Don Mashak's Minnesota 10th Judicial District Free Press

This is Don Mashak's Blog to allow Persons who come before any Judge, Administrator or clerk in the MN 10th Judicial District of Minnesota the opportunity to comment on their experience Good, Bad or Indifferent. Information on MN HR 1632 - Judicial Reform and Accountability, which was formerly found in this blog, can be found by clicking the moneyed Scale of Justice in the top left Column. [County Wright, Sherburne, Anoka, Isanti, Washington, Chisago, Pine, Kanabec]

Monday, July 27, 2009

Consent of the Governed - Obama, Gates, the FBI and the Minneapolis Gang Strike Force

Twin Cites Minnesota Residents were exposed to two different prominent criticisms of law enforcement in the USA in the past 10 days. On the one hand, we have President Obama,who admitted to not having all the facts in the matter of Harvard Professor William Gates. He then referred to the police officers involved in the Professor Harvey Gates Incident as having “acted stupidly” On the other hand, we have the (for now) alleged deplorable corruption of the Metro Gang Strike Force.

To read more about the Professor Harvey Gates Incident try Bob Salsburg’s article, “Black officer at Gates home during arrest said scholar acted strange, supports arrest” at Minneapolis Tribune. If you missed the Metro Gang Strike Force sad fiasco, check out John Tevlin’s biting but patriotic article, “Arrogant gang of a different color should be kept away” at Minneapolis Tribune . Massachusetts residents were also exposed to two different prominent criticisms of law enforcement over a similar time period. The first being the previously mentioned Professor Harvey Gates incident. The Second being Federal Judge William Young’s criticism of the FBI in the Bulger-Flemmi murder case. “US District Judge William G. Young said today during closing arguments in the non-jury trial that "I'm prepared to find there's a massive and widespread coverup going on here.'' It is “alleged that the FBI did nothing to stop the murders of Louis Litif, a bartender and bookmaker; Deborah Hussey, the daughter of a woman who was in a long-time relationship with convicted gangster Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi; and Debra Davis, Flemmi's one-time girlfriend.” [Source Brian Ballou, Boston Globe]

On the Professor Harvey Gates issue, I want to step in to defend law enforcement. On the matters of the Metro Gang Strike Force and the FBI’s mishandling of the Bulger-Flimmi murder case, I want to take law enforcement to task. All you officers listening, regardless of color, let me tell you what you already know – “It would be far more easy to defend you on the Gates matter, without the Strike Force and Bulger-Flemmi Issues compromising my and the Nation’s perception of your overall reputation”. Which brings us to….Syllabus - Can We Have A Frank Discussion of the Issues Here?

In all of these cases, the issue is <Click here to view entire article at Examiner.com>

You can can another discussion of this topic here [NowPublic]

Please also visit other of the author -

Wright County Minnesota Free Press
Towards Zero Tolererance of Breaches of the Public Trust by Elected Officials
Minnesota Judicial Reform and Accountability
Don Mashak's Challenge to US Political Parties!
Minnesota 10th Judicial District Free Press
Minnesota 9thd Judicial District Free Press
Minnesota 8th Judicial District Free Press
Minnesota 7th Judicial District Free Press
Minnesota 5th Judicial District Free Press
Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Free Press
Don Mashak's TEA Party and Lawful Independent Political Dissent
Don Mashak's Political Ponderings

Respectfully,

Don Mashak

The Cynical Patriot

NowPublic

Monday, July 20, 2009

TEA Party Activism! Wright County MN - Massive County Financial Cover up?

As you all will recall, almost 4 weeks ago now I asked the Wright County, MN Auditor Hiivala and my Wright County, MN Commissioner Sawatzke to provide me with the payroll and benefits package for the last 5 years for all of the employees of Wright County. See Write a letter to your City and County! Where's the money?

When I talked to Auditor Hiivala, he told me that I was not alone in my concerns of rapidly rising Property taxes. He specifically told me the story of a 70 year old woman who was retired and living in the home she had lived in for 40 years. Mr. Hiivala told me that the woman had told him and the county board that she being taxed out of her home.

In my case, as of next year my property taxes will have went up cumulatively, $800 to $1000 dollars per year. This represents a virtual doubling of my property taxes in 5 years. At the same time, a few months ago I read and covered a story Moody's Downgrades the County. Moody’s downgraded Municipal bonds as a class, rather than the normal practice of grading individual local government entities. They cited their reason as being overspending and a hollowing out of the revenue core. Essentially Moody’s is the Credit Bureau for Government entities below the state level. These 2 things led me to get personally involved in discovering where my property tax money is going.

2 weeks ago I advised all of the Wright County Commissioners that I had not received the information I requested. I asked to be put on the Country Board meeting agenda for July 14th, 2009. When I showed up at the meeting, I still was not on the agenda. As the meeting came to a close, I interrupted and stated that I had asked to be on the agenda.

I was given some run around about how they mailed the letter to my home, rather than my PO Box where they have mailed my tax statements for the last almost 10 years. They told me I could get that letter from assistant County attorney Brian Asleson after the meeting. Before I left the meeting, I insisted that I be on the next Board Meeting Agenda. I went up to the County attorney’s office to pick up the letter and information. I was informed that he could not be found and no one knew where the letter was. (With consideration, he is just following ELECTED County Attorney Tom Kelly’s instructions as most elected officials use plausible deniability to avoid being linked to questionable issues and practices which might create re-electability issues)

Hours later, Mr. Asleson called my phone and told me he had some bundled of information that I could have for about $20.00. However, he said it did not include various information like job descriptions and job titles. He pretended to be helpful and said he could produce more complete records with at least the job title, etc. He said he would re-mail the letter that day.

Since that day, Mr. Asleson has not returned my calls nor been available to be seen in person. In a coordinated effort to prevent me from raising this issue at the next County Board meeting, the letter allegedly sent July 1st, promised to me after the meeting July 14th, arrived July 16th. it requested a down payment of $250.00 before I could have all the information i wanted.

On Wednesday, July 15th, County Administrator Dick Norman sent me an email telling me that I had not said “Simon Says, I want to be on the agenda for the next County Board Meeting". That email proposed a set of hoops I had to jump through. Unfortunately, not expecting any important emails on my personal email, I did not read the email until Mr. Norman’s deadline had passed. Mr Dick Norman was informed of my desire at about 330p a half hour past his duplicitous deadline. As i remained seated and calm in the reception area, Mr. Norman started wagging his finger at me and smirking. At some point i felt Mr. Norman was so arrogant, I had to remind him he was a Public Servant, not an aristocrat. Is it not enough that I, a resident, say at the previous meeting that I want to be on the agenda for the next meeting to address the failure to provide the information I previously requested?

I believe it to be obvious to all Wright County Citizens that the County Board has something to hide. PLEASE GATHER BAIL MONEY FOR ME, BECAUSE I INTEND TO BE HEARD TOMORROW MORNING, July 21st, 2009 AT OR ABOUT 9AM. I WILL BE AT THE BOARD MEETING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY PUT ME ON THE AGENDA OR NOT! WE THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS OF WRIGHT COUNTY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE OUR TAX MONEY IS GOING! If not me, who?; If not now, when?

I believe that keeping Wright County Residents in their own homes should be the priority. I believe the ELECTED Wright County Board has failed to protect us Citizens from excess spending. I believe they are hiding this information from us because it will evidence the betrayal. Where do they think I am going to get the extra 1000 dollars per year from? Where do they think any of us are going to get the money for these increased property taxes from?"

Please read the rest of the article by clicking here -> Examiner.com

Thank you for reading!

Respectfully Submitted

Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Call to Government Action - Buyer Title & Trade-in Payoff Issues caused by closed Car Dealerships

"In this terrible economy and age of abandoned ethics and economic betrayal on a Grand Scale (Petters / Madoff / Enron / Federal Reserve Bank), many honest, hardworking Citizens have been injured with no real legal redress left to make them whole.

However, there is a class of innocent victims that could quickly be made whole if the Minnesota Judiciary temporarily implemented a streamlined process to correct the titling and licensing problems resulting from insolvent or closed Car Dealerships. (Some victims have indicated that attorneys have told them it would run them from 500 to 3000 dollars in court filing and legal fees to fix their title problems.) You can read a related article of mine by clicking here-> Car Buyer in the Ordinary Course of Business

And another class of innocent victims could be relieved using stimulus money which, at the same time, would protect our local banks...These Minnesota Citizens and Voters should not be punished for making purchases in these difficult economic times, especially when the Government was pleading for citizens to make purchases to stimulate the economy.Please find following a letter I have written to my Minnesota Governor and Supreme Court Chief Justice.I think this letter expresses the issue in terms everyone can understand (And can be a template for other Citizens to use to write their elected officials on this and any other issues they have on their minds.)

I have not heard from either the Minnesota Governor nor the Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Judge as I go to Publish this story."

Source - On to the Letter...... Examiner

Respectfully,

Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot

NowPublic

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

TEA Party Activism - Write your County/City: Where's the Money?

It was suggested to me by a public servant that the run away cost are due in part, to rapidly increasing payroll and related benefits package expenses increases. With that, i wrote a letter to my Country Board Member and the County Auditor. At first they seemed to cooperate stated they needed time to compile the numbers.

For the Past week they have not returned my once per day phone calls. Apparently they have something to hide. Given the Downgrade by Moody's, it appears to me that they have brought local government to the brink of bankruptcy. It appears that this financial decline is related, at least in part, to our elected officials runaway spending on payroll and benefits packages.

I have attached my last to emails (in reverse chronological order) so that you might have an idea of the questions that I asked them. You can find the specific information I requested and learn about the stalling I have encountered within these emails.

It would appear that our taxes are being raised in large part to pay increased salaries and benefits package expenses. I would suggest that an easy course of action to let your elected officials know you are paying attention and are sick and tired of increasing property taxes is to write them a letter or send them and email. (If you live in Wright County MN, all of your Country Board Members email addresses can be found in the attached email thread)

I am providing a generic template of a letter for you to send your Country Board and/or City Hall representatives is attached at the end of this article.

Remember to keep asking yourself.... "If not me, who? If not Now, When?"

Please take the time to write your elected city and county officials.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak

The Cynical Patriot

-------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----

From: dmashak@aol.com To: bob.hiivala@co.wright.mn.us; patrick.sawatzke@co.wright.mn.us

Cc: Rose.Thelen@co.wright.mn.us; jack.russek@co.wright.mn.us; elmer.eichelberg@co.wright.mn.us; dick.mattson@co.wright.mn.us
Sent: Tue, Jul 7, 2009 1:08 pm
Subject: Fwd: Request for Information sent 2 weeks ago.

Hello County Auditor Hiivala and County Board Member Sawatzke

I wrote to both of you 2 weeks ago requesting the information per the attached copy of the previous email I sent you. Apparently, Wright County has something to hide. Mr Sawatzke has yet to contact me and Mr. Hiivala has not returned my calls for a week or more.

The rapid rise in my property taxes,...."

Source : Examiner.com

Please click on the source to read the rest of the article.

Please write your own county and/or city and ask them, "Where's the Money"

I have provided a template of a letter/email for you below.

You have the right to know.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot
---------------------------------------------------------
Cut and paste the below template into your word processor or your email program ---------------

Date (if letter)

Email address or address

Your Email address or address

Subject: Request for Information

Hello:

My property taxes, and the property taxes of other residents, have increased greatly in the past 3 - 5 years.

I cannot afford these increased taxes, especially at a time when property values are declining.

Please quantify how much my taxes have went up on my property for the last 3 to five years respectively.

Please identify how much my taxes will go up next year.

With that in mind, I am thinking we need to start making cuts, to reduce my property

tax load and the tax load of other property owners by similar amounts. Please
provide me with the following information.

A list of all personnel that work for our County[city], including Title, job duties, payroll, and benefits packages for the past 5 years formatted from highest to lowest salary/benefit package. (delete all private information)

Please provide in that list a calculation for each position of compensation and benefits package divided by the number of:
1) residents of our County[city];
2) Taxable Parcels in our County[city]; 3) Taxable acres in our County[city];

Then, at the bottom of each year, a aggregate total of payroll and compensation package divided by:
1) residents of our County[city],
2) Taxable Parcels in County[city],
3) Taxable acres in our County[city].

Please then also provide what the comparable position in the private sector would pay.

Please provide a list of things we could cut to save 10% in the next year and 10% in
the following year, reflecting the severe down turn in the economy.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Your name
Resident, Taxpayer and Voter

NowPublic

Monday, July 27, 2009

Consent of the Governed - Obama, Gates, the FBI and the Minneapolis Gang Strike Force

Monday, July 20, 2009

TEA Party Activism! Wright County MN - Massive County Financial Cover up?

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Call to Government Action - Buyer Title & Trade-in Payoff Issues caused by closed Car Dealerships

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

TEA Party Activism - Write your County/City: Where's the Money?

Municipal Debt caused by excessive payroll and benefits packages