,_;. . : ·MONDAY, lU,LY, ~8 ·, , -2016 ·
WENDELL ANDERSON 1933-2 0 16 'Miracle' maker left mark on state Ex-governor's property tax deal became symbol ofgovernment that works.
By PATRICK COOLICAN and PAUL WALSH Star 'fi·ibune staff ·writers .
ormer Minnesota Gov. Wendell Anderson, who appeared on the cover of Time maga zine in1973 with a big northernpike and wide grin as a symbol of his state's good life, but then alienated voters when he appointed himself to a vacant U.S. Senate seatr died Sunday, a state offi cial said. Anderson, 83,had struggled with Alzheimer's for some time before dying ofpneumonia while in hos pice in St. Paul, said his son, Brett Anderson. "Old age was his least favorite part oflife," Brett Anderson said a few hours after his father's death, · which followed a "precipitous physical decline" in the past few months. · "He had a good run," the former governor's son said. "He played hockey until well into his 70s." Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement that "Gover nor Anderson was one ofMinnesota's greatest gov ernors. His transformational 'Minnesota Miracle' DAN McCOY See ANDERSON on A9 .,.. Then-Gov. Wendell Anderson posed for this Time magazine cover in1973. See more photos at startribune.com
Reprinted by permission of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN). .} ..·.;.. ·.·· ·.., . .' 'I, ,•. ,·.· .. WENDELL A_NDERSON 1933-2016 With'MinnesotaMiracle; Anderson left is mar nstate
GLEN STUBBE • [email protected] ,;,~ormer Vice President Walter Mondale, left, and former Gov. Wendell Anderson attended Gov. Mark Dayton's second-term inaugu ;: ration m2015. Anderson was discussed as a running mate for Jimmy Carter in 1976, but Mondale ended up as the choice.
"I feel it created a watershed moment for the state. We were no longer a flyover state. He set up our national standing tha_t we still enjoy today." Former state Sen. Roger Moe, ofWendell Anderson and the so-called "Minnesota Miracle"
Reprinted by permission of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN). . ·.. :1 .~ANDERSON fromAi .. . -'--which b.e.a.cfilevea thfbugh A;~e~~~~s~p:~~!J.~~~~!'{~\.:: Sens. Hubert ._ sota government, sl:tlftitig the::· one of the.fuo:st'.rrioiD:entous. H. Humphrey, tax burden (rom propettY lev bipartisaii'. agi~·~m~h.rn,iri, out:> left, and Wen ies to the rriore prpgtessive · dell Anderson, state's history.~ · lias' ,:.df~a;ti.. , income tax, while e'qualizing •cally lmpro\red ~t4~(qtjalifr · 6L:j center, greeted s9hoot funding between ~ r.ich . Israeli Prime our state's p:~Birc, · e.?1*¢atiort." .. and poor districts · ~ a policy . · Minister Men and political achievement.so. 'Above an~ ~ · Minn~~~t;;m' . ·.:· ··.'. achem Begin 0 stunning that historians·have · on Capitol Hill Dayton's office ~~dr~JeaseCf/ <;iubbed it the ·"M'inriesota · in 1977. After a statement from th~: ;f~ly:;: · Miracle." :. . ' ·>,·...-.= arranging to "It's one ofthe key reasons.\·/: . have himself . ~~~t ~:~d:n:'tr.!:!~~!~~~:. we have one ofthe best ifriot appointed to from east·St. P~til/~t' Gbph~r2:. the bes't public ·education. the Senate in an Olympian, 'an e.1~'2tedpub~ ; '.: SySteffiS in the COUntry,'1 Said° 1976, Anderson lie servarit of highe~t6rder. : . the Dayton, a fellow D:fLer. "It lost re-election But above all else;·he was 'a.. allowed us to provide funding in1978. Minnesotan. His fOr 'tlie · io\te . to improve schoois and cut~ : : : state and its dtl'zeik'was·s~ .c- riculum and attract and r~tain .ond only to his tove:f6r: hfs family." · ·. .· ·. the best teacher~i•.@q:Jfm.a~e ·· .. Star Tribune file ·>::.· it possible to ·d
Reprinted by permission of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN). operating costs. Anderson ture were controlled by con Anderson and his young fam A comeback attempt inl984 proposed increasing state sup servatives. (Legislators were ily like the Kennedys of the failed, and other than a stint as port to 70 percent by raising a elected on a nonpartisan North Star state. "He set up a regent for University of host oftaxes - on individual basis until 1974, though most our national standing that we Minnesota from 1985 to 1997, and corporate income, inheri members ofthe "conservative" still enjoy today," Moe said. In Anderson was relatively young tances, utilities, banks, liquor caucus regai;ded themselves as addition to tax and education when he left public office. and cigarettes. The cost Republicans, and most "lib er-· reform, Anderson pushed for many accounts, his $762 million a year - repre als" were DFLers.) environmental regulations departure was a source of sented a 37 percent increase "Wendy's ability to bridge that remain the foundation ongoing sadness. in the state budget from the gaps and make friends across of the state's protections of "He was out of public life previous bienniu.m. partisan lines was so impor air, water and soil. the rest of his life, and that's . After the longest special tant," said Tom Berg, who The voters at the time what meant the most to hini," session in state history - 157 served in the House when agreed with Moe's assess said David Lebedoff, chairman days - Anderson, who hung Anderson - or "Wendy," as ment, as Anderson won the ofAnderson's 1970 campaign, tough after vetoing the oppo he was known - was gover 1974 election by carrying all speechwriter and longtime sition party's first school aid nor, and wrote a book called 87 counties. friend. bill, secured passage ofa com "Minnesota's Miracle: Learn In.1992, Anderson fell on promise that raised state taxes ing From the Government A fall from popularity hard times, behind onproperty by $580 million and boosted That Worked." As Anderson's star rose, taxes, payments to, his ex-wife state support for schools to Al Quie, a Republican there was speculation that he and other debts. 65 percent of operating costs, who served as governor after might become a national polit In recent years, he made slightly shy ofhis original goal. Anderson, said Anderson ical figure. He was chairman of occasional public appear The measure was a boon for helped him immensely when the 1976 Democratic National ances. In June 2015, he joined schools in larger, poorer urban he was elected. Convention platform commit about 100 people protesting school districts. "He shared with me very tee and was discussed as a pos the demise of the Minnesota deeply the workings of state sible running mate. for Jimmy Pollution Control Agency's Appeal crossed partylines government but also the peo Carter. Citizens Board. Anderson's leadership was ple,'' Quie said. "It helped me But it all ended quickly Wendell Anderson is sur critical to the plan's success. throughout my gubernatorial when he arranged to have vived .by two brothers, Rod In December 1970, a statewide career, and it showed a com himself appointed to the U.S. and Orv; three children with poll showed that Minnesotans mitment to the state, and not Senate seat that had been held former wife Mary Christine opposed it 60 percent to 25 just his party," he said. by Mondale, who had become McKee, Brett and Amy Ander percent. But the new gover Others say the significance vice president. Although the son and Elizabeth Crow, and nor - young, telegenic and of the "Minnesota Miracle" provenance of the decision is five grandchildren. articulate - proved to be an cannot be overstated. unknown, the result was cer effective salesman, traveling "I feel it created a water tain: Voters took a dim view of Staff writer Pamela Miller contributed across the state campaigning shed moment for the state. his ambitions, and Republican to this report. for his plan. We were no longer a flyover plywood magnate Rudy Bos [email protected] Anderson succeeded state,'' said Moe, who was chwitz defeated Anderson in 651-925-5049 despite that fact that in 1971, also referring to wave of the 1978 race for that Senate [email protected] both houses of the Legisla national publicity that treated seat. 612-673-4482
Reprinted by permission of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN).