"We have shown in Minneapolis that in tough times, tough-minded leaders can make tough decisions that deliver results for the tax payers. People should expect nothing less from their government. Someone once said that change is inevitable, but progress is optional. In Minnesota, we need to choose progress."
Record of Results
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When R.T. first took office in 2002, Minneapolis was reeling from the economic crisis brought on by 9/11, city debt that was deep and growing, and a political culture rocked by ethics scandals. R.T. rolled up his sleeves and went to work. First he implemented a new, tough ethics policy. Next, he cleaned up the city's budget. He worked with city employees to identify wasteful spending, reform city services, streamline departments and still make important investments in public safety, safe roads and bridges, and jobs. He balanced the city budget eight years in a row without accounting gimmicks, and paid off $116 million in debt. He did all this while the state government budget was in meltdown and the state abandoned its commitment to Minneapolis and cities like it across Minnesota.
Results: After inflation, Minneapolis' spending has increased by only 1% from 2003 to 2009. Governor Pawlenty can't say the same: during the same time, state spending has increased by 12%.
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Some say that during a financial crisis the only option is to retrench, do less and lower our expectations. Not R.T. During eight years of budget challenges, R.T. has continually found ways to improve city services.
Results: R.T. ended years of dysfunction in city departments by streamlining the development review process, creating one place where businesses can go for permits and approvals. He led the way for Minneapolis to be one of the first wireless cities in the country - with affordable wireless Internet access for everyone. Tired of excuses when it came to fighting graffiti, he went to the community for ideas, and offered microgrants for the best ideas. The response was overwhelming, and the results reduced graffiti in some communities by 100%.
Vision for the Future
In Minneapolis R.T. has delivered on the promise of planning for the future, paying down debt, and implementing a stable strategic plan that people understand and support. We need the same strategy for the state of Minnesota.
The state of Minnesota is in financial chaos. Over the last eight years we have lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis and are now facing a deficit of up to $7 billion. Even worse, the state has pushed its budget failures down onto homeowners as property taxes go through the roof. Minnesota is a state of great assets, but the failure of leaders in Saint Paul to solve this problem is hurting our capacity to create jobs and opportunity and a prosperous future for all of us.
Problems that have been allowed to grow for years won't be solved easily, and they won't be solved overnight. R.T. will tackle these challenges head on, make tough decisions and work honestly with the people of Minnesota to find solutions. R.T. will develop a long-term plan with clear measures for accountability for results, and honest budgeting with no gimmicks or tricks - just like he's done in Minneapolis. He will clearly lay out the challenges and bring together the best ideas to create a long-term plan to fix the structural problems in our state's budget. First he will cut spending, then reform the way the state delivers services. We will also find new revenue. Anyone who understands the state deficit knows you cannot fix this problem with gimmicks or quick fixes.
Over the last eight years, The Republican's mantra has been "no new taxes." The facts are that eight years of Pawlenty's economic policies have hurt Minnesota's economic rankings by almost every measure. And as any property owner in the state will tell you, there's no such thing as "no new taxes" when the state passes on to local government its historic commitment to help pay for education and basic services like police and fire.
R.T. has a better vision. He knows that Minnesota is a great state because in the past our leaders have made wise investments in our future. We have invested to make sure our kids are well educated, our public infrastructure is sound, our lakes, fields, woods and streams are protected and well used, and the health and security of our most vulnerable citizens, from the youngest to the oldest, are protected. These investments have created the climate where some of the best and brightest businesses on the globe have grown and thrived. They have created the environment where some of the fastest-growing, most entrepreneurial businesses in the world have been born.
