Citizen Bob

07/03/2013

Here is the MOA subsidy story from last night on Channel 5. Nick Winkler does a good job.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3086841.shtml?cat=1

07/02/2013

Channel 5 will be running a story tonight at 10 p.m. on the Mall of America subsidy. They interviewed me for the Citizens League position on what a terrible subsidy this is. Legislators used what is called the Fiscal Disparities pool to fund it, which is a total perversion of Minnesota's regional tax base sharing pool. The effect of this is to force other retail, office and hotel property in the region to fund their competition at a pricetag of about $250 million over 20 years. MOA expansion should not be at the expense of existing businesses in the region.

06/11/2013

I highly recommend this event from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday night. It is free at JJ Hill Reference Library and will go through some of the most innovative ways to build assets in low-income communities.

https://www.eventbrite.com/event/6127546657?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_attendee&utm_term=event_name

Live Interview with Ashoka Fellows Jose Quinonez & Michael Turner(Michael Turner represented by Patrick Walker due to scheduling conflict) on The Making of Inclusive Economies Moderated by Daniel Bergin, Senior Producer & Partnership Manager for Twin Cities Public Television Join Ashoka Twin Cit...

05/23/2013

Got to talk about the misuse of fiscal disparities for MOA subsidy on News Talk AM 1130 this morning.

05/13/2013

Trying to keep the momentum going to limit this misuse of fiscal disparities.

Tax leaders in the Minnesota Legislature are preparing legislation that disregards the basic principles of Minnesota’s unique system of regional tax-base sharing — referred to as “fiscal disparities” — wrongly using the tax-base pool to directly subsidize expansion of t...

05/09/2013

Here is my Pioneer Press opinion for the Citizens League on the Mall of America subsidy that is in tax conference committee now. If you want to see an example of what really bad policy is, just read it: http://www.twincities.com/opinion/ci_23199992/bob-deboer-minnesota-tax-bills-misuse-fiscal-disparities?source=most_viewed.

Then is you want to make a difference, go to this Citizens League blog and contact the tax conferees and tell them to reject this perverse subsidy: http://www.citizensleague.org/weblog/archives/2013/05/tell_legislator.php

Tax provisions under consideration in the Minnesota Legislature misuse the Twin Cities

05/06/2013

Tune into KARE 11 news tonight at 10 p.m. to find out why the regional tax base pool (called fiscal disparities) should not be used to subsidize the Mall of America's next phase. Blake McCoy interviewed me for the story. If it gets bumped for breaking news, it will run tomorrow.

03/22/2013

Lance Hegland is asking some important questions about this NPR story. https://www.facebook.com/notes/lance-hegland/thoughts-npr-what-is-the-effect-of-asking-americans-to-think-about-the-greater-g/10150324675994959

My comments are below.

Often times politicians pitch "the common good" when proposing changes to social policy. Psychologists now think this kind of appeal may backfire and actually unmotivate Americans. What is the effectiveness of different kinds of public appeals?

01/22/2013

I will be presenting the Citizens League work addressing public assistance policy on the morning of February 6 at the History Center. How can we support prosperity rather than react to poverty? Learn about the demonstrations that the Citizens League hopes to launch and the legislative changes that are needed for them to be successful.

http://citizensleague.org/events/past/2013/02/capitol_questio.php

Learn about the Family Independence demonstrations that the Citizens League is organizing with community partners. Bob DeBoer will discuss how this prosperity-building approach could flip public assistance delivery on its head, allowing participants to build their capacity and resources rather than ...

01/22/2013

I will be presenting the Citizens League work addressing public assistance policy on the morning of February 6 at the History Center. How can we support prosperity rather than react to poverty? Learn about the demonstrations that the Citizens League hopes to launch and the legislative changes that are needed for them to be successful.

https://www.facebook.com/citizensleague/posts/10151210753311048