The blizzard is coming!

Yes indeed, it looks like it will be a white Christmas in Minnesota. For many people, the snow, to be enjoyed from the comfort of their homes, is good news. For others, it means travel delays, last minute hassles and missed parties. And for others still, it means that one relative who may overstay his welcome just a bit too long.

But, before the rolling of eyes begins as Aunt Alice asks your single sister for the fifth time if there are any new men in her life or drills your cousin on why a married, 30-year-old man doesn’t have children yet, just remember–we’re all in this together.

Whether it’s the snowstorm that’s bearing down on the Midwest or the recession that’s crippled so many Minnesota families, it’s a community affair.

When the streets don’t get plowed because of state budget cuts and employment numbers don’t rally because the state economy is still struggling, I encourage people to remember that we’re better at getting through these times when we work together. If the individualist spirit represents America, then community ideals represent Minnesota.

Through the years, our state has excelled at implementing policies and establishing programs that benefit the whole, while at the same time encouraging individual growth and advancement. Be it well-funded education, an inclusive state-run health care program or revenue sharing between the state and cities,  we know that what benefits the state as a whole benefits us all in the long run.

Unfortunately, we’re drifting away from the ideals that have historically put us well ahead of other states. I for one think it’s time to reevaluate our priorities.

So, when you’re stuck at Uncle Bill’s house one night too long or you’re sitting at the airport hoping to board that plane, remember you’re not the only one dealing with tough times. Offer someone a smile or a seat, sit a few minutes longer to hear Grandpa’s story, or shovel the sidewalk for Dad. This will get us through the storm.

As for the health of our state, well…we’ve got a long way to go. But it’s the holidays so I like to think there are new opportunities on the horizon and maybe, just maybe, next year will be better if we work to solve our problems in a way that benefits all Minnesotans.

Happy holidays everyone.

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While many of us are happily dreaming of a white Christmas — up to 20 inches of snow predicted across Minnesota over the next few days — for the people who keep our pavement clear it’s more of a nightmare. It won’t be much of a holiday for hundreds of plow drivers plying streets, highways and airport runways. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport even has bunk beds ready for crews to catch a bit of sleep between plowing runs.

The burden of necessary snow removal falls on the public, too. Some public agencies will pay as much as double-time-and-a-half for Christmas Day duty. An average snow emergency costs Minneapolis and St. Paul alone a combined $1 million, with holiday overtime typically adding another $500,000. And St. Paul has already exhausted its budget for four snow emergencies in calendar 2009, although despite continued state cuts, officials there promise to find the resources to do the job regardless.

Mobility can’t wait for the regular workweek to resume, even though snow removal budgets have been cut across Minnesota in the face of declining state aid. Ordinary people can help ease the fiscal squeeze by obeying snow emergency parking rules — usually available on city web sites — and reminding out-of-town visitors to keep their cars out of the way of the plows, too. If not, you will get towed, even on Christmas Day.

The National Weather Service is discouraging all travel during the storm except in an emergency. “If you must,” the weather service says, “keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle.” Extra care behind the wheel is in order as well, as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials reminds us in this fun video clip.

So, have a merry, white Christmas, but don’t hurry down the highway tonight.

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At this writing, a winter snowstorm is bearing down on the Twin Cities and large areas of southern Minnesota are under a blizzard warning.

Such weather forecasts are never welcome except by the smaller number of people and industries that actually cater to snow and snow removal. The economic costs for most others, however, can be a real hardship.

That is the case this year. The Minnesota office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday that only 87 percent of this year’s huge corn crop has been harvested. Slow maturing plants from a cooler than normal growing season and wet fields this fall have prevented normal fieldwork, and high moisture in corn intended for storage has had other farmers hold back on combining.

This has consequences for Minnesota’s economy and especially the rural economy. Blizzard conditions will damage corn still standing in fields and make harvesting difficult if not impossible before next spring. Field losses translate into farm income losses, and that spills over on rural economic losses for merchants and everyone else.

How much is at stake? That’s never possible to say before the fact, but look at it this way. The Minnesota corn crop was valued at nearly $4.7 billion last year. Corn prices have been lower this year and the crop’s value probably would reach $3 billion – if harvested.

That means the approaching storm is a $300 million or greater threat to the rural Minnesota economy just on the corn crop alone – before local governments clear roads and job hours and retail sales are lost. What’s more,. there are still soybean and sunflower crops left in wet fields, and western Minnesota farmers still have sugar beets to lift from muck and snow.

We had a nice November. We just needed more of it well into December.

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When the first major snow storm of the winter is about to hit, we Minnesotans expectedly make a big deal out of it. Why wouldn’t we? We love snow.  However, we also like our streets to be plowed in short order. That may not be the case this year. In the last 12 months, the Governor has slashed revenue to communities by $416 million, with more expected this week.  To keep property taxes at a somewhat reasonable level, cities are reducing services, including snow removal.

Have Governor Pawlenty’s cuts been too hard on Minnesota communities?

Share your thoughts below.

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• Scary news from the St. Cloud Times as central Minnesota jobseekers to job openings: 6-to-1. Last week we had numbers on the metro area.

• MPR has Tax talk heating up at the state Capitol.

• Kudos to General Mills ranking 2nd on corporate responsibility list. (MinnPost)

• KARE 11 has the story on a ‘Trail’ of controversy pitting cyclists against Edina homeowners.

• The Bemidji Pioneer reports the House Finance Committee flunked early school start proposal.

• The State tax mix became more regressive in ’06. (AP via KSTP)

• Mankato Schools look to reorganize spending. (Mankato Free Press)

• As the snow threat looms today MPR looks at Two cities with two sets of rules for clearing snow.

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