FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2010

Contact:

Craig Westover, Communications Director
Pat Anderson for State Auditor
612.309.1492
craigw@PatAndersonForAuditor.com

Former State Auditor Pat Anderson Defends Minneapolis Suit to Recover Pension Funds Overcharges

Anderson notes irony of DFL “eating their own” over DFL policy

St. Paul – In commenting on the controversy stirred up by campaign literature criticizing Mayor R.T. Rybak’s role in a lawsuit brought by the City of Minneapolis against the Minneapolis Police and Firefighters pension funds, former State Auditor Pat Anderson, a Republican and current candidate for State Auditor, supported the DFL mayor’s actions and noted the irony of the DFL “eating their own” over DFL policy.

In support of the actions of Mayor Rybak and the City of Minneapolis, Anderson said:

“Right and wrong is not a partisan issue. While politically I disagree with Mayor Rybak on many fronts, as the State Auditor whose staff uncovered irregularities in the pension funds, I believe the City of Minneapolis acted in accordance with the law and its fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Minneapolis in pursuing reimbursement from the pension funds for excessive charges made to the city.”

By state statute, annual pension payments under these plans are tied to the current salary levels being paid to top-grade police officers and firefighters currently employed by the City of Minneapolis, including benefits like vacation, sick leave and overtime pay. Anderson’s office concluded that the funds in question overestimated the salary levels of current police officers and firefighters, which resulted in approximately $50 million in overcharges to the City.

“Based on my office’s recommendations, the city attempted to resolve the discrepancies with the pension funds,” said Anderson. “When that effort failed, the city properly took legal action to recover the overcharged amount. I testified on behalf of the city. This past November, the court ruled in favor of the city, ordering the funds to pay back $10 million of overcharges and to reduce their claims going forward. This resulted in the pension reductions described in the letter sent to DFL activists.”

The controversy, says Anderson, shows what happens when union influence on the legislature is so strong that union desires are formulated as state statute and removed from local control. By statute the boards of directors of these funds are controlled by retirees for retirees with no taxpayer checks and balances. The city, which is responsible to fund the pensions, has virtually no control or input into the management of the funds.

“This is a prime example of the state usurping local control and local accountability while imposing costs on a local unit of government,” said Anderson.

“The irony,” says Anderson, “is the DFL Mayor is being attacked by some anonymous DFL source (using an allegedly illegally obtained DFL delegate list) for trying to correct a situation caused by DFL policy supported by unions – traditionally a DFL interest-group — because an active Republican State Auditor stood up for the taxpayers of Minneapolis.”

“That fact that Democrats are eating their own over the problems of the union-run Police and Firefighter’s pension funds is what necessarily happens when the DFL practices interest-group politics instead of making policy on sound economic principle,” says Anderson. “Ultimately, the State Auditor is the last line of defense for local taxpayers when the Legislature usurps local authority. The relationship between the state and local units of government must be changed, and I will use the influence of the State Auditor’s office to push for necessary reforms.”

The anti-Rybak literature marks the second time in recent weeks that Democrats have dined on their own kind over policy issues of their own making. DFL Speaker of the House and candidate for governor Margaret Kelliher was recently fined for violating campaign finance laws, drawing the ire of her DFL rivals for DFL endorsement.

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Prepared and Paid for by Pat Anderson for Auditor 5 Apple Orchard Court Dellwood MN 55110 Doug Anderson, Treasurer

By Pat Anderson

St. Paul Pioneer Press, Jan. 23, 2010

When I terminated my campaign for governor to enter the race for state auditor, it stirred up a lot of talk about whether or not Sen. Norm Coleman would throw his hat in the ring for governor. A week ago, Sen. Coleman made it clear now is not the time for him to make another run at public office.

As a former mayor, I concur with the Pioneer Press editorial asserting that it is Sen. Coleman’s executive experience in government, not his reputation as a “moderate,” that would have made him a formidable candidate in the governor’s race. Addressing the reality of the state’s structural budget deficit and a level of government intervention that is no longer sustainable requires a big-picture executive perspective.

However, the real insight of the Pioneer Press editorial, “Moderation has it limits,” is the observation that it “defies reality” to think that “We’ll be fine if we just cut a little more and tax a little more, so we need a ‘moderate’ governor who’s willing to do both.” These times do not call for moderation. They call for “radical thinking, leadership and action” opines the Pioneer Press.

Unfortunately, that line of reasoning is rare. Moderates of either political party, in defiance of reality, are conventionally regarded as somehow more acceptable and electable than their more ideological peers. I disagree with that view. Further, I argue that only a fiscally conservative governor who understands and creates policy based on clear economic principles can achieve the reforms necessary to keep Minnesota competitive and prosperous in the 21st century and preserve our vaunted and valued quality of life.

The Republican candidate for governor must have both the wisdom to redefine the role of government based on constitutional obligations and essential services and the courage to step outside the ideological box and recognize Minnesotans are worried and their concerns are real. He must think and act consistent with economic principle and form coalitions with like-thinking, not necessarily like-labeled legislators. He must be about reducing the scope of government, not just the size of government, and about reducing the total tax burden on Minnesotans, not just reducing discrete taxes.

While I am a candidate for state auditor, not governor, I remain a fiscal conservative and a Minnesotan with a lot at stake in the governor’s race. Minnesota’s current progressive high tax/high service model of government has morphed into a state of ever increasing demands for public services producing huge budget deficits — the result of consistently compromising economic principle to an unrealistic imposition of “fairness” and an antiquated tax system.

Before the new governor can reduce taxes, he must address the structural problems of the state’s tax system. He must move Minnesota away from job-killing corporate and personal income taxes toward a low-rate, broad-based sales tax. He must have the courage to be open and honest with Minnesotans about what he is doing and the knowledge to make his case not with sound bites but with sound economics.

The war we are currently waging between “tax the rich” and “no new taxes” is a political quagmire and our state’s prosperity is collateral damage. Keeping Minnesota prosperous requires a new strategy that charts a course based on economic principle and limited constitutional government – and only a limited-government, fiscally conservative governor at the helm can steer that course.

Minnesota needs serious tax reform and a serious redefinition of the role of government at both the state and local level. That means eliminating inefficient taxes in favor of a more efficient tax system. It means eliminating services that are outside government’s constitutional responsibilities but expanding (albeit effectively and efficiently) government in areas where it is not meeting those constitutional obligations. Minnesotans will not trust a liberal or a moderate to carry out those necessary reforms.

As the saying goes, “only Nixon could go to China,” and only a conservative governor can credibly apply economic and constitutional principle, free of ideology, to the kitchen table concerns of Minnesotans. Only a forceful and uncompromising fiscally conservative governor can break ideological gridlock and end the long-standing and unproductive “tax the rich/no new taxes” debate. Only a fiscal conservative with unimpeachable credibility can bring left and right together without compromising principle.

None of the liberal, moderate or “suspect” conservatives in the race can be that guy. A reform-minded conservative who can apply principles to problems must emerge from the GOP field. The future of Minnesota hangs in the balance.

Pat Anderson, former mayor of Eagan, Minnesota state auditor and state commissioner of employee relations, is currently a candidate for the Republican nomination for state auditor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 21, 2010

Contact:

Craig Westover, Communications Director
Pat Anderson for State Auditor
612.309.1492
craigw@PatAndersonForAuditor.com

Pat Anderson’s Campaign for State Auditor Gaining Support

Grassroots and GOP Party Leadership Quick to Support Anderson’s Campaign

St. Paul – Just a week into her campaign for State Auditor, Pat Anderson has secured the support of most of the Republican Party of Minnesota’s executive committee members. Along with leadership support, Anderson’s campaign has garnered significant grassroots support. The campaign has contacted about half the current delegates and top alternates to the GOP State Convention and approximately 80% have already committed to supporting Pat for State Auditor. Pat and her team expect to contact the remaining delegates before precinct caucuses.

“I am incredibly thankful for the strong support given by party activists for my Auditor campaign. It shows I served a very successful term as State Auditor, and activists recognize I can win this seat back,” said Anderson. “The outpouring of support has surpassed my expectations.”

Noting that there are three other candidates seeking the GOP nomination, Anderson said she is not taking the nomination for granted and is keeping BPOU visits she scheduled as part of her gubernatorial run.

“It’s important that Republicans put forth strong candidates and sound policy proposals for all the constitutional races,” said Anderson. “The grassroots and the leadership of the Republican Party understand this, and I am grateful for their support of my run for State Auditor.”

Party leaders already backing Anderson’s campaign include:

National Committeewoman Evie Axdahl
National Committeeman Brian Sullivan
Frm. National Committeeman Jack Meeks

CD1 Chair Steve Perkins
CD1 State Vice Chair Duane Quam
CD2 Chair Bonn Clayton
CD4 Chair Bev Aplikowski
CD4 State Vice Chair Bill Jungbauer
CD5 Chair Carleton Crawford
CD5 Vice Chair Adam Weigold
CD6 Chair Dave FitzSimmons
CD6 State Vice Chair Scott Andersen
CD7 State Vice Chair Doug Lindgren
CD8 Chair Ted Lovdahl
CD8 State Vice Chair Kurt Daudt

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Prepared and Paid for by Pat Anderson for Auditor 5 Apple Orchard Court Dellwood MN 55110 Doug Anderson, Treasurer