Following redistricting, most of the old SD16 is now SD15. Our district convention to endorse legislative candidates and to elect new executive officers will be held on Saturday, April 21st and 9:00am at the Milaca High School Auditorium.
Additional information to follow.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Monday, May 2, 2011
Mille Lacs County DFL Breakfast
The Mille Lacs County DFL will host a breakfast on Saturday, May 7 at the Milaca Legion. Doors open at 8:00am for pancakes, sausage, and political conversation.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Brown Votes to Keep Business Regulations in Place
During the 2008 campaign, now-Sen. Dave Brown (R-Becker) was fond of claiming that he would slash government regulation and expand the free market. His campaign website still claims, "I will give leadership to reduced government red-tape and excessive regulations that repress the growth of our businesses."
Yet, faced with an actual regulation that he liked, Sen. Brown voted Wednesday in the Commerce Committee against repealing Minnesota's prohibition of Sunday liquor sales. The bill would not force stores to be open on the 7th day, but simply give owners that option. With all four border states offering liquor sales on Sunday, Minnesota is doubtlessly losing business to the neighbor; nearby store-owners should be allowed to compete.
Not only would this have led to a freer marketplace for consumers and business owners, it would have raised revenues for the depleted state coffers: at least $500,000 (per the official analysis) but perhaps upwards of several million.
Still waiting for word on Sen. Brown's reasoning, but it clearly isn't based on the free marketplace or the health of the state budget.
Update: FWIW, Sen. Brown says he voted with what he heard from SD16 liquor stores. Presumably they don't want competition from other stores--closer to the border--to force them to stay open on Sundays. That's already the reality for border-area stores, though, and Minnesota as a whole loses out.
The question really is: would we rather add that competitive element to the liquor market or cut even deeper into local government aid, higher education and other state programs?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
2010 Census Reveals Huge Growth, Redistricting Looms
Based on Census data released earlier today, SD16’s population continues its explosive growth, adding over 22,000 residents for a 30.5% growth rate. The total population now weighs in at a scale-tipping 95,820. This comes on top of 40% growth in the decade before (assuming the boundaries has been the same).
The growth has not been felt evenly, however. It has been concentrated in the south and southwest, picking up population in the northwestern Twin Cities exurbs and St. Cloud suburbs along the US-10 corridor.
As a result, 16B is now much larger than 16A.
16A: 43,741 (18.9% growth)
16B: 52,079 (42.1% growth)
Based on Minnesota’s total population, each legislative district SHOULD instead have 39,582 people. The district as a whole will be shedding population or split into two or more pieces. With Sherburne County (including non-SD16 areas) alone having over 88,000 people, it may split off to form its own district completely.
Such a scenario would leave the balance of the district woefully underpopulated. It is possible to envision adding on the MN-23 corridor through Mora to the east and expanding north around Mille Lacs Lake.
Below is a complete list of precincts in SD16, their 2010 population, and percent change since 2000.
In 16A:
| Benton | Alberta township | 818 | 6.0% |
| | Foley city | 2,603 | 20.8% |
| | Gilman city | 224 | 4.2% |
| | Gilmanton township | 841 | 9.4% |
| | Glendorado township | 762 | -2.9% |
| | Granite Ledge township | 743 | 8.5% |
| | Maywood township | 954 | 8.9% |
| | St. George township | 1,153 | 24.8% |
| Benton | | 8,098 | 12.8% |
| | | | |
| Mille Lacs | Bock city | 106 | 0.0% |
| | Bogus Brook township | 1,421 | 36.9% |
| | Borgholm township | 1,718 | 50.7% |
| | Bradbury township | 268 | 32.0% |
| | Dailey township | 234 | -4.9% |
| | East Side township | 620 | -15.2% |
| | Foreston city | 533 | 37.0% |
| | Greenbush township | 1,293 | 13.9% |
| | Hayland township | 501 | 2.2% |
| | Isle city | 751 | 6.2% |
| | Isle Harbor township | 593 | 0.5% |
| | Kathio township | 1,627 | 24.3% |
| | Lewis township | 52 | 2.0% |
| | Milaca city | 2,946 | 14.2% |
| | Milaca township | 1,617 | 36.0% |
| | Milo township | 1,385 | 28.7% |
| | Mudgett township | 84 | -1.2% |
| | Onamia city | 878 | 3.7% |
| | Onamia township | 575 | -1.4% |
| | Page township | 743 | 23.8% |
| | Pease city | 242 | 48.5% |
| | Princeton city (part) | 4,648 | 18.4% |
| | Princeton township | 2,256 | 15.9% |
| | South Harbor township | 800 | -9.6% |
| | Wahkon city | 206 | -34.4% |
| Mille Lacs | | 26,097 | 16.9% |
| | | | |
| Morrison | Granite township | 481 | 0.2% |
| | Hillman city | 38 | 31.0% |
| | Hillman township | 197 | 20.1% |
| | Lakin township | 450 | 10.0% |
| | Lastrup city | 104 | 5.1% |
| | Leigh township | 212 | 10.4% |
| | Morrill township | 696 | 7.1% |
| | Mount Morris township | 93 | 3.3% |
| | Richardson township | 536 | 10.5% |
| Morrison | | 2,807 | 8.0% |
| | | | |
| Sherburne | Baldwin township | 6,739 | 44.2% |
| | | 43,741 | 18.9% |
In 16B:
| Sherburne | Becker city | 4,538 | 69.8% |
| | Becker township | 4,842 | 34.3% |
| | Big Lake city | 10,060 | 65.9% |
| | Big Lake township | 7,386 | 8.9% |
| | Blue Hill township | 2,176 | 185.6% |
| | Clear Lake city | 545 | 104.9% |
| | Clear Lake township | 1,539 | -5.6% |
| | ER W2 P2a | 2,064 | 51.2% |
| | Livonia township | 5,951 | 51.9% |
| | Orrock township | 3,451 | 24.9% |
| | Palmer township | 2,354 | -2.5% |
| | Princeton city (part) | 50 | 614.3% |
| | Santiago township | 1,895 | 21.9% |
| | Zimmerman city | 5,228 | 83.4% |
| | | 52,079 | 42.1% |
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