Volume 23 • Issue 5June 2006www.citizensleague.net

I NSI DE

Connections

Viewpoint:Democracy’s operating system is inneed of an upgrade

The results are in:MAP 150 surveyfinds common ground

Facts Unfiltered:Instant Runoff Voting

What computergames could teach usif we let them

Perspectives: TwinCities Daily Planetopens a new chapteron community journalism

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A Pub l i c Po l i c y M ont h l y f r om t he Ci t i z e ns Le a gue

When it comes tomanaging freewaycongestion, there isno silver bullet. Transit,carpooling, and moreroad capacity are allneeded to accommodateour region's fast-growingeconomy.

But we do need toexpand freeways in com-ing years, and when wedo, we need to make surethese enormously expen-sive public assets are usedas efficiently as possible.

So what does an effi-cient freeway look like?First, it includes a lane that guarantees less congestedconditions to high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs), such astransit and carpools. Creating an incentive for HOVuse improves freeway through-put on a traveler-per-lane-mile basis.

While HOV lanes should be included on freewayexpansions, until HOV lanes are used to their fulladvantage, they can be problematic. An HOV lanewith excess capacity is inefficient and often becomesa political target. Therefore, for years traffic engineershave looked for a way to fill underused HOV laneswithout clogging them to the point of congestion.

We have found the solution to that vexing problemin Minnesota and it's called MnPASS. With MnPASS,single-occupancy vehicle (SOVs) users are given theoption of using the HOV lane for a price. The tolls arecollected at full speed via electronic devices calledtransponders. The price of the lane changes continuallydepending on the level of traffic congestion in thelane. This “dynamic pricing” limits the number ofSOVs in the lane, and prevents the lane from clogging.

With MnPASS, carpoolers and transit users continueto use the lane at no additional cost, and pricing helpsto keep traffic in their lane free flowing.

MnPASS was launched on I-394 in the spring of2005, and a spring 2006 preliminary analysis paints afascinating early picture of this innovative new trafficmanagement tool. As we plan future freeway expansionsin the Twin Cities region, it's important to understandthe lessons from last year's I-394 MnPASS experiment.

Pricing worksIt would hardly come as a surprise to Adam Smith andother free-market economists, but we saw last yearthat supply-sensitive pricing is an effective trafficmanagement tool.

Using the time-honored principles of supply anddemand and some nifty technology, traffic engineersfound they could control the number of users in thelane with a fair amount of precision. MnPASS prices areadjusted electronically as often as every three minutes.

continued on page 6

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I-394’s MnPASS lane: lessons learnedby John Doan, P.E. and Lee W. Munnich, Jr.

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List of new members, donors, and recruitersNew MembersJohn ArlandsonAnthony ArrigoSharon Sayles BeltonDonna Zimmerman and Phil DitmansonKathleen Doran-NortonMary FordAngie and Russ FreemanThomas HarnischBarb HembergerNancy Homans and Gary HesserDean A. HonetschlagerJohn HoshalRep. Thomas HuntleyEldon G. KaulBryan F. LindsleyPatricia S. and Daniel J. McInerney, Jr.Robert MintonNick SwensonRep. Kathy TingelstadRobert Vanasek

Firms and OrganizationsAfrican Development CenterBank of Maple PlainBest & Flanagan LLPBituminous RoadwaysCampbell Knutson PACapital City PartnershipCity Academy Charter SchoolCold Spring Granite CompanyColdwell Banker BurnettCommonBond CommunitiesCommunity Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington CountiesCrown Holdings Inc.Culligan WaterConditioning CompanyDakota County Community Development AgencyDuckor & AssociatesEcumenHennepin Medical SocietyJon G. Hoeschler, PAHubbard Broadcasting Inc.Insignia Systems Inc.Leonard, Street and DeinardLifeworks ServicesLindquist & VennumLogIn, Inc.Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

2 JUNE 2006

Bu i l d i ng a Le a gue o f Ci t i z e ns

Kristen Nelson, Citizens League member Larry Baker and John Curry answer aquestion from 89.3 The Current DJ Steve Seel at our latest Policy and a Pint on the future of Minnesota’s environment.

Executive committee sets priorities for 2006At its April retreat, the Citizens League executive committee chosecontinued growth in membership and engagement and a renewedinterest in looking creatively at public policymaking as its top prioritiesfor the next year.

With two new staff members working on membership, the CitizensLeague has a new opportunity to continue membership growth andmomentum. The executive committee emphasized a need to createmore opportunities for members to get involved in our work—and significantly improving our use of technology to engage existing andpotential members.

Through the Minnesota Anniversary Project and our ongoing studycommittee work, the Citizens League is uniquely positioned to explorenew approaches to policymaking. This includes policy solutions thatlook beyond government to the role of all sectors, and policy projectsthat target problems that policymakers have not been able to resolve.

Missed Policy and a Pint or Bridging the Partisan Divide?Don’t worry—you can listen to both online. Just go to www.citizensleague.net/weblog for the links.

Lyman Lumber Co.Marquette Financial CompaniesMayo ClinicMinitex Library, InformationNetworkMinneapolis Community andTechnical CollegeMinneapolis Regional Chamber ofCommerceMinnesota Chamber ofCommerceMinnesota Private CollegeCouncilMSP CommunicationsNorth Central Mineral VenturesPark Nicollet Health ServicesPeterson Engberg & PetersonProperty Resources CorporationRoger Meyer ConsultingSaint Paul Area Chamber ofCommerceSherburne & Wadleigh LtdSouth Country Health AllianceScott County AdministrationSt. Paul Linoleum & Carpet Co.Standard Heating and AirConditioningSteppingstone Consulting, Inc.Tapemark CompanyWashington CountyAdministration

RecruitersLee AndersonLarry Baker Deb BednarzDuane BensonSteve DornfeldVictoria FordRich ForschlerNate GarvisPeter GoveSean KershawDee LongNancy LongleyKathy MockGretchen SabelMike SchmitzAndrea WalshTom Teigen

Thank you to our volunteerCal Clark

In Your WordsBe realistic about the tenure of SuperintendentsNew superintendents are commonly welcomed as saviors. But a person starting a superintendent career in Saint Paul can be expected to want to move on before too long—as Pat Harveywanted to do (Seattle, Denver) and as Curman Gaines did beforeher (Seattle). So the community should be realistic about the likelihood that its new superintendent will be here long and therefore realistic about how much even a capable person canaccomplish under even the best of circumstances. It’s a risk to bet everything on ‘leadership’. — Ted Kolderie

3JUNE 2006

The Citizens League recently endorseddemocracy and good governance inour core set of principles. What couldbe easier? We've been a model for 54 yearsof how the practice of both can solve policyproblems creatively and effectively.

But while the idea of democracy is notin question and shouldn't be, I believe weshould all be questioning how effectivelydemocracy is working in our daily lives. Ifour nation is sending a generation abroadto fight for democracy, then we owe it tothem to have a better sense of how wepractice it here at home—to reinventdemocracy for a new generation in aMinnesota that is changing rapidly.

Our traditional notions of democracyshow signs of strain these days. We see theevidence in the decline in voter and tradi-tional civic participation; in our lack oftrust in our current governing processes; inour consumer worldview that expects limitlesschoices and freedom, but rejects personalresponsibility for the consequences ofthose choices; in our growing racial andincome gaps; and in our declining literacyabout policy issues.

We're at a transition point. Our oldmodels of democratic practice are faltering.They either won't solve the problems wecare about (the legislature and Congress);or they're too simplistic (democracy as votingand government); or they are overrun byspecial interests that make their living per-petuating anger and division at the expenseof common good and common sense solutions.

But this moment also offers greatopportunity. Complaining that citizensdon't care about democracy, or that we'reforever constrained to “bowling alone,” isa little like complaining that computers arefundamentally in trouble because my oldCommodore 64 can't keep up. The problemis simply that our ways of practicingdemocracy haven't caught up with theworld we live in now. We need to upgradeour democratic “operating system.” Andthat means going back to its fundamentalprinciples and purpose.

Democracy in America — and at the Citizens LeagueTo keep our national conversation alive, we need to rethink how we practice democracyby Sean Kershaw

Democracy means…Democracy literally means “rule by thepeople.” It is a system of governance based ona set of ideals that are fundamentally in tensionwith each other: for example, the tensionbetween conscience (the Declaration ofIndependence) and law (the Constitution); or thetension between liberty (the Declaration),and equality (the Bill of Rights). The debateabout these issues is with us still.

Democracy invites “we the people” to stepinto this debate—to govern—and to createeffective institutions, practices, and policysolutions in the process. After the debate thatproduced our republican form of government,Ben Franklin implored us to keep it—if wecould. We must. And Thomas Jeffersonsaid democracy should be fundamentallyrenewed every 20 years. We're due.

Democracy does…Keeping this republic means asking our-selves where and how we practice democracy.At the Citizens League, we believe that allcitizens have the capacity to govern andsolve problems, and that capacity shouldbe imbedded in every institution, not dele-gated to government alone. We need newopportunities to practice democracy and tobuild the skills needed to have a vigorousdebate, to keep our national conversation alive.

That is one of the driving forces behindour study committees: the need to create“common ground”—places where people froma variety of ideological and specific inter-ests and perspectives can come together to

Vo i c e s I n M y He a d

analyze facts and issues and to argue aboutthem in light of a common set of ideals andthe long-term interests of Minnesota.

Our challenge at the Citizens League isto preserve and enhance this study com-mittee process, and to use technology andnew opportunities like on-site employer-based engagement to bring more people tothe discussion in the hope of solving newproblems. The Minnesota AnniversaryProject is essential to this effort.

I'm convinced that workplaces will becomethe new laboratories for democracy and demo-cratic leadership. And I hope non-profits makea stronger commitment to real non-partisan-ship and democratic capacity building.

We'll also need new models that closethe gap between citizens and policy making.The direct democracy of initiative and referendum is not what I think our foundingfathers had in mind. But we need toreestablish citizens and families as thebasis for policy in matters like health care,education, and the creation of healthycommunities. Our recent medical facilitiesstudy offers one such example, proposingthe creation of a new citizen and buyer-drivenMedical Information Authority.

And we'll need a common set of principlesand facts. This is why we're spending thistime on our new principles. We also plan tocontinue our “Facts Unfiltered” section ofthe Minnesota Journal, and expand itthrough technology to the discussion at ourMind Opener and Policy and a Pint events.

Democracy rediscoveredThis is the beauty of democracy. It providesnot only the best means we know of forcitizens to govern and solve problems, butit is intrinsically able to reinvent andrenew itself when these means don't workas they should. We owe it to Franklin andJefferson, to our current service membersabroad, and to future generations inMinnesota to do no less. •Sean Kershaw is the Executive Director of theCitizens League. He can be reached at skershaw@citizensleague.net or 651-293-0575x14.

We need to upgrade our

democratic “operating

system.” And that may

mean going back to its

fundamental principles

and purpose.

4 JUNE 2006

The Citizens League believes, and alwayshas believed, that citizens will act topromote the common good given theopportunity. The Minnesota AnniversaryProject, MAP 150, is about citizen involvementin creating an agenda for Minnesota's next150 years that reflects this common good.

Looking ahead, we know thatMinnesota will undergo some major demo-graphic changes by 2020. These changeswill transform Minnesota, and we need citizens and institutions to work togetherto ensure our public policies reflect the priorities and values of all who callMinnesota home.

Minnesota State Demographer TomGillaspy projects three main demographicchanges that will impact Minnesota by theyear 2020: • Minnesota's population will grow by

more than 1 million people, but somerural areas will lose population.

• For the first time, people age 65 andolder will outnumber school-aged children.

• Eighty percent of Minnesota's populationgrowth after the year 2020 will comefrom communities of color, increasingthe state's nonwhite population byalmost 40 percent.

How will these changes affect Minnesotaand how will they transform our policypriorities? MAP 150 put these questionsand others to Citizens League members,Humphrey Institute fellows, and membersof the Minnesota Newspaper Association.In all, we received more than 225 responses—the great majority from Citizens Leaguemembers. Here's what we found out.

First, we asked what trends will affectMinnesota in the coming years. While wereceived a wide range of thoughtfulresponses, a few themes emerged. • Respondents see

a growing disparity between the havesand the have nots. They attribute thegrowing gap to an increased concentrationon what is best for the individual insteadof the larger community and to growingselfishness. Many respondents see thisincome gap as most prevalent in com-munities of color, which exacerbates racism.

• The growing number ofimmigrants settling in Minnesota impacts

many areas of life and culture. Specifically,respondents say schools face huge chal-lenges, particularly with regard to language.

• Respondents saytraffic congestion is quickly becoming ahuge problem, particularly in the urbanarea. The respondents like light rail andwant to see it expanded throughout themetro area and northern corridor.

• As babyboomers retire, respondents fear therewon't be enough workers, or enoughworkers with the right skills, to fill all theavailable jobs. There is a growing concern that this will lead to a substantialdecrease in the competitiveness ofMinnesota's economy.

Setting priorities for Minnesota’s futureMAP 150 survey finds common ground among MinnesotansErin Sapp

continued on page 5

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Table 1: Top Priorities for Minnesota’s Future

Table 2: Geographic Differences in Priorities

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Table 1: Top Priorities for Minnesota’s Future

Table 2: Geographic Differences in Priorities

urban suburban/exurban statewide outstate rural outstate regional center

The geographic categories do not represent where respondents lived, but rather the focus of their work or livelihood.

5JUNE 2006

• With healthcare costs skyrocketing, respondents expressedconcern about the ability of families andbusinesses to pay for healthcare coverage,and for baby boomers to effectively planfor retirement. Demand for healthcareservices will also increase dramaticallyas baby boomers age, likely causing aheightened reliance on foreign health-care workers likedoctors and nurses.

• Asthe number ofs c h o o l - a g e d children declines,many school dis-tricts will experi-ence shrinkingresources. Ani n c r e a s i n g l ydiverse studentpopula t ion —theresult of immi-gration—also presents schools with agrowing challenge in providing all studentswith a uniform educational experience,particularly in the face of language barriers.

•Respondents see the social

contract and the civic culture ofMinnesota deteriorating. Voter turn outis low and members feel decreasing supportfor community and collective causes.Many respondents feel that while thistrend is increasingly prevalent in all agegroups, it is particularly striking inyounger generations, and that overallthere is a lack of collective understandingof what it means to be a “citizen.”

• As the populationincreases and urbanites seek “unspoiled”northern spaces, Minnesota's landscape ischanging. Sprawl, coupled with risingconsumption, has led to greater pollutionand diminished air and water quality.

Respondents were then asked to prioritizetheir top five concerns from a provided list.Respondents ranked education, health care,environment, family economic security,energy and dependence on petroleum, andretirement systems among their mostpressing concerns. (See Table 1)

Interestingly, across subcategories likeage and sex, priorities differed little if atall. In fact, the only discernable differencesin priorities were in geography. We askedrespondents not where they lived, but wheretheir work or livelihood was focused.Respondents could choose “urban," “suburban/exurban," “statewide," “outstate rural," or“outstate regional center." As Table 2 shows,

respondents whosework focused onGreater Minnesotaranked healthcareand education aseven more pressingissues than theirurban counterparts,and the environmentas less important.Even given thesevariations, however,the overall topeight issues did not

change. It is clear that Minnesotans have aclear set of priorities for their future.

Perhaps the most important thing torecognize, however, is that these issues andpriorities don't exist in silos. Respondentsprovided extremely thoughtful commen-tary about how they don't have any onesingle priority, rather they are concernedabout some specific trends that connect toa whole host of issues. For instance, manywho listed education as their top prioritydrew connections to local and state economic competitiveness and family economic security, specifically the abilityto support one's family. Respondents madeit very clear that these issues are inextricablylinked. Indeed, while a listing of prioritiesmay be a good starting point, respondentsvoiced and demonstrated the importance ofapproaching issues and policy from aholistic perspective.

MAP 150 is already using theseresponses to set the stage for a statewideconversation about our future. Stay tunedto the MAP 150 page on the Citizens Leaguewebsite for more specific information. •Erin Sapp is a member of the Citizens League and a consultant to the MAP150 project.

The MAP 150 website is online at www.citizensleague.net/what/projects/map150

Map 150 surveycontinued from page 4 MAP 150 asked Citizens League members and others

about their top issues and priorities for Minnesota’sfuture. Here are some of their comments:

Education “The more variations in students, the more students have unexpected needs, the more thesystem needs to adjust. The more the systemneeds to adjust, the more painful and expensiveeducation becomes. Yet we have no choice but tofigure it all out. There are never easy answers.The questions only become more challenging andwe have no choice but to answer them.”

Health care“As a Gen XYer, it is clear that the currenthealthcare system cannot continue to supportthe population and will become much worse with the post-retirement demands of the babyboomers. I do not believe that the boomer generation has the will to proactively implementthe necessary changes during the time they servein the leadership of this state's institutions anddeeply fear the impact on my generation whenthe situation is pushed to a crisis.”

Family economic security “Stark economic disparity only and always leadsto social/political instability. And it's bad for kids.We as a society seem to care less for poor peopleand those who need help than we used to.”

Energy and dependence on petroleum“Energy will largely be generated and routedthrough the depopulating areas of the state tofeed the energy sucking flat screens of the urbanareas. (My plasma set upped my energy billnoticeably to my surprise.) Hummers, trucks andSUVs absolutely suck up gas and spew it out.Ignoring the foreign policy effects, ignoringhealth effects, and ignoring environmentalimpacts, one can't help but wonder how our kidswill view our wanton consumption…”

Impacts of physical growth “Minnesotans will have to rethink how we useland. We can no longer be the 2.5 acre whitepicket fence state with the grocery store a five-mile drive away.”

Willingness to pay taxes“Money isn't everything, but it’s damn important.If we succumb to the siren calls of “no new taxes”we will sink into mediocrity and become just likeall the other mediocre states. The best people willmove out to places like Oregon and Washington,where the political leaders can see with a long-term vision of what’s best for the future.”

In their own words

Respondents don’t have

any one single priority,

rather they are concerned

about some specific

trends that connect to a

whole host of issues.

6 JUNE 2006

continued on page 7

When the lane fills, prices are increased until usage decreases tothe optimal level. When the lane empties, prices are decreaseduntil usage increases to the optimal level.

The MnPASS pricing system is getting more cars through the I-394 corridor during rush hour. In the reversible section of I-394,an average of 350 additional vehicles per day use the MnPASSlane during the morning peak hour, from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. Anaverage of 315 additional vehicles per day use the MnPASS laneduring the evening peak hour, from 5 to 6 p.m.

However, despite this higher rush hour through-put, pricinghas ensured that service is maintained for carpoolers and transitusers. Average speeds of 50 mph are maintained 95 percent of thetime. Survey results indicate that 85 percent of MnPASS laneusers are satisfied with the speed of the traffic flow in theMnPASS lane. When travelers on I-394 in the western suburbsand I-35W in the southern suburbs were surveyed about perceivedcongestion, there was a 10 percent reduction of those feelingdelayed by congestion in the I-394 panel and no change reportedby I-35W commuters (see Figure 2).

By another metric—the number of miles of congestion on I-394—early evidence for the reduction in congestion is dramatic (SeeFigure 1). In 2004, there were 10 miles and 8 miles of congestionduring the afternoon and morning peak period, respectively. In2005, after the MnPASS lanes opened, the miles of congestiondecreased by half to 5 and 4 miles during the afternoon andmorning peak periods. Other factors, such as increasing gas prices,likely played a role but when compared to I-35W in the southernsuburbs, which has a HOV facility and showed an increase in milesof congestion, MnPASS appears to be helping to manage congestion.

Technology worksAnother lesson learned is that the technology used in MnPASSworks well, and Minnesotans quickly got comfortable with it.

You don't have to be a techno geek to use MnPASS. Customerscan obtain their transponder and manage their account eitheronline—the choice of 80 percent of customers—or via a staffedcustomer service center. Drivers install their transponders in their

MnPASScontinued from page 1

Figure 1: Mile of Congestion on I-394

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AM Peak PM Peak

I-394 Commuters asked “Were you delayed by congestion on this trip?”

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Figure 1: Mile of Congestion on I-394

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Figure 2:Figure 1: Mile of Congestion on I-394

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Figure 2:

JUNE 2006 7

windshields in seconds and are instantly ready to use the facility.And unlike traditional toll roads, drivers never have to stop oreven slow down to pay tolls.

While Minnesotans interviewed in pre-launch researchexpressed concerns about the complexity and reliability of anelectronic dynamic pricing system, most I-394 MnPASS usershave become believers. In a recent survey of MnPASS users:

95 percent are satisfied with the all-electronic system; 93 percent are satisfied with the credit card based system of

funding accounts; 92 percent are satisfied with the ease of installing the

transponder;87 percent reported no problems merging into the

MnPASS lane; 76 percent are satisfied with the dynamic toll system.

Considering that surveys show 74 percent of us still have diffi-culty programming a VCR machine decades after that technologyhit the marketplace, the technology used for MnPASS appears tobe very user friendly.

Even enforcement, a hot button issue with any HOV lane, hasimproved due to technology. Thanks to a first-of-its-kind elec-tronic monitoring system, HOV lane violation rates dropped atnearly all I-394 locations, and the violation rates for I-394 are significantly lower than those observed on I-35W. No enforcementsystem is universally effective or loved, but by a three-to-onemargin, MnPASS users expressed satisfaction with the level ofenforcement on I-394 post-MnPASS.

Broad supportThe pilot project has also shown that the system benefits all citi-zens, not just the wealthy. This is a particularly relevant issue,since concerns about economic equity have in the past stoppedtoll projects from moving forward in Minnesota.

Citizens of all income levels rated their use of I-394 in the post-MnPASS era as “enjoyable.” Seventy-one percent of low-incomecitizens said their travel experience was enjoyable, versus 68 percentfor middle-income citizens and 55 percent for high-income citizens.

High-income Minnesotans are the most likely to be subscribersand use the MnPASS lanes, but it is important to note that citi-zens from all income levels use the lane. Over half (54 percent) oflow-income people have used the MnPASS lane, most often as acarpooler (72 percent) or bus rider (15 percent). Again, carpoolersand bus riders do not have to pay tolls. In addition, low- and middle-income citizens who subscribe find it handy and cost-effective to occasionally access the uncongested lane when latefor work, day care or an important appointment. On average,MnPASS users pay to use the lanes two to three times per week.

Finally, the survey found that I-394 users of all income levelssay MnPASS is a “good idea.” Though high-income citizens weremost likely to come to that conclusion, low-income citizensapprove of the project by a nearly overwhelming three-to-onemargin. The group most likely to oppose MnPASS because it “onlybenefits the rich” was, interestingly, high-income citizens.

No HOV flightBefore MnPASS, many wondered whether carpooling and transituse might drop because of MnPASS. Here the data is preliminaryand inconclusive, but encouraging.

It is safe to say that MnPASS doesn't seem to have hurt car-pooling or transit. There are preliminary indications that car-pooling and transit may have actually increased a bit sinceMnPASS began, which would be consistent with what happenedon a similar system on I-15 in southern California. One possibleexplanation for this is that tolling causes users to more activelyand frequently think about the value of the less congested lane,thus providing users with a better appreciation for the value ofbusing and carpooling.

While this data is preliminary and the samples are too small tomake firm conclusions, it's apparent that widespread HOV-to-SOV conversions have not occurred.

MnPASS not only hasn't hurt HOV lanes, it may ultimatelyhelp to expand them. Remember, in recent years Mn/DOT has notbuilt more HOV lanes in the Twin Cities because they cannot bejustified on a benefit-cost basis. It's possible MnPASS couldbecome a tool for expanding the HOV system beyond I-394 and I-35Wand providing transit users with quicker and more reliable trips.

More self-sustaining The top priority of the MnPASS pilot is to get more cars throughthe I-394 corridor without clogging the HOV lane. The top priorityis not revenue generation. Still, revenue generation is a side benefitof this traffic management tool, and revenue is indeed being generated on I-394.

MnPASScontinued from page 6

continued on page 10

The pilot project has also shown that

the system benefits all citizens, not just

the wealthy.

Each month, CitizensLeague members andstaff will collaborateto select a timely policy topic, then askthe important—andsometimes uncomfort-able—questions anddig up the answers.Just the facts, unadul-terated and unspun.

Questions, comments,corrections? We needmore Facts Unfilteredvolunteers! If you arewilling to roll up yoursleeves and dig intothe facts, if you havesuggestions for afuture Facts Unfilteredpolicy topic—or if you just think we gotsomething wrong—email us at facts@citizensleague.net.

Q. What is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)?A. Instant Runoff Voting is a method of balloting thatallows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

Q. How does IRV work?A. In elections with more than two candidates, IRVuses a ballot that allows voters to rank candidates inorder of preference. If a candidate receives more than50 percent of the vote on the first ballot, that candi-date wins the election. If, however, no candidatereceives a majority of the votes cast, then IRV simu-lates a series of runoff elections until one candidatereceives a majority.

After the first ballot, only first-choice votes arecounted; the candidate with the fewest first choicevotes is dropped from the race. Then, the secondchoices of the dropped candidate's supporters areswapped in. The process is repeated until one candi-date receives a majority of the votes. (For an electronicdemonstration of how IRV works, go to www.chrisgates.net/irv/votesequence.html.)

Q. What are the arguments for and against using IRV?A. FairVote Minnesota, which supports IRV, contendsthat “majority rule is a fundamental principle ofdemocracy.” However, in the last 11 statewide racesonly one candidate was elected by a majority vote.IRV would ensure that elected officials earn the sup-port of a majority of voters and provide the winningcandidates with a stronger mandate for governance.

Proponents also argue that third-party candidateswill no longer be perceived as spoilers who can tip anelection from one major party to another. IRV canenrich the public debate by encouraging more candi-dates to run for office—and empowering voters to votefor who they really support, rather than the “lesser oftwo evils.” In addition, proponents argue, IRV decreasesnegative campaigning (because candidates need towork to become the second choice of voters from rivalparties) and saves public money by eliminating theneed in local elections for separate primary and general elections.

Opponents argue that IRV violates the principle of“one person, one vote” by allowing voters to placemultiple votes by ranking candidates. Supporters pointout that only one vote from each voter is counted; thedifference is just that that vote is transferable through-out the process.

Opponents also argue that IRV will make ballotsmore confusing and voting more difficult. IRV ballotsrequire voters to make a number of decisions in onerace, opening up more opportunities for human error.In addition, the more candidates there are for a givenposition, the more difficult it is for voters to learnenough about each to make an informed decision.

I nst a nt Runof f Vot i ng

Q. Where has IRV been used and what were the results?A. Instant runoff voting is used in presidential elec-tions in Ireland, parliamentary elections in Fiji andAustralia, and local elections in a number of U.S.cities. In addition, several states allow IRV to be usedby active-duty military and other overseas voters.

In 2004, San Francisco used a version of IRV to elect seven members of its board of supervisors. The Public Research Institute and San Francisco StateUniversity found that 87 percent of voters understoodhow IRV worked “perfectly” or “fairly” well. Sixty-onepercent preferred IRV to standard voting systems, and20 percent of those who said they preferred a standardrunoff election (where a runoff election is held on aseparate day) changed their minds after going throughan IRV election.

In March of 2006, Burlington, Vt., used IRV to electits mayor. In that election, Progressive Party candidateBob Kiss defeated Democrat Hinda Miller on the sec-ond ballot. A headline in the Burlington Free Press theday after the election read: “Burlington Voters AceInstant Runoff.” •

SOURCESBetter Ballot Initiative: www.betterballot.orgBurlington Free Press: www.burlingtonfreepress.comChris Gates’ IRV Animation: www.chrisgates.net/irvFair Vote Minnesota: www.fairvotemn.orgPublic Research Institute: pri.sfsu.edu

8 JUNE 2006

Your preference for

Governor of Minnesota

Norm Coleman

Hubert “Skip” Humphrey III

Jesse Ventura

1st 2nd 3rd

Sample Ballot

JUNE 2006 39

Somewhere between the summer of 1946, when RCA put theirfirst black-and-white television sets on the market, and 1951,when “I Love Lucy" appeared in American living rooms, tele-vision took off. The penetration of the technology was breathtaking,rising from 4.4 million families with TVs in 1950 to more than 50million just 10 years later (over 85 percent of all Americanhomes). In 1950, with only two channels available, TV viewingtime by children had already reached 2.5 hours per day in somecities, prompting researchers to raise questions about the effectsof this new mass medium on the developing personality of thechild as well as impacts on relationships within the family.

From the very beginning there were concerns about the psy-chological and social impacts of television and suspicions that TVwas simply a technological funnel used to deliver advertising intothe living rooms of millions of Americans. There was some truthto this assertion, since in the early days of TV, corporations liter-ally owned shows, such as “Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theater.” Aformulaic approach to programming gave us 30 western series by1958 (from “Gunsmoke” to “Have Gun—Will Travel”) as well asthe half-hour windows into the idealized middle class Americanfamily of Ozzie and Harriet or the Cleavers in “Leave It to Beaver.”In 1961, Newton Minow, head of the Federal CommunicationsCommission, made his now famous remark comparing TV pro-gramming to a “vast wasteland."

Though attempts were made to create alternative programmingfree from commercial influence, these proved difficult to sustain.A few dozen stations struggled to exist in the mid-1950s, depen-dent largely on millions of dollars of Ford Foundation funding forNational Educational Television (NET), which provided noncom-mercial programming to around 200 stations nationwide.

The saccharine sweet family shows of the ’50s and ’60s gaveway to harder biting social commentaries like “All in the Family.”In 1967, the same year that CBS television ended a 17-year black-listing of folksinger Pete Seeger, President Johnson signed legis-lation to establish the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),asserting that “we have only begun to grasp the great promise ofthe medium" and noting that noncommercial television wasreaching only “a fraction of its potential audience—and a fraction

of its potential worth." As part of the legislation, the Departmentof Health, Education, and Welfare was to launch major researchon instructional television in the classroom. The $9 millioninvestment in CPB in 1967 (about $47 million in today's dollars)has grown to over $300 million in annual funding today.

Unlike television, the meteoric rise of computer and videogames over the past decade has gone largely unnoticed except bythe digiteratti and cultural anthropologists cruising web zines andblogs. This may be because games are not a technology per se, butapplications that slip into our lives on the backs of existing technologies, from computers to televisions and cell phones. Theyare less hardware and more software.

Like many mass culture phenomena, games are understoodmore on the basis of prevailing myths than reality. Few peoplerealize that the average gamer is 30 years old, that more than 40 percent are female, and that most adult gamers have beenplaying games for 12 years. One reason myths shape public per-ceptions is because few universities have seen computer games asworthy of serious academic study, robbing the discourse aroundgames of robust data on their use characteristics, effects, andpotential value. There is, of course, the annual Congressionalattack on the game world and its denizens, calling for more con-trol of violent games and, like our TV-addicted forbearers, warningof dire consequences to mind and family. Politicians have conve-niently made computer games a target of derision rather than apedagogical ally or tool for public engagement.

The best kept secret in the world of computer and video gamesis the rise of a movement—now in the thousands—of gamers dedicated to applying games to serious challenges such as education,training, medical treatment, or better government. The SeriousGames movement is in many ways today's equivalent of yester-day's advocates for noncommercial, educational TV, who knewthat the potential of the medium was unrealized and went farbeyond pure entertainment.

Could a Corporation for Public Gaming give us games that serve the common good?by David Rejeski

Unlike television, the meteoric rise

of computer and video games over the

past decade has gone largely unnoticed

except by the digiteratti and cultural

anthropologists cruising web zines

and blogs.

continued on page 10

Miles, one of the characters in the United Nation’s computer simulation game Food Force in which players work to save and rebuild a fictional island.

10 JUNE 2006

With small amounts of foundation money, and a lot of sweatequity and ingenuity, advocates of serious games are gettingproducts built and used. A father with a diabetic son createdGlucoBoy a handheld game that helps children better manage

their blood glucose levels. A state senator from Massachusettsworked with graduate students to create MassBalance, and chal-lenged people to balance the state's budget online. The UnitedNations World Food Program recently launched Food Force, agame with more than 3 million players worldwide who work tosave and rebuild the fictional island of Sheylan, ravished bydrought and war. A number of people—or their virtual selves—come together in an online, multiplayer game called Second Lifeto help design a park for Queens, N.Y. The interactive nature ofgames, their ability to present complex and dynamic information,and, increasingly, to allow thousands of people to meet in sophisticated virtual environments means games can accomplishwhat TV never could in terms of addressing educational andsocial challenges.

However, serious games, like serious TV, are likely to remain asidebar in the history of mass media. Noncommercial televisionfloundered, despite millions of dollars of investment by the FordFoundation, until the government stepped in and created a viableand long-lasting alternative. With similar vision and foresight,

and a relatively small amount of funding, this could happen withvideo and computer games.

A Corporation for Public Gaming (CPG) could be establishedthat would operate on a model similar to its broadcasting equiv-alent, providing grants to develop a diversity of games for thepublic good. Like CPB, the goal of the CPG would be to providehigh-quality games, which “inform, enlighten and enrich the public." A $15 million annual investment would be made for athree-year period with a review conducted at the end of year threefollowed by recommendations for continuance, modification, ortermination of the program. Grants would be made available toqualified nonprofits that could partner with commercial gamedevelopers, universities, museums, schools, or government entities.All grants would require a 15 percent set aside to support a rig-orous evaluation of the game's impact. A portion of the overallfunding would go to universities to conduct research on how toimprove the content, impact, and evaluation of such games. Analternative model would be to support serious games within theexisting Corporation for Public Broadcasting, by increasing theappropriation and changing the allocation formula from the 75-25 percent split between television and radio to one thatreflected the additional funding for games.

Granted, it would take vision and courage to create such anentity, especially today when the concept of public broadcastinghas become politicized and compromised. But without such acommitment to serious games, we may find that in 20 years wehave managed to create another “vast wasteland" out of a promis-ing new mass medium. •David Rejeski is Director of the Foresight and Governance Project and the Projecton Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center forScholars in Washington, D.C.

The article was originally published online at Serious Games Source (www.seri-ousgamesource.com), a website created to discuss games for health, education,political, military, and other uses.

Public Gamingcontinued from page 9

MnPasscontinued from page 7

More than 9,500 drivers have opened MnPASS accounts, andthese users are steadily paying tolls as they use the MnPASS lanean average of two times per week.Overall revenue is expected toincrease in years to come asoverall traffic in this corridorincreases and more consumersbecome more comfortable usingthe MnPASS option.

It appears the I-394 MnPASS project probably will becomefully self-sufficient before long. Though revenue generation is notthe main objective of this project, self-sufficiency is no small featin an age of transportation finance scarcity.

An effective management toolThe I-394 MnPASS experience, coupled with the completion of aMnPASS System Study conducted by the Metropolitan Counciland Mn/DOT in spring 2005, led both agencies to adopt a policyrequiring MnPASS lanes to be actively considered for future high-way projects in congested corridors.

Again, there is no silver bullet when it comes to transportation,including MnPASS. MnPASS can't and won't eliminate congestion.But we have learned in the past year that MnPASS is an effectivenew traffic management tool. And with the transportation challenges we collectively face, that's welcome news. •John Doan, P.E. is the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)/MnPASS ProgramDirector for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Lee W. Munnich, Jr. is a Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of PublicAffairs. Both are members of the Citizens League.

However, serious games, like serious TV,

are likely to remain a sidebar in the

history of mass media.

JUNE 2006 11

Ranting about the sorry state of ourmass media has become almost aspectator sport. From the embarrassing“retirement” of Dan Rather at CBS Newsand the ludicrous “fair and balanced” hypeof the FOX network nationally to the gradualevisceration of local news in our two dailynewspapers and the embarrassing ratings-week “investigations” perpetrated on viewersof local TV news, the state of journalism isin a steep decline.

Part of the problem, of course, is thatthose who publish the news have shiftedtheir attention from serving citizens to servingso-called “information consumers.” Saywhat you will about the Star Tribune'srecent makeover, there was no mention inany of the newspaper's public discussionof the redesign about the role of the pressas a linchpin of democracy. Everything thefolks at the Strib were doing to jazz up thepaper was done to satisfy consumers of news—not to enlighten and engage citizens in theheavy lifting that self-government requires.

This is, pure and simple, an abdicationof the vital role the press plays in this society.And it's led to a proliferation of small-press publishing—both in print andonline—designed to tell the stories themajor media are ignoring and to encouragecitizens to become more engaged in the lifeof their communities. You can see this vastdiversity of news and opinion in most localcoffee shops, where on any given dayyou'll be able to pick up newspapers servingthe local African, Native American,Hmong, or Latino communities, along with neighborhood-based publications thatreport local news as part of a larger community-building effort.

The challenge for these publications—and the rapidly growing number of localblogs—is to find a broader audience sotheir work can help to educate readersbeyond their small demographic or geo-graphic niches. With the launch this springof the Twin Cities Daily Planet (www.tcdailyplanet.net), they now have a

vehicle to reach a regional audience thatwould otherwise have little exposure tothese important voices.

The Daily Planet is an online newspaperand community newswire that collects andpublishes stories from more than 30 localmedia partners, from Hmong Today and theMinnesota Spokesman-Recorder to TheNortheaster and the St. Anthony ParkBugle. That means that, every day of theweek, you'll find news, opinion, andanalysis seldom featured in the daily news-papers or on TV news. And that, webelieve, will provide a shot in the arm toour ailing sense of community.

The Daily Planet also offers audio linksto KFAI community radio and local inde-pendent podcasters as well as a direct lineto the burgeoning community of localvideo producers like Chuck Olson ofMinnesota Stories. And local photographersare telling their stories in our evolvingphoto gallery.

All of these are vehicles for peoplewhose voices traditionally have been mar-ginalized in our society. But in order toenable these people to tell their storiesmost effectively, the Daily Planet's

publisher, the nonprofit Twin Cities MediaAlliance (TCMA), also offers workshops foraspiring citizen-journalists. We hope thesebasic courses in journalistic practices andethics will equip people from across theTwin Cities with the tools to tell the storiesthat most affect them and their community.

In 2000, an enterprising South Koreanjournalist named Oh Yeon Ho launched anonline civic journalism project calledOhmy News. Six years later, the publica-tion has recruited some 38,000 registeredcitizen-journalists and has become a majormedia player in the country. The DailyPlanet is not that ambitious, but we dobelieve we can change the traditional relationship between readers and reportersin the Twin Cities by giving readers thetools to become part of the media theydepend upon for news and information.And we think we can also change theshape of the local news menu by drawingattention to the perspectives and storiesoffered by the remarkable mix of localmedia with which we are blessed in theTwin Cities.

It may be easy to complain about thecurrent sorry state of the news media. Butit's more satisfying to explore the richofferings that lie beneath the radar of ourmainstream culture. And I'm confidentthat the Daily Planet will help thousands ofreaders discover that treasure trove of freshideas, compelling stories, and importantissues bubbling up from newspapers mostof us have never heard of. By allowingthese publications—and citizens themselves—to create a news diet, we'll not only bedelivering better information, we'll bebuilding a better community in the process. •

Craig Cox is the managing editor of the Twin CitiesDaily Planet and the Minneapolis Observer.

Read all about it: the Twin Cities Daily PlanetA new marketplace for our ideas, our opinions and our community newsby Craig Cox

Expa ndi ng M i nne sot a ’s Conve r sa t i on

We hope these basic

courses in journalistic

practices and ethics will

equip people from across

the Twin Cities with the

tools to tell the stories

that most affect them

and their community.

The Minnesota JournalPublisher – Sean KershawEditor – J. Trout LowenManaging Editors – Bob DeBoer and Victoria FordContributing Editor – Ted Kolderie

The Minnesota Journal (ISSN 0741-9449) is a publication of the Citizens League, a nonprofit nonpartisan Twin Citiespublic affairs organization, 555 North Wabasha St., Suite 240, St. Paul, MN 55102. Phone: (651) 293-0575.Fax: (651) 293-0576. E-mail: info@citizensleague.net.Website: www.citizensleague.net. Tom Horner, chair. Articles and commentary are drawn from a broad range ofperspectives and do not necessarily reflect Citizens Leaguepositions on policy questions. The Journal is published once a month. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional offices.

Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $40 for11issues. Orders may be placed at (651) 293-0575 or by mailat the above address.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the Minnesota Journal,555 North Wabasha St., Suite 240, St. Paul, MN 55102.

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