partisan, if you read the organization's own description of itself it's obviously not a neutral, objective group:

Minnesota 2020 is a progressive, new media, non-partisan think tank focused on what really matters. Our daily reporting and research informs, frames and drives public policy debate on the issues that matter for Minnesota's future success: education, health care, transportation and economic development.

Minnesota has become distracted by divisive side issues, drawing public attention and support from schools, jobs, roads and health care. Conservative public policy retreats from properly investing in and maintaining these vital community pillars by focusing instead on topics that turn people against each other. We refuse to accept this decline. Minnesota is great when we have good transportation, strong job creation, universal health care and quality schools.

Minnesota 2020 delivers accurate policy proposals and smart progressive messaging by linking academic and traditional foundation research. We seek to achieve tangible and demonstrable solutions. Through our communications strategy, we've compelled legislative and executive branch policy change.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Minnesota2020 was founded by one Matt Entenza? Yes, that Matt Entenza, who just last year spent millions in a futile attempt to secure the DFL's gubernatorial endorsement. Minnesota2020 is non-partisan for fund raising purposes, but in reality it's policies are pretty much in lockstep with the DFL.

Now, I admit that is a minor irritant. But it still does bother me that a city publication--funded by my tax dollars--would promote an effort (including providing a link to their web site) by an organization with a clear political agenda. The least they could have done is included the label that Minnesota 2020 itself uses--"progressive"--to inform residents of the political leanings of the group. I also doubt if I will ever see a mention of a local conservative non-partisan think tank, say Center of the American Experiment, appear in my city newsletter.

Peace In the Valley

For several years now, my family has attended the Memorial Day event at the Veterans Memorial Ampitheater in St. Louis Park. The organizers do a fine job honoring all those who served and especially remembering those who paid the ultimate price for their country.

But ever since we moved to Golden Valley a few years, we've thought that it would be good to have a similar way to remember the day and what it's supposed to mean a little closer to home. Now, thanks to the hard work of one Golden Valley resident named John Giese, we will have that opportunity.

This year, there will be a Golden Valley Memorial Day Parade. Hopefully, it will be the beginning of what becomes an annual tradition in the city.

Monday, May 31st 10:15AM – Seeman Park

Parade will proceed westbound on Golden Valley Road toward City Hall

Ceremony at 11:00 AM - Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Rd

Speaker: Brigadier General Timothy J. Cossalter

Representation by Army & Air National Guard, Armstrong High School Choir and Symphonic Band, Girl Scouts, Minnesota Transitions High School JRROTC, North Hennepin Squadron Civil Air Patrol, Minnesota Sojourners, American Heritage Pipes & Drums, Pow-Miafamilies.org, 101st ABN Div 502nd PIR Fox Company, GV Little League, Military Order Of The Purple Heart and more!

FLAG ROW: 1 ½ mile stretch of Golden Valley Road will be lined with Old Glory & POW-MIA flags.

FREE HOT DOGS, CHIPS, & POP for all in attendance after the ceremony.

Hosted by VFW Post 7051 and Chester Bird American Legion Post 523

Golden Valley Election Guide

Quick picks for voters in Golden Valley tomorrow.

For City Council:

Blair Tremere
Joanie Clausen

For ISD #281 School Board:

Mark Bomchill
Jim Oathout
Andrew Richter

Down In The Valley

In the most recent civic newsletter, we learned that the city that we now call home has signed on to the climate change bandwagon:

This past winter, the City of Golden Valley signed the US Climate Protection Agreement. Participants in the agreement are encouraged to work toward meeting the 2005 Kyoto Protocol initiatives as well as educate the public about green practices.

Golden Valley is one of about 40 Minnesota cities to sign the Climate Protection Agreement so far. Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take the following three actions:

* strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns

* urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol--7 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2012

* urge the US Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system

Golden Valley has already started to make changes, says Al Lundstrom, environmental coordinator. As building improvements are made, the City has installed energy efficient lighting when possible, improved insulation during roof replacement projects, installed energy efficient air conditioning units when replacement is necessary, retrofitted energy efficient bulbs in traffic signals, and installed an energy efficient tankless hot water system in the utility maintenance shop. The City also implemented an idling policy (see sidebar on the Police Department's idling policy).

"As we have opportunities to make capital improvements, we're looking to see where we can go greener," Lundstrom says.

I don't have problem with the City taking steps to conserve energy. In fact, I commend them for it, especially since it saves money. What troubles me however is the idea that my taxes would be used for public information campaigns on climate change. Or in any way be used as part of this effort to "urge" state and local governments to "meet or beat" Kyoto targets or even worse to "urge" the Congress to pass "bipartisan" greenhouse gas legislation. It hardly seems like an appropriate role for local government to be playing.

You can see the complete list of participating cities mayors here. The bright side is that when the temps do go up and those poor bastards in New Hope and Crystal are sweating it out, we'll be nice and cool down in the Valley.