CheckBeck

Today (06/08/240 The Star Tribune Publushed My Opinion Comments Regarding Local Government. Here's the text, and a screenshot.

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**Refocus on your actual job**

As a former Hopkins City Council member, I am compelled to address the increasing divisiveness in our local politics (“Local politics more testy as rancor grows,” June 6). Despite being labeled as nonpartisan, these elections are anything but. Candidates often receive “resolutions of support” or similar endorsements that grant them access to a party’s information database, enabling them to strategically target likely voters. This undermines the spirit of nonpartisanship and distorts the electoral process.

Local government should focus on serving the community by ensuring public safety, promoting education and maintaining infrastructure. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. We now see local councils and boards passing resolutions on international military actions or in support of specific cultural groups. If these resolutions are not passed, the backlash from the affected groups can result in lost votes, further politicizing local governance.

We must remember that local government exists to serve the community by ensuring public safety, promoting education and maintaining infrastructure. It is not a platform for grandstanding on national or international issues. To restore civility and effectiveness in our local politics, we need to refocus on these core responsibilities.

**ALAN BECK, Hopkins**

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It's truly incredulous that such a practice was ever allowed to persist! In our state the government retained excess funds from tax sales.

Let me break it down: Imagine you owe back taxes on a property—certainly not an ideal situation, but it can happen. For instance, if your property was valued at $100,000 and your overdue taxes amounted to $25,000, the county in Minnesota, would auction your property (let's say for $100,000), settle the $25,000 tax debt, and then, shockingly, retain the remaining $75,000 of your equity, distributing it among the county, school district, and state, all in accordance with state law.

This flagrant injustice was challenged in a Minnesota case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in a unanimous 9-0 ruling declaring it unconstitutional. 9-0!

I can not beleive our elected state leaders allowed this for so many years and did nothing until the US Supreme Court said they needed to change.

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2023/sep/surplus-from-homes-tax-forfeiture-sale-must-be-returned-to-owner-supreme-court-holds.html #:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20held%20that,Clause%20of%20the%20Fifth%20Amendment.

Surplus from home's tax forfeiture sale must be returned to owner, Supreme Court holds A Minnesota county's retention of proceeds above the real property tax debt violated the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause.

Wondering where to vote? Checkout this link

Where To Vote | Hopkins, MN The City of Hopkins is divided into 6 precincts. You must vote at the polling place for your precinct on election day.

If you require transportation to the polls and you're within a reasonable distance, please feel free to reach out. I'll gladly assess what constitutes 'within a reasonable distance.' To clarify, 'within a reasonable distance' does not encompass locations as distant as Orlando, Florida, for instance.

LEGO Alan needed a quicker way to fly around Hopkins, so he stopped in at kiddywampus and picked up one of these! The mechanics are building this as we speak and we should be flying tomorrow! Creative problem solving - that's what Lego Alan and Real Alan do! Re-Elect Alan Beck for Hopkins City Council. Alan Beck