Metro Area Subsidizes Outstate Road and Bridge Construction (St. Paul, Duluth: hotels, houses)

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Unsettomati

Let's look at the definition of the term 'strawman':


https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/strawman

That pretty much describes the concept.

Now let's look at the claim of the OP:


The only way that this could possibly be a strawman is if no one is actually asserting that outstate areas don't underwrite the metro.

Oops...

Openly stating that the Metro couldn't survive without largess from the Iron Range [patently false - see below]:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/44736399-post4.html

Insinuating that taxes disproportionately go towards Metro projects:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/38262199-post4.html

More vacuous claims about outstate subsidizing the Metro:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/29327673-post25.html

I could keep going with the examples but I'll stop here - three examples more than refutes your insinuation. Thedosius misrepresented no one. Something isn't a strawman just because the person making the point declines to jump through the hoop of citing various examples of claims that we all know are made over and over.



Again, I have no problem with the Metro subsidizing rural areas. My problems are with those who prattle on endlessly about those they perceive as 'takers', yet... 1) They're wrong about which part of the state is, on balance, doing the taking, and 2) They're happily living their outstate lives subsidized by Metro taxpayers while wrongly bitching that the Metro is 'taking' from their rural paradise.

Thank you for taking the time to do the work that should have gone into the original post. This is a well done post. My criticism of the original was that without the context that you have now provided, it looked like a strawman argument. You have now cured those shortcomings.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by mnlife

It's not just roads. The state subsidizes other infrastructure in small towns like sewer systems.

plus we send them our drunks on the weekends

[David A Stone]

Maybe Mille Lacs County wouldn't be as "unbalanced" if that gold mine casino paid taxes to help maintain the roads that lead to the casino .


Seems this doesn't bother the liberal "pc" metro people at all.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by David A Stone

Maybe Mille Lacs County wouldn't be as "unbalanced" if that gold mine casino paid taxes to help maintain the roads that lead to the casino .


Seems this doesn't bother the liberal "pc" metro people at all.

The Mille Lacs band is the largest taxpayer in Pine county and one of the largest in Mille Lacs county. Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

[David A Stone]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

The Mille Lacs band is the largest taxpayer in Pine county and one of the largest in Mille Lacs county. Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

smoke and mirrors


They pay no income tax on their profits.

Also, there is a lawsuit underway filed by Morrison County because the tribe wants to place a parcel of land in Morrison County into a tribal trust and thus Morrison County would lose the property taxes currently being paid on that parcel $$$$$$$$$$$


What other business operating in MN can keep closed books and file no income tax on its profits $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ?

[David A Stone]

Placing that parcel in a trust by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe will result in Morrison County losing $10,927 in property taxes.

[Thedosius]

Originally Posted by mnlife

It's not just roads. The state subsidizes other infrastructure in small towns like sewer systems.

Absolutely true. Roads are just a component (albeit an important one) of state expenditures. If you look at the LGA formulae you'll also see many ways in which outstate disproportionately benefits from metro area money. Again, I have no major problem with that, but I do have a major problem with liars (and that is indeed exactly what they are) from outstate areas whining about how they support the metro.

[mr roboto]

And to thank the metro for their subsidies the Outstate Republicans are trying to block federal funding of the SW light rail. Can't make this up.

[WoodburyWoody]

Of interest, and timely ...

Former transportation commissioner: No reason for rural resentment | NewsCut | Minnesota Public Radio News

[PullMyFinger]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

And to thank the metro for their subsidies the Outstate Republicans are trying to block federal funding of the SW light rail. Can't make this up.

Because it's a waste of money. You can thank the republicans for saving you from that someday.