Fortitude?

There is an editorial in today's Star Tribune that really highlights what we are True North are all about. In it James Hovland, the Mayor of Edina, talks about the aftermath of the St. Anthony Bridge collapse and what our collective response should be.

Do we Minnesota voters have the collective financial fortitude to demand that
all of our state elected leaders finally make the transportation commitments
needed to keep us safe and competitive in the future? After two decades of
falling behind, let's hope the vivid memory of a fallen bridge prompts our
governor and Legislature to build a financial strategy that actually achieves
the sound and wise transportation system that we and future generations need.

Do Minnesota voters have the "financial fortitude"????? No, Mayor Hovland it is not a matter of "financial fortitude". As has been said time and time and time again, the problem was priorities! Our past priorities have not been on rebuilding failing infrastructure...no our priorities have been on building bike paths and convention centers and interpretive nature centers in state parks!

The Mayor then goes on to take an obligatory swipe at the lefts scapegoat du jour....Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau.

Is it wise to have a statewide elected official, in this case the lieutenant
governor, also in charge of running a state agency, in this case the
transportation department? Should Carol Molnau be running MnDOT?

When Governor Pawlenty took office, people like Mayor Hovland cheered when Lt. Governor Molnau was given the MNDOT spot because of her vast experience on transportation issues from her days in the legislature. Now all of a sudden she is an incompetent.

Rather than cast aspersions on the Lt. Governor, Mayor Hovland and the rest of the Metropolitan Council need to take a look at their own culpability! The Met Council has been the organization that has been pushing light rail and pushing the so-called "smart growth" agenda. That agenda has never had room for bridge and road repair. It has only had room for the kind of social engineering that has long been the hallmark of socialism.

No Mayor Hovland - the problem is not that we are not spending enough money....it is and always has been HOW we spend that money! Until we change HOW we spend that money, we are going to continue to have problems. If fortitude is needed for anything, it is the fortitude to finally stand up and tell the government that they need to get their priorities straight! Once that happens, then maybe we can talk about how much is spent.