A host of awards will be handed out to politicians, officials and lobbyists Tuesday at the St. Paul Hotel, when the 2011 Leaders in Public Policy winners are honored. The awards are given by Politics in Minnesota and Capitol Report publications.

The Minnesota Vikings are touting the award to Lester Bagley, the team’s vice president of public affairs and stadium development, who’s getting one of the Public Policy Achievement Awards.

The Vikings website says Bagley “led the organization to its biggest off-the-field victory when he helped secure financing for a new publicly-owned and operated stadium for the State of Minnesota and the Vikings.”

Interesting that they use the word “victory, ” which implies that the Vikings defeated someone, and there are many who think the team out-negotiated the Legislature in securing public financing for more than half of the $975 million stadium to be built in downtown Minneapolis.

The team quotes state Sen. Julie Rosen, a Republican from Fairmount, who sponsored the bill for the team:

“This legislation would not have passed without Lester’s leadership and perseverance. It was an honor to work with Lester and his team.”

Rosen, too, gets a Public Policy Achievement award today.

The full list of those getting awards:

  • LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia.
  • BUSINESS: Rep. Dan Fabian, R-Roseau, Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, and Jeff Smith, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, for reforms in environmental permitting.
  • LABOR: Shar Knutson, president, Minnesota AFL-CIO; Harry Melander, president, Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council.
  • ONE TO WATCH: Reps. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, and Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, and Sen. Ted Lillie, R-Woodbury.
  • TOP LEGISLATIVE STAFFER: Chas Anderson, executive director, House GOP caucus; Holly Iverson and Christine Kiel, House GOP caucus Health and Human Services.
  • UNSUNG HERO: Sarah Walker, Minnesota Second Chance Coalition; Jennifer Engh.
  • PUBLIC POLICY ACHIEVEMENT (Health): David Brown, Hennepin County, and Iris Freeman, Center for Elderly Justice and Policy.
  • PUBLIC POLICY ACHIEVEMENT (Transportation): Coalition for the St. Croix River Crossing.
  • PUBLIC POLICY ACHIEVEMENT (Sports): Lester Bagley, Minnesota Vikings; Sen.Julie Rosen, R-Fairmount; Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead; and Gov. Mark Dayton.

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2 Comments

  1. Explain something to me, please.

    How is using the government to forcibly compel citizens, under threat of fine and imprisonment, to give their money build a stadium for a private business – an “achievement”?

  2. Bad policy

    Doesn’t it matter that it was bad policy the guy got implemented?

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