Scott County Commissioner

matt lehman September 5, 2012 at 04:18 am

Thanks Dave for looking out after my pocket book, (whats left of it after food and energy skyrocketed and home values dropped cutting my equite). The city level is raising our levy 5% 3-2 vote with myself and Councilor Punt/Schurmen voting against increase. The spenders added a bunch of new positions and needs like free movies in the park, flower baskets, archeological studies by 101 east of town. The people I talk to are struggling, the economy is in tough shape and the end of bush tax cuts could be $3000 less in the average earners paychecks. The voters in my situation have chosen a spending majority, until the voters make a change, thats what our democracy has delivered. I suspect the next few years will continue to be difficult or become harder for the low and middle incomes as local spending continues to rise above income increases placing larger needs of government assistance driving more tax increases. Snow ball effect!
Matt Lehman Shakopee City Council Member

Susan September 10, 2012 at 09:16 pm

Rather than use the same old"tax and spend" mentality, let's focus the conversation on delivery of services and human impact. Let's face facts: the state legislature, in order to pat itself on the back and claim it cut spending, has thrown more costs of BASIC services on local government units. That means counties, cities and townships. Basic services such as getting food to people who need food. Isolated seniors who need support. Children who need foster care and medical help, including basic vaccinations. Fighting methamphetamine and heroin addiction and trapping the criminals who manufacture this poison in Scott County.
I will give credit where credit is deserved. Our county employees work hard and are very good at their work. Stop attacking them. When I look at wasteful spending, I look at a couple of Commissioners who attacked, wrongfully, a good county employee, and in the process, cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. Where were you on this, Dave Menden? Was this personal for you? I seem to remember that's what you stated. And Matt, the real tax numbers prove that the middle class will pay at least $2000 more a year in taxes if you get your way, while the wealthiest stow their money away in offshore accounts. Moreover, Matt, township folks deserve fire services, the same as Shakopee residents. You might like to take our tax dollars (read, township dollars) and think it's fine to divert them to your own turf, but that's not okay or decent.

matt lehman September 11, 2012 at 12:50 am

Sorry Susan, what exactly is "my way"? I agree with you that the townships DO need fire protections, however, the fact of the matter is, the city be it Shakopee or any other city is under no mandate to provide that fire service. I believe it would be the counties responsibility to provide fire services as it is the counties responsibility to provide the police services to the townships. I happen to like our townships and in many cases, I like some aspects of the townships more then the city offering. I suspect you are taking my comments out of context (or not as I meant). I am merely trying to make sure all options are looked at for best response and cost effectiveness before jumping at the first offered solution.

matt lehman September 11, 2012 at 01:05 am

The human impacts of increasing taxes on households currently on the edge of default, or the human impacts on fixed income seniors chosing between meds and food are also items that must be considered. Its without debate our national economy is a mess and is affecting us all. We must all (governments)find ways to cut wasteful government spending, increase revenues if needed, and or cut back on some nice to have items. Many families cant afford the care they wish to provide their own children let alone paying more for other families, as I said, the problems are large and unfortunately, the solutions will also need to be large. I thought I was clear in my response to the Shelton mess.

Terence Aloysius Mahoney September 11, 2012 at 05:26 pm

Dave Menden, whose career in Scott County was in the publicly paid sheriff's department, and now, serves as a publicly paid county commissioner, now says that supervisor positions are wastes of money. It sounds like he's trashing good people in order to score political points to remain in public office.
Where is the research, the analysis, to back up what he said? Did he believe this about his own supervisors, when he started out, that he didn't need direction or training? Does he believe in anarchy - do whatever you want, whenever you want, but - please - don't hold me accountable? I'm a concerned taxpayer - and as a concerned taxpayer who wants more bang for my taxpaying buck, I am concerned about Dave Menden's statements as a commissioner.

Lois Paulson Menden September 11, 2012 at 06:13 pm

Susan: Yes it was personal and business. This employee who is getting 130,000 a year. This should be his full time and only job. He is running a multi million dollar business when he should be focus on his county job. He should give up one. Also this was a business that he started up when he was in the Sheriff's Office. A home-monitoring business run by the Sheriff's Office of which he was ahead of. He claims it was not making money but he could take it and make millions off of it much of it on county time. This is one of my complaints against him and I can tell you a few more. If you are interested call me at home. 952-445-1053 I don't want to say anymore about him because I do want to focus on positve things the county does. Dave Menden

Lois Paulson Menden September 11, 2012 at 06:31 pm

John: Thanks for the comment. I was in the public trough all my working years. With the Sheriff's Office for 35 years and now as County Commissioner. But when I was Sheriff I took 5000 a year less than I could of started with and never took a raise. Now as County Commissioner I take 10,000 a year less, took a 3% cut last year. I don't take any Per Diems which is 50 a meeting. I am assigned to over 20 different committees. I don't take any mileage or any extra benefits. I pay over 250 dollars more a month for medical than if I took advantage of the county benefit. I am bragging here but show me any other employee who takes less. I do believe in hiring good employees and supervisors. I totally believe in Education and Training. You always get your money back when you invest it in Education and Prevention. We have 120 Supervisors for about 580 full time employees. I would like to show you what they get paid along with good benefits and guaranteed retirement after a period of time. What private business with this much overhead could stay afloat. I got to think about what is best for the people who pay the bill not always what is best for the employee. Thanks Dave Menden

Heyitsme September 12, 2012 at 12:25 am

Susan define wealthy in the state of Minnesota, this is a family..married making $50,000 combined. Once a family hits that level the State penalizes and has a different scale to tax you for it. And at that level, those families don't qualify for any assistance. foster care money comes from the parents, or the state not the county, and if the child qualifies for SSI that is where the monies come from for foster care. Medical assistance for foster kids is from the state not the county. Wealthy people like the governor, the President, the vice president haven't been in the middle class or if ever been in the middle class. I don't mind and I do help others but I don't want the government to tell me how or atthe rate that I should.

Heyitsme September 12, 2012 at 12:30 am

Remember that the new sheriff and county attorney that were elected and a rate of salary and after the elections; sued the county for a pay raise. Normal humans, i.e. non-government employees would have been fired for that.