WM: Actually, it's the state that denies Johnson's a lobbyist. He is not registered with the state as a lobbyist. Were he working as a lobbyist, he would have been required to register.
Did you catch the Southwest Journal not so long ago where it stated that Tom Johnson did lobbying in Washington for MNDoT? Have you ever heard Tom specifically deny that he has worked as a lobbyist? Only you and Wizard Marks have denied Tom's status as a lobbyist.
This status is germane, because it makes it clear what is going on here - the reason, no doubt, that Tom doesn't want to address it.WM: Johnson's status is employee of Smith Parker assigned to the Phillips Partnership. It's the job the person is doing here and now that's germane, not a job he once had. I believe that making the false connection is called an ad hominem circumstantial logical fallacy.
There's been a lot of effort expended on this list trying to make a conspiracy theory out of a transportation project. Further effort has been expended in attempts to blacken people's reputations. As any trial lawyer can tell you, when you can't argue the facts, use innuendo and other theatrical tricks to cast aspersions on the opposition.
The one I spotted yesterday was that "a small minority of people want the access project." An assumption. Nine neighborhoods were involved, seven voted for the access project and sent their representative to the PAC to vote their affirmation. Since the original plan, Lake St. at the Crossroads, was voted in either 1996 or 1997, the opposition has had several years to impact the project. And it has impacted the project.
David Piehl, who said he's a Stride member just yesterday for example, was the one who suggested moving the ramps to 38th St. from 35th and 36th. Huge impact on the shape of the project and on the cost of the project as a representative, at the time, of Central neighborhood.
According to the architects at a PAC meeting last week, the architects met with Piehl within the last month to show him the drawings for the corner of 31st. St. and Second Av. and see whether he approved of them.
In November of 2002, the PAC voted to accept the preliminary plan for 35W access as it now stands. That vote is the marker that the first phase of the access project is finished.
On Tuesday of last week, Ken Avidor presented himself to the March 03 PAC meeting as representing STRIDE with a list of suggestions, saying "nothing was set in stone, everything is on the table." (Referring to the Phase I plan. The effrontery shown by coming into a county appointed/neighborhood recommended body to assert that the work they had spent 4 years completing was "on the table" to be picked apart and redone (presumably by STRIDE members) was spectacular.
This is a state/federal/county/city infrastructure project which has evolved and solidified through a long, elaborate process of study, debate, and public input with the greatest amount of input from those most impacted by the project. The project has documented that. The project also documented the community commentary at each of its open houses and during the meeting process.
I'm personally offended by STRIDE, Piehl, Avidor, their group of fifty or 100 people, and Councilmen Zimmerman, Shiff, and Lilligren. Zimmerman and Schiff had several years, while running for office and before to make their opinions known and impact the process. Lilligren sat on the PAC for four years and voted with the group on virtually everything but the final outcome. Piehl was plugged in to the process and walked away.
From the day the PAC appointed its chair a small group, which, after 4 years has gone through about three name changes, has been saying that citizens who served on the PAC for 4 years (and were paid zero to do so) were dupes of MNDOT. That "even if they are honest" people, they're dupes. These same people were also saying they "didn't have time" to be on the PAC. A whole group of people made it their business to have time for those meetings and work through all the 25 or so design options to finally select the current Phase I plan.
I wasn't willing to sit through those 4 years of meetings either, but I was willing to defer to the judgment of my neighbors who were willing to do this work. Everyone else in the 9 neighborhoods, householder or business, had the same opportunity to be there. IMHO, you don't get to Monday morning quarterback what you blew out your ear for the last several years.
WizardMarks, Central
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