[Mpls] Minneapolis teachers' pensions evaporate...(today's Strib)

[Dan McGuire]

>Dan McGuire writes:
>
>  
>
>>I had a number of email discussions with Mr. Knoblach, from St. Cloud,
>>last session.  I was trying to get him to tell me why he was so
>>interested in the MPS teacher's pension fund.  He said it was because he
>>was on a finance committee and he cared about everybody in the state.  I
>>suspect he has other, unstated motives;  I'm hoping your upcoming piece
>>will reveal some of those motives.
>>Dan McGuire
>>Ericsson
>>    
>>
>
>Without commenting on the substance of the piece still to be published,
>motives are a tricky thing. Given that the state is being asked, in effect,
>to absorb most of the shortfall in the state teachers' fund, I see no reason
>why Knoblach shouldn't be involved, especially if he's on the finance
>committee. It's a big number, potentially, for the state, and
>non-Minneapolis state legislators have every right to offer options and be
>involved.
>
>Why not focus on the merits of the reform options instead of the personal
>angle?
>
>David Brauer
>Kingfield
>
>  
>
OK, let's keep the motives of the Republican representative from St. 
Cloud out of it (although, I think journalists' reluctance to examine 
motives is what has brought us things like "No Child Left Behind".)  The 
effect of the bill that Knoblach authored last session was to block a 
bill by Senator Pogemiller from Mpls which would have gone a long way 
toward fixing the problem with the pension fund.  Knoblach's bill would 
have done nothing but postpone substantive action which would have 
further jeopardized the fund, which he knew full well.

The most enlightening info I've been able to find on the subject is at :

http://www.committeeof13.org/current_efforts.htm
and
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:BnLQvRsje2AJ:ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us/gop/memdocs/lm012804-1.pdf+Jim+Knoblach+and+teacher+pension&hl=en

I'm looking forward to the piece in your paper.

Dan McGuire
Ericsson