MN Leg 2011 Vikings Stadium Bill Special Session

Well....between twitter and posting here on my blog, I feel like I have addressed everything a fan can with regards to the Vikings and a new stadium. At times this has been frustrating, since some people write one thing then get so many pats on the back they are burping all night.

Granted I am not doing this for personal recognition or ego, I am doing this as a lifelong Vikings fan and to keep the team where they belong in Minny. While I want my effort to be appreciated, even more important to me is that it is effective.

As of today 5/1/11 there are 22 days remaining in the Mn legislative session. The Vikings Stadium bill has been introduced in both chambers but has yet to advance in committee. Legislators claim they are too busy and there are more pressing issues. My response is you have had all session to acomplish these goals and have done nothing but bicker and failed to govern effectively. You are tasked with the responsibility of handling the peoples business and multi-tasking when necessary. Some of the budget issues should have been dealt with before things reached these levels. Additionally a stadium bill and the budget are seperate stand alone issues.

Resolution of a stadium bill does not preclude you from doing your due dilligence on other issues. Funding for this bill has no bearing on the budget as all funding mechanisms proposed are new revenue streams specifically for the stadium.

Proposed funding mechanisms place the majority of the burden on Stadium/Viking supporters. The bill also gives local government the chance to govern for themselves, deciding what is best for their community and helping it to grow in difficult times.

Legislators the time is now! The dome roof is down & is no longer a viable venue for the Vikings or Minnesota. The Vikings lease is up, and the Vikings were promised this issue would be addressed in the 2006 legislative session when they graciously stepped aside for the Twins & Gophers so their situations could be resolved.

The key words here are honor, integrity, duty to those who elected you and the state as a whole. This bill saves & creates jobs, drives additional revenue with $0 general fund dollars and the majority of the burden is not placed on most taxpayers. Just because you may not have been in the 2006 legislature does not absolve you from honoring their promise, you joined freely and are tasked to follow up on all responsibilities of your predecessors as well as new challenges.

As a fan and a constituent I hope you are up to the challenge of doing your sworn duty.

Governor Dayton if the legislature is too busy to handle all their responsibities, I challenge you to call a special session. If they are too busy to handle their responsibilities then surely they are too busy to go home. Time is over for excuses. This issue has been tabled for a decade now, it needs to be addressed once and for all. There will always be new challenges and new excuses.

As someone wisely once said "Lets Get 'er done!!"

Vikings fans visit the following websites, & follow on twitter for more information & stadium updates:

www.vikings.com & @vikingsfootball on Twitter

@mnmomentum @vikesstadium on Twitter

Additionally to contact your legislators and urge them to support this vital legislation PLEASE visit:

www.savethevikes.org/huddle-up/
(click on act now) & @savethevikesorg on Twitter

SKOL VIKES!!!