Each week, commenter Clarence Swamptown delights you with his skewed takes on Minnesota sports and other shenanigans. Sometimes, as is the case this week, his crazy ideas actually make a whisker of sense. As usual, the opinions expressed by Clarence do not necessarily represent those of RandBall or the Star Tribune. Clarence?

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The 2012 Minnesota legislative session begins today. Traditionally, even-numbered years are called "bonding years" in the Minnesota Legislature. During these years, legislators propose and pass large-scale bonding bills to fund local capital projects. They do so under the premise of "job creation" and "economic development." It's a game older than Jamey Carroll, and it's played by both sides of the aisle. With interest rates low and the state budget forecast exceeding expectations, you can rest assured that this game will be played vigorously in 2012.

I'm not here to pass judgment. I'm not smart enough to know if these bills are wasteful government pork or wise public investments. I do know that I would definitely take a public handout if I could. Every year I submit a proposal to build a 340-foot statue of the ref getting hit in the head with a whiskey bottle after Drew Pearson's push-off, and every year I am denied. It's an important moment in Vikings history and it deserves to be memorialized. But the POLITICIANS won't touch it. It's frustrating. Last week, Governor Mark Dayton announced his 2012 bonding bill recommendations. His bill weighs in at a hefty $775 million, and part of his proposal includes a $27 million grant to the city of St. Paul for the construction of a new St. Paul Saints stadium. This is not a new request. The governor pushed for this stadium last summer, but it didn't make it through his final budget-compromise with the legislature. The project was also part of a 2010 bonding request, but that bill also failed. If approved, the new $50 million St. Paul Saints' stadium would be built in Lowertown, adjacent to the farmer's market. The state would pay $27 million, St. Paul would contribute $13 million, and the Saints would contribute $10 million. When compared to the entirety of the state budget, I realize that $27 million for a baseball stadium is basically nothing. When compared to the Governor's overall $775 million bonding bill, $27 million is basically nothing. But I also know that the state has other priorities. Public safety, schools, and health care – these things are all more important than baseball. I get it. So as an alternative, I hereby propose the following: The St. Paul Saints should partner with the Minnesota Twins to construct a new stadium. I have written about this idea before. It's my hobbyhorse and I apologize for repeating myself. But as long as legislators keep proposing to build a new Saints stadium with state money, I will keep offering my counterproposal. I am sure the concept has a number of challenges, but I am also sure the positives outweigh any difficulties. I know that $27 million is a lot of money, even for the Pohlad family. But I also know that, relatively, $27 million is not a lot of money for the Pohlad family. It's a Jim Pohlad contract offer to Michael Cuddyer. It's a Bill Pohlad movie project. I love the St. Paul Saints. It's friendly outdoor baseball with innings punctuated by wacky and creative promotions. Their games are fun. If the Saints have any drawbacks at all, it's that they play the lowest-level of professional baseball in a weathered and outdated stadium. I also love the Minnesota Twins. The interest in the Minnesota Twins' minor league system is at an all-time high. Impossibly affable blogger Seth Stohs self-publishes an annual Twins' Prospect Handbook, and it is extremely popular. There are a billion websites that analyze and rate the Twins' minor league players. The biggest drawback to the Twins minor league system is that the nearest location to watch Twins' prospects in person is in Beloit {redacted} Wisconsin. The Twins and White Sox are THE ONLY TEAMS IN BASEBALL that do not have a farm team in their home state. [Proprietor note, per that link: The Nationals and Blue Jays, who do not play in states, nonetheless have teams closer than Beloit as well]. That stinks. So if the Twins partnered with the Saints to build a new stadium, which Twins' affiliate should move to St. Paul? The Beloit Snappers Class A team currently plays in the Western Division of the Midwest League with teams from Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Their stadium is weathered and outdated and has the smallest capacity of any team in the league. New stadium talks have been going on for a long time, but they're not going anywhere fast. They play against teams that have stadiums of similar size and scope as the Saints. I have nothing against the Snappers personally, but if the Saints were to become minor league Twins' affiliate, the Western Division of the Midwest League makes the most sense geographically and demographically. It simply does not make sense that the Minnesota Twins' nearest farm team is located halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago. [Proprietor note: Intrigued by the Clarence proposal and wanting more context on the feasibility, we went behind his back and surely against his wishes by asking Twins President, North Dakota native and UND graduate Dave St. Peter how long the Twins' contract is in Beloit. He confirmed, by e-mail, the organization's Player Development Contract in Beloit (as well as Rochester, New Britain and Ft. Myers) expires after the 2012 season]. The projected infield for the 2012 Beloit Snappers includes Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Levi Michael. The projected outfield could include Oswaldo Arcia and Aaron Hicks. These are arguably 5 of the top 10 prospects in the organization. If the Twins and Saints could somehow partner to build a new stadium, baseball fans could have beautiful new venue to watch the Saints' unique and entertaining product, Twins fans could watch the team's future superstars, and the state's contribution would be reduced or eliminated. It's a mutually beneficial compromise, and it's better than just handing the Saints $27 million in public funding. Let's get this done. Also, please give a second thought to that giant statue of the ref getting hit in the head with a whiskey bottle. I'll carve it myself. It will be tasteful. I promise1. 1 My fingers are crossed and therefore this promise is hereby null and void. If funded, the whiskey bottle statue will be enormous and grotesque and childish and awesome. Your thoughts on the collaborative Twins-Saints stadium idea are welcome in the comments below.