Good for Robert on this one. He's finally standing up and being counted, and acting like the person who ran for office that I supported strongly.Read the entire Strib coverage of last night's 35W Access Project "Open House":http://startribune.com/stories/462/3433190.html
from the strib article:
Lilligren also alleged that pressure had been exerted to serve corporate interests such as Abbott Northwestern Hospital, which initiated the traffic studies in 1997, Honeywell, and later Wells Fargo, which bought Honeywell's Phillips neighborhood complex.
He said that at one meeting this year, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin urged officials to support the project, saying there had been a "handshake deal," an obligation to corporations to make the project happen.
McLaughlin, who spoke at Thursday's meeting after Lilligren, didn't directly respond. But he said afterward that Lilligren keeps changing his account of what McLaughlin told him and "is just making the stuff up."
EY: Well lots of folks have similar accounts about this as Robert. The question is: who is more credible -- Robert Lilligren or Peter McLaughlin?
The article continues:
Lilligren also alleged that Mayor R.T. Rybak and Council President Paul Ostrow pressed him to sign a letter seeking state funding for the project when they attended a Virginia emergency preparedness meeting early this year. He said he was told that several council members wouldn't sign unless he did.
Lilligren said that when he refused, Rybak told him "commitments were made," and Lilligren replied, "Not by me."
EY: I would be interested to hear Mayor Rybak specifically address the "commitments were made" discussion.
Rybak called Lilligren's allegation of pressure ludicrous. He added, "For many months I've been trying to get a sense of where Robert is at on this very complicated project. When he's backed into a corner, he tends to make comments that don't have a lot of root in reality, so I'm not sure what he's talking about."
Said Ostrow: "I did not pressure him."
EY: Well that could be -- but perhaps Lilligren and Ostrow have a different definition of pressure.
More on He Said, He Said with Peter McLaughlin in the Spokesman article.....Also the second part of the Spokesman-Recorder's series on the Access Project: http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=18645&sID=4 **********
McGreevy, who says that more than half of his clients are low-income people on Medical Assistance, also tells of an experience with Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. He recounts a July 2001 meeting at which McLaughlin was present: "During the meeting at St. Mary's, Commissioner McLaughlin stated that he had told Wells Fargo that if they were to acquire the Honeywell campus he would try to get them access. McLaughlin said 'How would the county look to other businesses looking to come into our area if we can't deliver on this?'
"My perspective of the project and motivation for the same changed at that meeting," McGreevy says. "I believe that the primary reason for the project is not as McLaughlin had said at our first PAC (Project Advisory Committee) meeting. The primary reason for the project is access to big businesses."
In rebuttal, McLaughlin says, "I have never made the statement attributed to me...nor anything resembling it... I have made no deals and do not apologize in any way for exploring the potential for better access to and from South Minneapolis for residents and workers. To suggest that I then got Wells Fargo to make a multi-million dollar purchase based on an access ramp is absurd. I wish I had that much influence over private capital investments."
EY: Ofcourse McLaughlin keeps on denying, but more and more people are coming forward with this one. McLaughlin certainly is capable of making deals at the expense of his constituents.
I'll be at the Saturday meeting. I think the Spokesman article put it very well -- is this a 35W Access Project -- or is it a 35W Expansion Project?There's one last "Open House" Saturday November 16 - Fifth Precinct - 3101 Nicollet Avenue -10:00 a.m. to noon This is probably the last time the taxpayers of Minneapolis can get an idea of what an expensive, ill-conceived boondoggle this Access Project is. Ask lots of questions...if you think you're getting evasive answers, keep asking questions. This is your money they want to spend. The impression I got at the meeting last night was that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg as far as what this project will cost. Ken Avidor http://www.stride-mn.org Kingfield .....
What's the problem with adding a northbound on ramp from Lake Street, and a Southbound offramp to Lake Street -- and moving the 35/36 street ramps to 38th. Forget the flyover and the HOV lane?
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
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