[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Too Much Government

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Too Much Government
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1247373527.shtml


   Marty Siefert, former House Minority Leader and now candidate for
   Governor, was interviewed (very ably) by the First Team of the NARN
   today. Siefert told of his travels around Minnesota, where project
   after project, and therefore job after job, was tied up in paperwork
   across many public agencies. In one case, the investors packed up and
   built in Wisconsin.
   I'm sure Minnesota is typical in this regard, but that's no excuse not
   to re-examine the proliferation of government entities. And besides
   their numbers, besides their overlap, there is also the matter of how
   many are appointed, not elected.
   This is not a new problem, either. Thirty years ago, a frustrated
   State Representative from St. Cloud toyed with a bill to, well, here's
   how [1]Lori Sturdevant of the Minneapolis Star Tribune told it last
   Feburary:

     About 30 years ago, twinkle-eyed state Rep. James Pehler drafted a
     bill that, had he introduced it, would have caused a stir in his
     district. It would have planted a compass point on a map of
     downtown St. Cloud, drawn a circle with a 30-mile radius and made
     it the boundary of a new jurisdiction, to be aptly named "Round
     County." Existing county boundaries inside the circle were to be
     erased.
     He was only half-joking, the retired legislator and educator
     recalls. He'd had it with the jurisdictional squabbles that were
     slowing the construction of the Hwy. 15-Interstate 94 junction and
     complicating a lot more of government's work.

   Per Rep. Taryl Clark, there are 47 units of local government today
   operating in "Round County." This includes four existing counties, at
   least six cities, plus schools, watershed districts, and whatever
   else.
   Minnesota has 87 counties, probably due to its agricultural heritage.
   (Iowa has 99.) [minnesota-county-map.gif]

                    Map Courtesy of [2]Digital Map Store

   We could play "SimCounty" to put together various combinations to
   lower the number of counties. It might also make sense to break up
   Hennepin County or reorient around major cities like St. Cloud.
   Regardless, it sure looks to me like 20 or so counties should be
   enough. Don't forget the roles modern transportation and
   communications play here, overcoming the original needs of proximity.
   Of course, this will never happen because it would eliminate public
   sector jobs in rural Minnesota. Even though most of their constituents
   would benefit, their Legislators including most Republicans, would
   stand with the minority.

References

   1. http://tinyurl.com/mwxvuu
   2. http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/minnesota.shtml