Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 05.02.06

[David Shove (shove001]

Apparently the first post was blank.

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R     05.02.06

1. Transportation    5.02 7:30am/7pm
2. Demo/UnitedHealth 5.02 9:30am
3. GP joins HC demo  5.02 9:30am
4. Cam klatch        5.02 9:30am
5. Make a hike       5.02 10am Duluth MN
6. Labor/immigration 5.02 11am
7. DailyKos bloggers 5.02 12noon
8. Indian/Twins      5.02 5:30pm
9. Meridel LeSueur   5.02 6:30pm
10. Transportation   5.02 6:30pm
11. Coreopsis poetry 5.02 7pm
12. PunishmentPark   5.02 7pm

13. Eva Young     - Referendum for Twins tax
14. Dann Dobson   - .15% HennCo Twins tax morphs into .5% - 7 county tax
15. Bob Spaulding - MOA's $247 million subsidy: St. Paul pays
16. Lisa Girion   - Canceled health policies prompt lawsuits

--------1 of 16--------

From: Anne White <awhitepho [at] msn.com>
Subject: Transportation 5.02 7:30am/7pm

I invite everyone to attend one of the upcoming public information
meetings about the planning process for transit in the Central Corridor.
Hosted by the District Councils Collaborative, these meetings are designed
to help people learn about the alternative transit options that are
studied in the recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS).

To present effective testimony, it is important that stakeholders learn
about current transit proposals and identify issues of concern to their
neighborhoods.  With the DEIS comment period limited to 45 days,
concluding June 5th, time is short.  Yet it is critical that local
residents and business owners weigh in with comments to help determine the
future of transit in the Central Corridor.

Because of the importance of the transit choice to be made in the next
couple of months, we have expanded our schedule of public meetings to six,
with locations are spread out along the length of the corridor, from the
University of Minnesota to downtown St Paul.  Whether you're for or
against light rail, please take advantage of this opportunity to learn
more about the planning process and the importance of expressing your
views on the future of transit in the Central Corridor during the DEIS
public comment period.

DCC Meetings on Central Corridor Light Rail
Please note that these meetings are for information only.
Comments made at these meetings do not constitute official testimony.
There will be ample time for questions from the audience.

Tuesday, May 2nd, 7:30am -- public information meeting, Episcopal Homes,
1879 Feronia Ave (near University & Fairview), St Paul

Tuesday, May 2nd, 7pm -- public information meeting, Episcopal Homes, 1879
Feronia Ave (near University & Fairview), St Paul

Friday, May 5th, 7:30 am - public information meeting, First National Bank
Building, 332 Minnesota St, Rm N-110, (ground floor, near 5th St/Robert St
corner), St Paul

NEW LOCATION -- Monday, May 8th, 7:00 pm - public information meeting,
Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, 1030 University Avenue, St Paul

Wednesday, May 10th, 7:00 pm - public information meeting, University of
Minnesota, Rm 14, 1701 University Ave (opposite Church St entrance),
Minneapolis parking 4th St Ramp

NEW DATE & LOCATION --Thursday, May 18th, 7:00 pm -- public information
meeting, Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, Rm 112, 1030 University
Avenue, St Paul

Anne White Merriam Park District Councils Collaborative Steering Committee
Co-Chair


--------2 of 16--------

From: joel albers <joel [at] uhcan-mn.org>
Subject: Demo/UnitedHealth 5.02 9:30am

Demonstration at United Health Group HMO Headquarters, Annual Shareholders
Meeting during National Cover the Uninsured Week.

Tuesday May 2
starting at 9:30am

Directions: Take 94W to 394 w to 169 S to Bren Rd Exit. At top of Exit
take a R onto Bren Rd, stay in left lane and at bottom of hill turn L into
Marriott Hotel parking lot. Walk across the road to United Health Group.
We will meet on sidewalk next to the driveway leading into United Health
Group.

Sponsored by: MN Universal Health Care Action Network (MN UHCAN) Endorsed
by: The Twin Cities Gray Panthers, IMPACT, MN Physicians for a National
Health Program, Schneider Drug, West Bank Pharmacy, Franklin Drug.

Brief facts about United Health Group HMO:

1. United Health Group's CEO, William MacGuire, is the highest paid CEO in
the history of the state of Minnesota. Since 2000 he has cashed in $488
million in stock options, accumulated $1.6 billion in unexercised stock
options, and $175 million in unexercisable stock options for total wealth
of $ 2,000,000,000 (that's 2 Billion dollars). Other executives
accumulated wealth is well over $1,000,000,000, and the Board of Directors
are multi-millionaires gaining a total of $159,000,000 since 2001.

As a result, the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are
investigating this, UHG's own shareholders have filed suit against UHG
over these stock options in a Minneapolis federal court. Minnesota
attorney General Mike Hatch is investigating UHG and has already conducted
similar investigations finding excess executive compensation for
HealthPartners, Blue Cross, Medica, the major Minnesota HMOs.

2. United Health Group is one of the largest HMOs in the U.S. HMOs profit
by denying or restricting care and are fiscal intermediaries (middlemen)
who serve no useful health care service other than designing complicated
health insurance policies that are enourmously wasteful to administer.
That's why we're demanding a single public payer system.

3. Many Minnesotans have been denied health insurance by United Health
Group's front group Medica HMO due to "pre-existing conditions". Meanwhile
more than 400,000 Minnesotans, including 68,000 children go without health
insurance, and UHG's own employees are being pressured out of health
insurance pools and into meager individual health savings accounts.

4. United Health Group's rankings of the 100 largest corporations in
Minnesota on several financial measures: In 2005, #1 in TOTAL stock
holdings ($76 billion), #2 in profits ($3.3 billion), #2 in revenues $45
billion), #4 in assets (44 billion).

Hope you can attend the demonstration to stand in solidarity with all who
have suffered at the hands of this system and demand a new single-payer
system.

Joel Albers Minnesota Universal Health Care Action Network 612-384-0973
joel [at] uhcan-mn.org www.uhcan-mn.org Health Care Economics Researcher,
Clinical Pharmacist


--------3 of 16--------

From: Kristen Olson Krisrose02 [at] aol.com
Subject: GP/joins HC demo 5.02 9:30am

GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES JOIN IN DEMONSTRATION, CALL FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rhoda Gilman _rhodagilman [at] earthlink.net_
(mailto:rhodagilman [at] earthlink.net) (651)  224-6383

Minneapolis, Minnesota ** At a time when more than seven per cent of
Minnesotans are without health coverage, HMO executives are wealthier than
ever, receiving billions in compensation.  Meanwhile basic coverage for
even their own employees is fast disappearing and costs to the state and
its economy continue to spin out of control.

On May 2, Green Party candidates for City Council, MN House, MN Senate,
State Auditor, and US Congress will stand in solidarity with Minnesota's
uninsured people at the United Health Group annual shareholders meeting
during national Cover the Uninsured Week. The Green Party works with the
Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition in supporting and promoting
single payer universal health care which would ensure that all citizens
receive vital, fundamental care. Its candidates pledge themselves to work
toward freeing the state from dependence on high-cost private managed care
plans.

"According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the United States ranks
37th in over-all health care in the world," commented Dave Berger, Green
Party candidate for Minnesota State Auditor. "Most industrialized
democracies are well ahead of us because they provide access to health
care for everyone, not just those that can afford it -- and they do so at
half the per capita cost of our own broken system."

"Some of the folks most at risk for having no health coverage are the
working poor, small businesses, and young people," says Jesse Mortenson,
Green Party candidate for the Minnesota House in District 64A, "I fall in
the latter two categories and don't have any insurance.  One reason I'm
running for office is because I want to fight for a health care system
that will cover everyone and still save us money."

Jay Pond, candidate for US Congress, supports a national single payer
system.  "What would change is the medical care financing system, not the
medical care delivery," says Pond.  "Health care would be less expensive
and more readily available" Julie Risser, candidate in Senate District 41,
agrees.  "It is time the United States joins the rest of the
industrialized world in providing health care for all of our citizens,"
she says.  "Health care is a right, not a privilege."

For more information on the Green Party of Minnesota:
_www.mngreens.org_ (http://www.mngreens.org)

For more information on Universal Single Payer Health Care:

Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition _www.muhcc.org_
(http://www.muhcc.org) Greater Minnesota Health Care Coalition
_www.gmhcc.org_ (http://www.gmhcc.org)

For candidate information:

Dave Berger for Minnesota State Auditor _www.daveberger.org_
(http://www.daveberger.org)

Jesse Mortenson for MN House District 64A _www.jessemortenson.com_
(http://www.jessemortenson.com)

Julie Risser for MN Senate District 41 _www.voterisser4senate.com_
(http://www.voterisser4senate.com)

Michael Cavlan for US Senate _www.cavlan.org_ (http://www.cavlan.org)

Kristen Olson for Roseville City Council _www.kristenforcouncil.org_
(http://www.kristenforcouncil.org <http://www.kristenforcouncil.org/> )

Jay Pond, US House of Representatives, Minnesota's 5th Congressional
_www.JayPond.com (http://www.JayPond.com

Demonstration at United Health Group HMO Headquarters, Annual Shareholders
Meeting during National Cover the Uninsured Week.
Tuesday May 2
starting at 9:30  AM


--------4 of 16--------

From: Cam Gordon <CamGordon333 [at] msn.com>
Subject: Cam klatch 5.02 9:30am

Office Hours: I am happy to announce that beginning in February I will be
holding office hours every Tuesday morning in the Second Ward from
9:30-11am.  The locations will rotate as follows, so that I can meet with
residents in their own neighborhoods:

First Tuesdays
West Bank / Cedar Riverside neighborhood

Hard Times Cafe, 1821 Riverside Ave


--------5 of 16--------

From: GibbsJudy [at] aol.com
Subject: Make a hike 5.02 10am Duluth MN

The Superior Hiking Trail Seeks Volunteers
The SHTA seeks volunteers to help build 40 miles of trail within the city of
Duluth. No experience is needed, all ages welcome. Come dressed for the
weather and bring a lunch and plenty of fluids.

Tuesday, May 2, 10-3 pm. Meet on Vermilion Road halfway between the Park
Hill Cemetery entrance and Pleasant View Road, near the Amity Creek
Crossing.  To get there: travel north on Woodland Avenue to the 4-way stop
at Oxford Street. Go right on Oxofrd, then left onto Vermilion. Go past
Park Hill Cemetary to the Amity Creek crossng. Tuesday May 9, 10-3 pm.
Meet at the end of Westgate Boulevard near the Powerline. Take Cody Street
off I-35 and turn onto 66th Ave W by the Allandale Motel. then turn left
onto and park at the end of Westgate. Wednesday May 10, 10-3 pm. Meet at
the end of Westgate Boulevard near the Powerline. Thursday May 11, 10-3
pm. Meet at the end of Westgate Boulevard near the Powerline.

For more information or to register, contact Judy Gibbs at 218-728-9827 or
gibbsjudy [at] aol.com


--------6 of 16--------

From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Labor/immigration 5.02 11am

Tues May 2, 11am: Immigration & labor on KFAI

The Immigrants' Rights rally in St. Paul, Sunday April 9th, was the
biggest march since the 1930s and around the country marches were in the
hundreds of thousands in many cities. Opinion ranges from hard right
racism to religion-based compassion. MAY 1st/MAY DAY the international
workers holiday that BEGAN in the U.S. (yet, was replaced with the
shoppers sale Labor day) there will be more rallys , strikes and boycotts
to show the undeiable contributions of immigrants--whether documented or
not. Yet, some American workers, primarily those with a high school
education or less (unskilled labor)--are losing employment.  Where does
the American labor movement stand in the immigraiton debate?

St. Paul union member and labor historian, DAVE REIHLE, tells the history
of MAY DAY/MAY 1st (which came out of the late 19th century American
struggle for the 8-hour day). He also talks about the inspriing role
IMMIGRANTS have ALWAYS played in the American labor movement. Also:  hear
some of the greatest LABOR SONGS EVER from the Wobblies/IWW/Industrial
Workers of the World.

On "Catalyst:politics & culture",pro/host TC journalist Lydia Howell
Tues.11am on KFAI Radio 90.3 fm Mpls 106.7fm St Paul all shows archived
for 2 weeks after broadcast www.kfai.org CHECK OUT THE NEW ONLINE JOURNAL!
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net


--------7 of 16--------

From: Madeleine Baran <madeleine.baran [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Daily Kos bloggers 5.02 12noon

Arise Bookstore and Resource Center
2441 Lyndale Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55404
www.arisebookstore.org
Phone 612-817-7018
madeleine.baran [at] gmail.com
Contact: Madeleine Baran
Phone: 612-817-7018

Influential Progressive Bloggers to Speak at Arise Bookstore

Minneapolis, MN April 11, 2006 -- Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas
Zuniga will be speaking and signing copies of their new book, Crashing the
Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics, on
Tuesday, May 2nd at noon at Arise Bookstore.

Markos is the founder and editor of The Daily Kos (www.dailykos.com), the
largest progressive blog in the country, with about 5 million unique
visits each week. Wired magazine recently called it, " the most popular
political blog anywhere on the political spectrum."

Crashing the Gate is a shot across the bow at the political establishment
in Washington, DC and a call to re-democratize politics in America.
Written by two of the most popular political bloggers in America, the book
hails the new movement that is changing the way political campaigns are
waged.

Arise Bookstore, a collectively-run progressive bookstore and resource
center, is located at: 2441 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55405.


--------8 of 16--------

From: Chris Spotted Eagle <chris [at] spottedeagle.org>
Subject: Indian/Twins 5.02 5:30pm

Tuesday, May 2nd-5:30PM MN Twins Native American Heritage Night (vs.
Seattle), Metrodome, 900 S. 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN, This 5th annual
event will feature American Indian businesses, artists, and food on the
plaza prior to the game, as well as pre-game educational dancing
presentations at each gate, During the National Anthem, a Native American
Warrior Color Guard will present the colors, followed by youth dancers
from St. Paul schools, the drumming of Midnight Express ­ all emceed by
Jerry Dearly, Advance-purchase, Upper Club tickets $9.00 or Lower Reserved
for $20.00, To purchase tickets contact Eric Hudson (612) 375-7482.


--------9 of 16--------

From: Patty Guerrero <pattypax [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Meridel LeSueur 5.02 6:30pm

Hi, at the Salon next Tuesday, May 2, we will be watching the movie called
"My People Are My Home", the story of Meridel LeSueur, Minnesota's own
poet, journalist, activist/communist, feminist.  Some of it told in her
own words as she became the written voice of her people.

Next week May 9, is poetry night.  Please bring your own poetry that you
have written and read to us.

Pax Salons ( http://justcomm.org/pax-salon )
are held (unless otherwise noted in advance):
Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Mad Hatter's Tea House,
943 W 7th, St Paul, MN
Salons are free but donations encouraged for program and treats.
Call 651-227-3228 or 651-227-2511 for information.


--------10 of 16--------

From: Darrell Gerber <darrellgerber [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Transportation 5.02 6:30pm

Help develop Minneapolis' 10-Year Transportation Action Plan at one of
several workshops

The City of Minneapolis is hosting a series of workshops to give the
public an opportunity to share their ideas on how the City can improve its
transportation system. The workshops will provide an overview of the
City's 10-Year Transportation Action Plan, which is under development, and
will provide information on the transportation challenges facing the City.

When completed, the Transportation Action Plan will be a citywide plan
that addresses a full range of transportation options and issues,
including pedestrians, bicycles, transit, automobiles, and freight.  The
10-Year Action Plan will also include a transit and street operations plan
for downtown and new street design guidelines that reflect the
characteristics of the surroundings.

Pre-registration for the workshops is not required. Since the workshops
include presentations on transportation challenges facing the City,
followed by structured dialogue, participants are encouraged to arrive at
the designated meeting start time.

The Workshops are being held:

6:30-8:30pm, Tuesday, May 2, 2006
    East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd Street N.E., Minneapolis

Upon request, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to person
with disabilities or who are in need of a translator.  Please submit such
requests or requests for additional information to Charleen Zimmer,
Project Manager, at 612-673-3166 or Charleen.Zimmer [at] ci.minneapolis.mn.us
no later than seven days prior to the meeting.


--------11 of 16--------

From: Coreopsis Poetry Collective <coreopsispoetry [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Coreopsis poetry 5.02 7pm

Coreopsis Poetry Collective  (coreopsispoetry [at] yahoo.com)
Presents
an evening of poetry

Tuesday, May 2
7pm

  Featuring:
  Becca Barniskis
  Zach Barocas
  Sharon Chmielarz

  Short open mic to follow
  donations graciously welcomed
  at Black Dog Café
  308 Prince Street
  lower town St. Paul

We exist to cultivate a community of diverse local artists and poets which
integrates all art forms centered around poetry.

Collective:
Erin Lynn Marsh, co-founder, Barbara Tarrant, co-founder, and Amber Corteau


--------12 of 16--------

From: john [at] cinemarevolution.com
Subject: PunishmentPark 5.02 7pm

Contact: John Koch, Owner - Cinema Revolution

Cinema Revolution Presents "Cinema des Artistes" at the Varsity Theater
Tuesday May 2nd, 7 PM.  Admission $5.

THIS MONTH'S FILM is Peter Watkins' politically charged pseudo-documentary
"PUNISHMENT PARK".

Film Description:
"Punishment Park" is a pseudo-documentary purporting to be a film crews's
news coverage of the team of soldiers escorting a group of hippies, draft
dodgers, and anti-establishment types across the desert in a type of
capture the flag game. The soldiers vow not to interfere with the rebels'
progress and merely shepherd them along to their destination. At that
point, having obtained their goal, they will be released. The film crew's
coverage is meant to insure that the military's intentions are honorable.
As the representatives of the 60's counter-culture get nearer to passing
this arbitrary test, the soldiers become increasingly hostile, attempting
to force the hippies out of their pacifist behavior. A lot of this film
appears improvised and in several scene real tempers seem to flare as some
of the "acting" got overaggressive. This is a interesting exercise in
situational ethics. The cinema-veritie style, hand-held camera, and
ambiguous demands of the director - would the actors be able to maintain
their roles given the hazing they were taking - pushed some to the brink.
The cast's emotions are clearly on the surface. Unfortunately this film
has gone completely underground and is next to impossible to find. It
would offer a captivating document of the distrust that existed between
soldiers willfully serving in the military and those persons who opposed
the war peacefully.

Critical Acclaim:

"Intense, outrageous and still relevant - a cult hit waiting to happen."
-The Boston Phoenix

"Paralyzing. A devastating indictment and a chilling prognosis." -The San
Francisco Chronicle

Cinema Revolution presents a new kind of moviegoing experience with its
new monthly film and discussion series "Cinema Des Artistes".  Combining
food, drink and discussion, "Cinema des Artistes" is a cinematic
experience like none other for those who appreciate film as art.
Admission is $5.

Screening the first Tuesday of each month, you can catch thought provoking
films introduced by various guest speakers, followed by an informal
discussion.  Food and beverages are available with a full bar and dinner
menu from the Varsity's Café des Artistes.  The screenings are programmed
by John Koch of Cinema Revolution, Kitty Aal, who curated the Starlight
Cinema and BlowUpCinema series at the Wisconsin Union Directorate, and
Kathie Smith, formerly of the Monday Underground Film Series.

The Varsity Theater is located at:  1308 4th Street SE, Minneapolis, MN
55414 | Phone: 612-604-0222 Cinema Revolution is a locally owned DVD
rental store is south Minneapolis that specializes in foreign,
independent, classic and cult films.

For more information contact: John Koch 612-879-5579,
john [at] cinemarevolution.com web site:
http://www.cinemarevolution.com/artistes.html


--------13 of 16--------

From: Eva Young <lloydletta [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Referendum for Twins tax

The Senate Tax committee voted unanimously to require a referendum for a
Hennepin County Plan.  This was a huge victory for the Hennepin County
Taxpayer.  I would like to give a special thanks to Mee Moua in St Paul
and Larry Pogemiller in Minneapolis for voting against this boondoggle.

Larry Pogemiller
David Tomassoni
Bill Belanger
Tom Bakk
Don Betzold
Debbie Johnson
Warren Limmer
John Marty
Mike McGinn
Mee Moua
Julianne Ortman
Rod Skoe

People should stay vigilant.  Dann Dobson has identified many problems
with the metro wide sales tax.

Some claim the metro-wide sales tax does not require a referendum.

There are some swing votes on this who should be contacted now:

These include:  Sandy Pappas and Ellen Anderson in St Paul.

Linda Higgins in Minneapolis should be contacted.  Linda is a firm yes,
but needs to hear from constituents on this one.

Terri Bonoff (DFL, Plymouth/Minnetonka) supports the Hennepin County plan,
but is running for reelection in a swing district.  Bonoff's opponent,
Judy Johnson, Mayor of Plymouth strongly opposes all versions of the
stadium tax.

Senator Michele Bachmann (R, Stillwater) also needs to hear from
constituents on this matter and reminded of her pledge to the Taxpayers
League.

Warren Limmer, R. Maple Grove deserves alot of thanks.  He has been a firm
no on this nonsense.  I talked to Limmer about this, and his take was that
there would be an effort to strip the referendum language on the floor of
the Senate, and that would pass.  People need to email, call and fax their
state senators to tell them to just say no to a stadium tax of any
version.


--------14 of 16--------

Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 10:42:43 -0700 (PDT)

While people weren't looking, the "modest" .15% sales tax, just in
Hennepin County, to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins, morphed
on Friday, in the Senate Tax Committee, into a .5% - 1/2% Seven County
Metro Wide, (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver ?)
Sales Tax.
 [Unmitigated slime: The rich pirate/parasites, and their prostitute
legislators; may they roast in hell, endlessly, mercilessly; I want to
watch. -ed]

The tax will be for 30 years and half of the tax is for stadiums and the
other half is for "mass transit".

Supposedly, after the stadiums are paid off in 3 to 5 years, all the money
will go to Transit.

However, since only two stadium commissions, made up of 7 unelected
members each, will oversee the spending on the stadium portion of the tax,
this virtually gives both the Twins and the Vikings an unlimited open
checkbook.

The Twins bill which passed the house last week, shifts a wide variety of
"ballpark" costs, such as landscapping, signage etc., where the team is
reasonable for any cost overruns, to infrastructure, where the taxpayers
are responsible for all cost overruns

The new bill also adds a roof to the Twins stadium, with the taxpayers
again, paying 80% of the bill.

When Target Center was built in the 1980's the cost rapdily escaladed from
$35 million dollars, to $105 Million dollars, largely based on soil
problems.
http://www.braunintertec.com/experience/caseStudy.cfm?caseID=9

The site for the new Twins ballpark sits approximately 600 feet away from
the Target Center. It is not known if there are soil problems there.
However if there are substantial soil problems under the new Twins site,
the cost is the taxpayers and NOT the teams.

The Twin Stadium bill that passed the House last Wednesday was bad.

The proposal by Senators Steve Kelly and Don Betzold now before the Senate
Tax Commitee is 3 times worse.

Dann Dobson No Stadium Tax Coalition Saint Paul 651-227-4376


--------15 of 16--------

From: Bob Spaulding <r_spaulding [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: MOA's $247 million subsidy: St. Paul pays

You might not have heard about it, but the Mall of America is apparently
asking the legislature for a $247 million giveaway
(http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2006/05/01/story1.html).
They want to use that money to help fund their major phase II expansion.

Relevant to St. Paul?  Absolutely.  For one, the Mall's first phase is
frequently credited with draining the St. Paul hospitality and retail
indsutry, particularly downtown.  The mall is a hub for intensive new
retail, tourism, hospitality, housing, and business development in
Bloomington.  Aside from the Mall, that all pays property taxes.
Property taxes which would help balance St. Paul's budget, and relieve the
burden from St. Paul homeowners.

This is about competitive advantage and disadvantage.  As compared with
many suburbs, central cities like St. Paul have substantial challenges in
redeveloping land, and generating new tax base to help pay the bills.
Subsidy is someties appropriate.  By comparison, Bloomington is a city
that is in a prime location, has tons of huge real estate, and is already
rolling in property tax income.  It doesn't need our help.

The subsidy they are requesting would suck more of the region's economic
activity away from cities that need it into an area that needs no more
government help.  What principled rationale is there for Bloomington to
recieve special treatment here?  None.

If Bloomington is going to go to the legislature to ask us to
substantially subsidize development that will drain other cities such as
St. Paul of vital resources, they should told "no" in definitive terms.

[If the morally challenged craven State Legislature might give three
totally underserving rich parasites free stadiums, why shouldn't all the
other rich undeserving parasites go for theirs too? The public - that's us
- are ripe for the picking - and the MOA rich will be pissed to the sky if
they don't get their booty too. All for the rich; steal it from us right
in front of our eyes, bold as you please; and kill our representative
government in the bargain. Why do we allow individuals to have fortunes so
large they can destroy everyone and everything else? It must be our
insanity, stupdity, and cowardice. -ed]


--------16 of 16--------

Canceled Policies Prompt Lawsuits
By Lisa Girion, L.A. Times Staff Writer April 28, 2006

Customers of Blue Cross and Blue Shield say they were dumped after incurring
medical costs.

In 13 lawsuits filed Thursday, former policyholders complained that two
health plan operators systematically dumped members after receiving bills
for their medical care.

The complaints, filed in Los Angeles, Ventura and Sonoma counties, join 10
lawsuits filed last month alleging that Blue Cross of California
improperly canceled policies of sick members. All of the suits were filed
by William M. Shernoff, a Claremont attorney who specializes in such
litigation.

Three of the suits filed Thursday, however, accuse Blue Shield ^× a
not-for-profit health plan operator ^× of similar conduct.

All of the allegations concern individual policies, not group or
employer-sponsored coverage.

The lawsuits allege that once individual policyholders incurred medical
expenses, the companies looked for ways to drop them to boost their bottom
lines. The several former policyholders allege that they were dropped for
trivial or inadvertent omissions on their applications.

Plaintiff Michael Norris, for instance, said he was stuck with $15,000 in
bills when Blue Cross retroactively canceled his son's coverage after a
surgery.

"It's outrageous that health insurers dump policyholders that cost them
too much money," Norris said. "Not only does this practice result in huge
unpaid medical bills and financial hardship for patients when doctors and
hospitals try to collect, it increases emotional stress on the patient and
the family when they are most vulnerable."

Blue Cross parent WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health plan
operator, declined to discuss the lawsuits. But the company is "confident
that we are acting appropriately and consistent with our legal obligations
to our members," spokesman Robert Alaniz said.

All insurers guard against policyholders who fail to disclose their
medical history when applying for coverage, he said.

Blue Shield officials said they had not seen the lawsuits and could not
comment.

Jerry Flanagan of Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer
Rights said it had received complaints about cancellations involving
several companies.

"We suspect this is a much wider problem," Flanagan said. "We've gotten
calls from Nevada and West Virginia."

The state Department of Insurance, which launched an investigation into
the Blue Cross complaints last month, will hold a hearing June 1 in Los
Angeles on the company's profitability, which is three times the market
average on some of the types of insurance it sells.

Commissioner John Garamendi said he wanted to find out whether there was
any connection between the high profit and allegations that the company
was systematically dumping sick members.

"This may be one of the reasons Blue Cross has such a very, very high
profit margin on these products," Garamendi said.

California Department of Managed Health Care spokeswoman Lynne Randolph
said the agency would look into the new allegations as part of a larger
probe into cancellation complaints.

The agency recently put a notice on its website in an effort to raise
awareness among consumers that managed care plans are required to give
policyholders 15 days' notice of a cancellation, and policyholders can ask
the agency for a review.


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