Absolute Power

First things First: This past Sunday, June 19, marked Juneteenth, commemorating June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom – 2-1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Observing this day is vital because it reminds us that work still needs to be done to eliminate inequalities and injustices in our communities.
 
Along with most of you, I imagine, I’ve been reflecting on much of the news. From the House committee investigative hearings regarding the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol (on a side note: The AP recently published an article on the thirst for power, comparing Jan 6 with Watergate, which sent my thoughts along this path; worth reading), to Putin’s actions in Ukraine. Or even the more mundane madness of a Minnesota legislative session that ends without committing the billions of unspent surplus. I’ve been thinking about the nature of power. Where is the learning for us?
 
This phrase from 19th-century historian Lord Acton, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” is a warning against the negative effects of power. The true threat, for each of us, is that increased power threatens to corrupt a person, lessening our morality. Leadership, at its core, is all about power and influence. That’s why, to my mind, the concept of “servant leadership” is so pivotal.
 
For most of us, we start, innocently enough, from a place of striving to do good. And yet somewhere, somehow, along the way we start abusing the privilege of leadership. Ever so subtly at first. No matter how large or small our domain, when we have authority over it we are vulnerable to abuse of that authority.
 
So I’ve been doing some reading:  how can I avoid being corrupted by power? The Keller Institute wrote a great piece on how to “Escape the Corruption of Power”:

1. Don’t forget where you came from.
2. Ensure you have self-imposed restrictions to rein yourself in.
3. Remind yourself that no one is untouchable. Even the mighty fall – as history has shown us.
4. Find a mentor – someone who has demonstrated good leadership and ask them to help keep you grounded. None of us is immune to the allure of power.

 
It’s challenging to be both great and good. That said, we can be encouraged; self-awareness and diligence – and courage - can be a protection. And we can channel Mother Teresa who, when asked about the great things she did, assured us that “none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”  

​See you in the trenches.
B

• US opens COVID vaccine to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; shots begin this week. This follows a CDC panel now recommending vaccines for children under five.

• Fed Reserve Chair Powell has pledged to do whatever it takes, with the largest rate hike since 1994, (three-quarters of a point on June 15), to curb inflation.  Fed’s aggressive rate hikes raise likelihood of a recession.
• Report: home inventory and prices rise in May. Inventory now stands at 1.3 months of supply, well below the 4-6 months needed for a “balanced market.” Meanwhile, homes aren’t getting any cheaper.
• State’s unemployment rate drops to 2%, a historic level – again. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained the same at 3.6%, while the national labor force participation rate rose a tenth of a point to 62.3%. The state’s labor participation rate rose from 68.3% to 68.4%, DEED reported. ​

​State

• Shocking no one: Special Session of Legislature is “unlikely.” This impasse leaves about $7.2B of the original $9.25B surplus unspent.
• Governor revives stimulus checks for Minnesotans debate.

 
Regional

• Property owners file federal lawsuit over St. Paul rent control.
• Purple Line drops downtown White Bear Lake, considers Century College. The decision comes as little surprise to those who have been involved in crafting the corridor, given that in late April, the committee directed Met Council planning staff to study route modifications following negative feedback from the White Bear Lake City Council.
• The long-stalled Rice Creek Commons development in Arden Hills likely isn’t moving forward any time soon.
• Petitions submitted to put St. Paul property tax hike for preschool expansion on November ballot.

Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.

• If you haven’t yet met Nancy Korsah, make a point to do so! Black Business Enterprises finds its first space in North Loop.
• Check out your Chamber’s calendar of upcoming events as well, which includes:
  • Come meet some new people at our next free monthly mixer!  June 30, 4-6 PM: Chamber Connect at Holman’s Table.
  • July 14, 8-9 AM: Shifting Work Environments & Staff Shortages - Business Education Series (Hybrid) .
  • July 19, 11 AM-1 PM: Annual Foundation Luncheon at the St. Paul Event Center.
  • August 1: Golf Classic and Golf 101 at Mendakota Country Club.

• You’ve been searching high and low for that next great hire. You’ve gone through headhunters, job search engines and word of mouth, all to find the next C-suiter who can drive strategy and culture across your company. And it’s gone about as well as finding a needle in a haystack, hasn’t it? Maybe it’s time to consider another source of talent: The 5.4 million women who left the labor market when the pandemic hit to care for their children and families.

• EDA’s new funding opportunity: Economic Recovery Corps and Equity Impact Investments programs. EDA is excited to announce a new funding opportunity that includes two programs that will strengthen equitable economic development strategies across the nation. The Economic Recovery Corps program will add staff resources to local organizations focused on improving economic resilience and competitiveness in distressed regions across the country. The Equity Impact Investments program will provide technical assistance to enable organizations serving underserved populations and communities to participate in economic development planning and projects.  A webinar about this funding opportunity will be held on Thursday, June 23 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. RSVP HERE for the webinar.  Deadline to apply: August 5, 2022.
• St. Paul officials on Wednesday reaffirmed their intent to make reparations to Black residents, but they still have to decide how to make it happen.Members of a reparations advisory group recommended next steps for St. Paul leaders, including looking at the city's federal American Rescue Plandollars, sales taxes, land sale proceeds and philanthropic contributions as potential funding sources. 
• Launch Minnesota, the state’s start-up accelerator, is preparing to accept its next round of applications for $1.5M Innovation Grants, beginning July 10.  This initiative is designed to accelerate innovation and provide access to capital, educational resources, and programming to help early-stage businesses grow.

• St. Paul commercial-industrial permits down in May. $15.2M worth of permits during the month, the lowest of the year so far.
• Xcel Energy work ahead in downtown St. Paul:  “Xcel Energy will be relocating natural gas line along 5th Street, between Robert and Jackson streets, in downtown St. Paul, with work taking place here through mid-July. We’re working in your community to continue to provide safe, reliable service.”  Also ahead: Xcel Energy will be working in several areas in Ramsey and Washington counties to relocate natural gas and electric utilities prior to the METRO Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project. Learn more about the Metro Gold Line BRT Project. 
• Interested in the latest work of the Great River Passage Conservancy? Here are visions for learning center at St. Paul’s Crosby Farm Park.
• Gateway Park opens on St. Paul's Highland Bridge site: After more than a decade of planning and construction on one of the largest redevelopment projects in city history, Gateway Park became the first portion of St. Paul's Highland Bridge site to open to the public.