Job & Leadership Failures of "Viking-sized" Proportions in

Ramsey County & Saint Paul

How insane - Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega of the Ramsey County Commissioners running
around admittedly chasing a Viking's football stadium on the backs of taxpayers (again) in a city and
county that has not produced real jobs other than government jobs for years... More union-backed,
DFL-donating, over-priced prevailing wage jobs are coming to build this public icon and structure
that is tax-exempt, unlike our own individual status? You know the definition of insane? Doing the
same thing over and over again - expecting a different result. Continually spending tax dollars on big
projects like football stadiums or light rail, as well as social engineering, while expecting to create
jobs and prosperity. Feeling it all pay off yet, taxpayers... ? Still, we continue to listen to these
'amateurs' in government about matters of business and economic development, who've never had to
make a payroll or employed anyone, nor had to pay high business & payroll taxes while taking risk in
what the Tax Foundation now labels Minnesota the 8th worst taxing state in the U.S. - tied with New
York. How proud we should all be to get an NFL stadium. But how? With what resources and long-
term costs locally?

First, Rafael Ortega watched our Mayor (Coleman) and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty board a plane for
Detroit this past Fall to try and save the Ford plant and approx. 1,500 union jobs which announced in
2006 they were leaving Highland Park. What does your elected commissioner (Ortega) do to help
back then? Nothing - he must have been dreaming and planning a new Viking's stadium in Ramsey
County with Commissioner Tony Bennett. During the 2010 elections, Rafael Ortega issued a
statement on behalf of Ramsey County, "we stand willing to provide whatever resources or
assistance are necessary to Ford..." while your Mayor and Governor, who thought it worthwhile to try
and save such a known major employer went to Detroit to make a presentation. Now, our
environmentalists envision the Ford plant as more green space and a big park - taking this icon off
our tax roles, requiring more need for jobs and economic development our leaders continue failing to
deliver us all. Decades ago, Highland Park had 5 significant private employers who were the largest.
Today, they are all gone, and were replaced with the new top 5 public employers: St. Paul, Ramsey
County, Univ. of MN, the Metropolitan Council, and St. Paul Public Schools; all exempt from certain
taxes that fail to contribute to our overall communities and their infrastructure needs.

Next, we're told we have to build light rail at a borrowed cost of almost $1 billion, to bring more
businesses to University Avenue - displacing the ethnically-diverse cultures and family-run
businesses already paying sales & property taxes operating for generations. Why? Because our
'transportation experts' - Commissioners Ortega, Carter, Parker, Bennett, McDonough, Reinhart, and
others at the city, state, and federal levels of our elected leadership, all say this is what they know is
best for us all and our future...? Or, is it an NFL stadium? Or, maybe a new government center?

New DFL jobs formula: Existing jobs (eliminated) plus the possibility of jobs = many jobs (?)

Today, we are told we need to step out and lure the Vikings to Ramsey County - a novel idea at best.
For what - some union-backed, prevailing wage, short-term temporary construction jobs for 2-3 years
that go away while paying DFL-elected candidates to stay in office and dole out your money for all
these public projects and ideas? What abatements and monies are required for the Vikings and
surrounding low-impact seasonal retail employers that will be offered as necessary enticements?
Whose backs (further) amongst Saint Paul and Ramsey County businesses and consumers already
taxed to the hilt will this burden be put? It's becoming pathetic we even still listen to these people...
and, I'm still a big NFL fan and supporter too -

If you need medical help - hire a doctor. If you need legal help - hire a lawyer. If you want to create
jobs or save the Ford plant in Highland Park, get on the planes that left in 2006 & 2010 with our
accountable elected leaders who've at least tried to save them, Mr. Ortega. It was your district!

If you want real jobs and economic development that contribute to (and expand) our tax base, stop
continually relying upon Rafael Ortega, Tony Bennett, and the Ramsey County Commissioners
who've just voted 6-1 to use your limited public resources from poorly declining city and county tax
bases which have lost jobs, face mounting foreclosures, and declining revenues for publicly-funded
good ideas. Let's start developing our economy by creating infrastructure and competitive incentives
for companies with jobs - not excessively-priced sports stadiums for 10 weeks a year. How about
lower taxes for all? Why would businesses or residents want to come here, let alone stay in St. Paul
and Ramsey County, with this kind of leadership and public policy? They haven't - just ask
Washington & Dakota counties, or Mendota Heights' residents where they moved from previously.

We continue to let our existing resources sit without any effort, such as the downtown St. Paul
Airport, a tremendous economic development tool waiting to be utilized. Why not focus some time
and resources here, where we can create REAL ongoing jobs in industries like shipping, freight, and
transportation for the broad communities while rebuilding downtown Saint Paul and attracting
businesses facing an increasing 30-40% building vacancy rate? What will happen to the city and
county's abilities to pay Vikings stadium-, school board-, or light rail-related bonds issued when these
buildings and others continue to be devalued or empty? Will this government occupy them all,
without paying any property taxes to save us? You think your homes are unfairly assessed and
increased year-to-year... just wait for what's coming if we continue down this path, but it will all be
the Legislature's fault, right? They took away some of our local government aid (LGA) funds, and
we couldn't stop spending, so we need you all to pick up the difference and pay more for our ideas...

It is the private sector that innovates and drives the economy... NOT our Commissioners, City
Council members, School Boards or Mayor. Maybe we should promote a better public-private
partnership environment with less taxes and regulation to competitively bring businesses to the area,
or allow those existing to grow, instead of relying on a bunch of amateur politicians to dispense such
wisdom and planning at ALL of our expense. First - we had to have a sales tax increase for light rail.
Now, coming to a community near you throughout Ramsey County & St. Paul: an 'innovative'
additional Viking's stadium sales tax assessed every time you buy or sell something each and every
day of the year - including 10 Game Days!

Congratulations Saint Paul & Ramsey County, and mostly Commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael
Ortega for leading the charge... More relevantly, stand up and support those who say "NO" like
Janice Rettman of the Ramsey County board who did solo, or our newly-elected majority in the
Legislature who will say no to tax increases and government spending being offered to spur
economic growth or 'resuscitate' our state's economy.

Andy Noble
Past Republican Candidate
Ramsey County Commissioner
Saint Paul, Minnesota