News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Saturday December 20th 2025
Raise Your Voice: Days of May
By PETER MOLENAAR
Peter Molenaar
The word from Senator Jeff Hayden”™s Capital Update, May issue:
“Senate Republicans are staunch in their position that programs providing giveaways for corporations and the wealthy”¦ should be continued. But every dollar spent on the wealthy”¦ is a dollar taken from students, healthcare programs, and crumbling highways.”
Speaking of May, May 1 was a workers”™ holiday for almost everyone on the planet but us. However, some local events did honor the spirit. Prominently, there was the May 1st Coalition for Immigrant Workers”™ Rights, which mobilized forces to our state”™s capital, and there was the UNITE HERE union labor rally in Minneapolis.
In the build-up period, the May 1st Coalition threw down a splendid fundraising banquet at the Walker United Methodist Church. When asked to speak, I made the following points: 1.) Every school child should come to appreciate the cultural contributions of the new immigrants; 2.) The expanding U.S.A. wealth gap is unsustainable; 3.) A “democracy” which has sold its soul, is not true to its word.
While the Coalition was delivering its call for the right to legally drive to work, UNITE HERE Local 17 was shepherding its forces between our downtown skyscrapers. The mostly immigrant hotel and restaurant workers are demanding a better contract under the slogan: ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH!… Read the rest “Raise Your Voice: Days of May”
The Rand Report: Special service districts on Lake St. create inefficiences
By Rand Retterath
According to an Information Brief from Research Department of the Minnesota House of RepresentativesÂ
“One way for a city to provide an increased level of service or infrastructure to its commercial or industrial areas is to create ”˜special service districts.”' Special service districts (SSDs) are established at the request of the persons who will pay for the increased level of service. Since the early 1980s, individual cities have been authorized to set up these districts. Since 1996, cities have had general law authority to create SSDs.
“A special service district is ”˜a defined area within the city where special services are rendered and the costs of the special services are paid from revenues collected from service charges imposed within that area.”' An SSD may be established anywhere in a city but only business property (i.e., commercial, industrial, utility, or land zoned for commercial or industrial use) will be subject to the service charge. SSDs are commonly used in areas with a concentration of retail stores.”
It is not a bad idea, it provides services that are not ordinarily provided throughout the city from general funds or services provided at an increased level than otherwise provided.
Generally, to establish a Special Service district, owners of 25% or more of the property within the area complete a petition and file it with the city.… Read the rest “The Rand Report: Special service districts on Lake St. create inefficiences”
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