This morning Minnesotans were forced to muddled through another daily dose of predictable propaganda from the StarTribune. Letters to the editor read like a promotional package from the group of lobbyists and special interests that made the transportation bill happen this year. Lori Sturdivant criticizes any scrutiny of the six Republicans who abandoned their party and sided with the Democrats to override the Governor's veto. Driving to my office this morning I heard a few different radio ads sanctifying the heroic victory for the people that the transportation bill passing so "definitely" represents.
Once again, media playing it's critical role in managing public opinion rather than reporting on it. The choreography is precise and the playbook shrewdly crafted. And it's all made to look like what happened last week in the legislature was the result of some organic grassroots effort to remedy our sick transportation system. If the people only knew the truth.
Surely every Minnesotan deserves to know the real players behind the power and influence exerted in Minnesota. This is all public information so it can't be corrupt, right? Weigh the details for yourself. Make up your own mind.
Let's take a look at the "powers that be" behind the scenes on this shrewdly crafted outcome "for" Minnesota. Let's start with the Transportation Alliance.
Ames Construction
Parsons Brickerhoff
Bonestroo
HDR
HTNB
Short Elliott Hendriksen
SRF Consulting
3M Worldwide
WSB
Ayers Associates
Bolton & Menk Surveyors
Amalgamated Transit Union
URS Corporation
MN Building Trades Council (AFL-CIO)
International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 49
Jacobs, Edwards & Kelsey
Teamsters Local 120
Now lets take a look at the massive mob of organizations under the advertising campaign I heard this morning under the Progress In Motion moniker:
Professional Associations
The Minnesota Transportation Alliance
A statewide coalition of approximately 275 public and private sector organizations involved in the development, construction and operation of Minnesota’s transportation system. Alliance members include most of the 87 Minnesota counties, cities, the highway industry, transit organizations, unions and other transportation advocates.
Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
The AGC is a non-profit professional trade association consisting of 450 members that is dedicated to promoting opportunity and excellence in the building and highway construction industry.
Minnesota Public Transit Association
Statewide Association consisting of over 60 transit systems statewide and other transit advocates.
Minnesota State Patrol Troopers Association
City Engineers Association – Represents 142 cities
County Engineers Association – Represents all 87 county engineers
American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota - ACEC/MN’s 150+ member firms represent over 4,500 employees and over $350 million in annual gross billings.
Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association - Approximately 29 asphalt producers along with 7 asphalt nonproducers and 95+ associate members.
Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota – Represents approximately 70 member companies
Aggregate Ready Mix Association
Minnesota Utility Contractors Association
North Central Cement Council
Local Government
Minnesota Association of Townships
Minnesota Inter-County Association
Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
North Metro Mayors Association
North Metro I-35W Corridor Coalition
Highway 14 Partnership
Highway 52 Freeway Partnership
Highway 55 Coalition
City of Hutchinson
City of Minneapolis
City of St. Michael
Beltrami County
Blue Earth County
Lyon County
Ramsey County
Agricultural Groups
Broiler and Egg Association of Minnesota
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Land Stewardship Project
Minnesota Association of Cooperatives
Minnesota Barley Growers Association
Minnesota Farmers Union
Minnesota Food Association
Minnesota Land Trust
Minnesota Turkey Growers Association
Minnesota Wheat Growers Association
Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
Other Supporters
Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Brain Injury Association of Minnesota
Growth & Justice
ISAIAH
League of Women Voters Minnesota
Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce /Transportation Committee
Minnesota Consortium For Citizens With Disabilities
Minnesota Public Interest Research Group
Minnesota Senior Federation
Transit for Livable Communities
Unions
AFSCME Council 5
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49
Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota
Minnesota AFL-CIO
Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council
North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters
Teamsters Local 120
United Transportation Union
Environmental Organizations
Alliance for Sustainability
Conservation Fund
Conservation Minnesota
Fresh Energy
Friends of the Mississippi River
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Institute for Local Self – Reliance
Izaak Walton League – Minnesota Division
Lower Phalen Creek Project
Mankato Area Environmentalists
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Minnesota Conservation Federation
Minnesota Council Trout Unlimited
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
Minnesota Food Association
Minnesota Land Trust
National Environmental Trust, Minnesota
Sierra Club
Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota
Will Steger Foundation
Windustry
Businesses
Aggregate Industries
American Engineering Testing
Ames Construction
AVR
Bituminous Roadways
Bolton & Menk Inc
Bonestroo
Braun Intertec Corporation
Central Specialties Inc
Century Fence Company
CS McCrossan, Inc.
Cemstone
CitiCapital Construction Equipment Finance
Cobb Strecker Dunphy & Zimmerman Inc.
Dahl Trucking Inc
Duininck Brothers Construction
Eagan Connection, LLC
Edward Kraemer and Sons
Erickson Engineering
Frattalone Companies
Geyer Signal
Hardrives
HDR Engineering Inc
Highway Technologies
HNTB
Hoover Construction
Intex Corporation
Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey
J.D.P. Safety Consulting LLC
Kadrmas Lee & Jackson
KGM Contractors Inc.
Knife River Corp
L.H. Sowles Inc.
LHB Inc
Lunda Construction
Martin Marietta Materials
Master Engineering, Real Estate and Construction
Mathiowetz Construction Company
McCarty Group
Midwest Asphalt
R and G Construction
Rachel Contracting
Riley Brothers Construction Inc.
Road Machinery and Supplies Company
Robert Schroeder Construction
Ryan Companies US Inc
Sellin Brothers
Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc
Simcote Inc.
SRF Consulting Group Inc
Stellar Contracting Inc.
TCC Materials
TKDA
Tiller Corporation
Tower Asphalt
Ulland Brothers, Inc
Valley Paving
WSB and Associates
Ziegler Inc.
How cool is it that you can lobby for legislation that delivers beefy state contracts to your business? And in the case of many of these organizations, using taxpayer money to do so. Minnesota taxpayers should be outraged.