Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident criticizes Carver County messaging as partisan; commissioners say more budget communications are coming
Summary
Resident Jonas Schoberg told commissioners he found an April county message about state budget proposals "hyper partisan," saying it emphasized alarming numbers without explaining context or benefits. Commissioners replied that county communications on the state budget will continue and defended efforts to be transparent about financial
Jonas Schoberg, a Chaska resident, urged the Carver County Board to take a more neutral tone in its public communications after receiving a county message about proposed state budget changes.
Schoberg said he watched the April 8 meeting and expected the county to explain how federal budget shifts were affecting local services. Instead, he said, the county issued a message on April 16 that he described as "hyper partisan" and that focused on a projected 20 percent rise in property taxes without explaining the governor's proposal or the tradeoffs. "It just seems strange to me that the county would put out a message of that nature," Schoberg said.
Schoberg said he tested the county message with an AI tool and received a determination it was politically slanted; he asked the board to be more balanced, include pros and cons and provide underlying data when communicating to the public.
Chair Workman responded that the county would provide more communications on the state budget and described the issue as a problem affecting all 87 counties. "We just had an hour legislative meeting to talk about where we're at," Workman said, adding that county associations such as the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Intercounty Association are unified in opposition to parts of the governor's proposal. He encouraged residents to consult county and association resources for details.
The board did not take formal action on the comment; commissioners acknowledged the resident's concern and said more informational messages about the state budget will be forthcoming.
