Economy Talk with Dr. Richard A. Levins
Oct 11, 2011 Economy, Education, Energy, Health Care, Jobs, Middle Class Amendment, News, Transportation, Working families
My guest for this coming Wednesday’s installment of Economy Talk is Dr. Richard A. Levins, author, lecturer and Emeritus Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Levins has been doing a lot of thinking about the middle class and he is working with me on a re-write of my book, The Middle Class Amendment (If you haven’t read the first booklet click on the title. You can check out Levins publishing here and read some of his commentaries. We talk about the prospects for the middle class and size up what’s happening with the Occupy Wall Street movement. If you have suggestions or comments for either Dr. Levins or myself contact me. So e-mail me at david@davidbly.com and tune in Wed. October 12th at 6pm for
an interesting discussion on KYMN radio 1080AM or listen on line here. The archive is posted here. You can join the movement to call for a Middle Class Amendment by joining my facebook page here.
The Opportunity Society
Aug 2, 2011 Budget, Economy, Education, Energy, Health Care, Jobs, Middle Class Amendment, News, Transportation, Unions, Working families
I believe in a society where we all have the opportunity to reach our full potential. We may not all reach it but we should strive to create a society where such a thing is possible. This means excepting the reality that a democracy, that economic fairness and potential don’t happen by accident.
We learned that it was possible to create such an economy when under Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration a New Deal was created for Americans. We also know what happens when some American citizens get left behind. 
Policies like Social Security, 30 year mortgage guarantee, the National Labor Relations Act and the GI Bill, made it possible for citizens to survive old age in reasonable comfort, buy a home, form a union and get a fair wage, and attend college to improve their status.
These policies helped create a middle class for thousands of Americans and a ladder up for thousands of others who wanted to make a better life for their children. In other words they created a society where opportunity was possible.
Unfortunately, it left behind domestic and agricultural workers leaving
women and people of color on the wrong side of the door to opportunity. The omission has left pockets of poverty through out our society.
The last thirty years we have seen a steady dismantling of the new deal. Protections put in place to secure opportunity for all have gradually been taken away and with them the rungs of the ladder up to the middle class have been cut for many citizens.
The American Dream is something through out our history we have strived for – some of us got there with the help of an economy that created opportunity. Through out our history policies have been put in place to make achieving that opportunity more certain. John Adams who helped write the Massachusetts state constitution added a provision establishing a system of public education. Over the years different communities have invested in public hospitals and public health systems.
Cities, counties and states and now even the federal government have invested in roads and systems for transportation. The Tennessee Valley Authority established a system for the production of electricity making it possible for commerce and consumption of goods to grow improving the lives of millions of ordinary citizens.
Not every country is so fortunate. Some societies develop an economy where only a few people can realize their dreams. They protect that opportunity with armed guards making sure masses of people beyond their gates have little or nothing. Living in squalor and poverty they never have the chance to discover what they might accomplish given the chance. This waste of human potential is lost to every one.
If we want to secure the ladder of opportunity for our children and grandchildren I believe there are five things we must invest in:
- Quality education for everyone
- Good Health secured by equal access to a quality health care system
- A world class transportation system available to all
- A sustainable, affordable and safe energy system
- Living wages for all working people
Education and health assure that citizens can secure and maintain their potential for success and opportunity.
Living wages represent the contract that secures the benefits of a vibrant economy are shared with all and make sure that those who want to participate in our society can reach their full potential.
Governor signs eminent domain law to protect landowners
ST. PAUL – Governor Pawlenty has signed legislation I authored to increase fairness for Minnesota landowners involved in an eminent domain process with utility companies. The law repeals the special exemptions for eminent domain given to utility companies involving high-voltage transmission lines and natural gas and petroleum pipelines.
This new law is a victory for individual property rights and for all Minnesotans. Fairness and respect for property owners put in extremely difficult situations has prevailed.
Previously, “public service corporations” (PSC) were exempted from Minnesota regulations and restrictions designed to protect landowners in eminent domain disputes. This exemption has created a paradox in state law that is unfair to Minnesota property owners.
If a non-profit entity like the state government wants to use your land for a public park, you have far more protections than if a for-profit utility company wants to run a high-voltage power line through your property. In the interest of fairness to Minnesota’s property owners, we are simply holding these specific utility companies to the same standard we hold our own government.
The new law ensures that utility companies involving high-voltage transmission lines and natural gas and petroleum pipelines must pay for the attorney fees of prevailing landowners if the final award for damages in an eminent domain proceeding exceeds the last offer made by the acquiring authority by 40 percent or more.
Several other new protections include:
- Appraisal and negotiation requirements: Acquiring authority must obtain one or more appraisals before commencing an eminent domain proceeding and furnish copies to the property owner when an offer is made. Inform the property owner of the property owner’s right to obtain an appraisal, paid for by the acquiring authority, up to a maximum amount. Make a good faith attempt to negotiate personally with the property owner to acquire the property through direct purchase. Give advance notice to the property owner of its intent to use an appraisal or documentation related to loss of going concern at a condemnation commissioners’ hearing.
- Contents of notice of petition for taking: Specifies that an eminent domain notice given by an acquiring authority to a property owner must state that the taking may be challenged in person at the court hearing or by appeal within 60 days and that a court order is final unless appealed within 60 days of service of the order.
- Compensation for loss of going concern: Requires an owner of a business or trade destroyed by a taking to be compensated for loss and allows a party to appeal the amount awarded.
- Minimum compensation: Specifies that an owner forced to relocate must receive minimum damages that allow the owner to purchase a comparable property in the community.
- Limitations on condemning authority’s actions: Prohibits the acquiring authority from requiring the owner to accept as part of the compensation any substitute or replacement property, or to accept the return of any portion of the acquired property.
- Limit on relocation benefits: Provides that relocation benefits to a displaced business shall be in accord with federal regulations, but establishes a maximum of $50,000 that those regulations do not contain.
- Relocation assistance determined by administrative law judge: Allows a person rejecting the acquiring authority’s offer of relocation benefits to initiate a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge, whose decision is final.
This legislation is a direct response to the proposed CapX 2020 line that is moving forward that will affect many regions of the state. The CapX 2020 line will go from Brookings to Hampton affecting Minnesotans in Lincoln County in the west through, Scott, Rice, Dakota and Goodhue counties and points south toward the Wisconsin border.
The CapX 2020 power lines are moving forward as we speak and it’s critical we ensure that the rights of Minnesota property owners are protected.
Thanks to my constituents and all Minnesotans who spoke up about their concerns about this issue.
We never would have built the bipartisan coalition needed to pass this new law had it not been the citizens across the state who spoke up and contacted their legislators. This is a great example of our democracy in action.
Action on Eminent Domain Exemptions for Public Service Corps
My bill, HF. 1182 to remove exemptions for eminent domain proceedings for High Voltage Powerlines and Pipelines, passed on the MN House floor with a vote of 123 to 5 yesterday. This measure will protect property owners, making sure they are dealt with fairly in the taking of land through eminent domain. A summary of the bill can be found on the Legislature’s website. Today it was received by the Senate and referred to the Rules and Administration Committee.
MN Renewable Energy Society Event
On Friday I attended the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society 30th Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul. The event Master of Ceremonies was Don Shelby from WCCO 4 News, music was provided by acoustic folk and jazzy reggae artist Michael Monroe and the food was locally grown. The keynote speaker was Paul Hawken, environmentalist and author. One of Paul’s books, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, co-authored with Amory Lovins, was named one of the five most important books in the world by Bill Clinton. 
The purpose of the evening was to celebrate the past 30 years of accomplishments and to create progressive dialogue about the challenges we will be facing for the next thirty years. Mr. Hawken’s message centers on the ongoing movement to partner with a diversity of organizations to work together towards a sustainable, energy-secure society. An enlightening video of one of his speeches can be viewed online at FORAtv’s website.
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society
Last Thursday at the November 12th Board Meeting of the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, I spoke on the subject of Feed In Tariff legislation. The idea of FIT/REP is to incentivize renewable energy investments by setting a fixed price over a specified contract period (e.g, 20 years) for selling energy back to the grid. A standard contract with utilities would make it possible for investors to calculate an accurate payback period. This would give banks the needed confidence to finance small scale distributed renewable energy projects such as residential solar, wind, and anaerobic digesters. The idea of FIT is based on models that have put Germany – in theory a country that has less renewable energy resource than Minnesota – in the forefront of renewable energy development. (You can now watch my presentation on line: click here.)
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) is a member-run non-profit organization created to promote the use of, and to engage in advocacy for, renewable energies in Minnesota through education and through the demonstration of practical applications. MRES is involved in education, awareness, and advocacy efforts for all forms of renewable energy, with a particular emphasis on solar technologies. Upcoming events can be found in their newsletter.
Renewable Energy Payments Conference
A conference about a new way to create jobs and encourage renewable energy in your community.
Sponsored by the
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
January 9, 2009 at Buntrock Commons, St. Olaf College, MN (click on names for directions)
To register click here: 
To organize and inform decision makers via a one-day conference to highlight the significant economic, environmental, and community benefits of a feed-in tariff policy in contrast to existing policy; to highlight the particular importance of dispersed and locally-owned energy generation under such a policy; and to envision the impact of widespread state and federal adoption of feed-in
tariffs.
Who should attend: state legislators, environmental and energy advocates, renewable energy industry representatives, local government officials interested in green job economic development, nonprofits and foundations committed to a renewable energy future.
More info on Feed-In Tariffs, (FIT)
I have been receiving calls from as far as Michigan requesting more information on the Feed-In Tariff program I have been working on. This program has generated much excitement in the field of renewable energy and I will continue working to bring this idea to fruition.
Some of the people I talked to have actually complimented this blog on the information pertaining to FIT. Many enjoyed viewing the 3 videos on the right and learned more about the FIT program.
The first video is a conference I attended with the World Future Council (WFC) in Washington D.C., the second video is a 40 min feed of a cell-phone conversation with Terry Tamminen, author of “Lives Per Gallon, The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction” as he discusses FIT, and the third video is about “The German Feed-In Tariff Law.” Viewing this video gives you a good idea on how this program could work in Minnesota. Take some time and review the 3 videos.
Tags: Feed-in tariff, Germany, Green Energy, Minnesota, Oil
Earth Day, April 22, 2008
Apr 23, 2008 Energy, Environment, News
The House and Senate joint environmental and energy group has worked to address budget issues in the deficit reduction bill. Included in the bill are several provisions I authored focusing on quickly energizing our Green Economy in Minnesota. We want to infuse venture capital and long term investment in Minnesota’s burgeoning clean energy economy.
You probably already know that Minnesota is the Silicon Valley of Windows – with Andersen Windows, Marvin Windows, Cardinal Glass in Northfield and Eden Prairie, Sage Electrochromics in Faribault, and 3M who makes a variety of films and tinting for windows. The challenge is to move from a deep leadership position in one area to a broad leadership position across related clean energy industries. A review of the draft version of House File (HF3999) will give you an idea of these Green Job provisions.
Several of us are attending the opening of Great River Energy’s new headquarters in Maple Grove, to
commemorate the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum-rated building in Minnesota. The building is a model of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, and I hope that many communities can learn from this facility. I should note that Chisago City’s new public works building is currently on track to receive a LEED Gold rating, only one step below the Great River Energy’s Platinum rating.
I hope your Earth Day was memorable.
Tags: 3M, Andersen Windows, Cardinal Glass, Deficit Reduction bill, Great River Energy, Green Economy, Marvin Windows, Sage Electrochromics, venture capital
