Capitol Hilarity!
Legislators Laugh at Michele Bachmann:
At the House Transportation Finance Committee hearing on Thursday, April 14th, Rep. Vanderveer testified for Bachmann's amendment that would make it a misdemeanor to not buy a ticket on the Hiawatha Light Rail.
As part of his testimony he showed a video about the evils of not paying a
fare. Since only audio is available at the House site, I don't know what's
in the film. I've heard it's real amateur... like the Blair Witch Project...
shaky handheld videography. The audio has the soundtrack from Star Wars and
the song "Free Ride" by Bachmann Turner Overdrive.
After the movie one representative asks if he saw Michele Bachmann "lurking
behind those white dots?" ( laughter ) Someone points out Bachmann is
sitting in the audience ( more laughter ).
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/audio/archivescomm.asp?comm=26&ls_year=8
Here are the anti-transit bills discussed in the audio:
HF2057-Vandeveer) Metropolitan Council; Hiawatha light rail transit line fare
collection system installation required.
HF1818- Olson) Transportation providers not receiving subsidies exempted from
various taxes, transit bus restriction on use of freeway and expressway shoulders
eliminated, and Metropolitan Council required to allow transit providers to
use its bus stops.
HF1174 - Olson) Personal rapid transit local bonding authorized.
HF1173 - Olson) Public personal rapid transit systems exempted from certain
taxes.
Olson starts 2 hours and 41 minutes into the audio with the PRT bills. Ed
Cain speaks at about 2 hrs, 44 min. He's the lobbyist for Taxi 2000 ( and
SEH, the highway engineers for the 35W Excess Project) Cain talks about Dubai
asking for PRT (Dubai is actually investing 3 billion in an LRT system )
Vanderveer starts 3 hours and 22 minutes into the audio with Bachmann's LRT fare collection bill.