OPINION
4 QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS
www.presspubs.com
JULY 11, 2023
Voice cloning and deep fakes
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y now we have heard about the phone calls and spoofing scams where the caller says something to the effect of, “your grandson has been kidnapped while traveling and we need you to send money for his release,” or “he is in the hospital and needs money to be treated.” They spoof the phone number on the caller ID and often use data found on social media or other records to make it sound convincing. Some have fallen for this and sent money, and then find out shortly afterward their loved one is perfectly safe. A few years ago my wife's 100-year old grandma received a call that husband was in the hospital Publisher’s her and needed money to get out, even though he had died years prior. View She has dementia and doesn't Carter Johnson have access to her finances, but it was distressing and difficult to convince her the call wasn't true. My father-in-law once received a call from his “grandson” but quickly figured out it was a scam because the person on the phone talked more than his grandson ever would. These scams are getting more complex. Now with artificial intelligence, scammers can mirror voices with free voice cloning apps and software. They can pull voice recordings on voicemails or social media videos. The sofware will make it very difficult to determine a real call from a scam call. If you have answered a call and think you’re being scammed, ask the caller a difficult question that only the real person would know. If you’re not sure, hang up and call the person back on the number you have for them, not on the number they called in on. Don't answer calls you don’t recognize, and let them go to voicemail. Also keep your phone number private, and don’t share it on any social media sites. Reconsider posting videos with music rather than voices. Some media outlets have reported that voice cloning can take place with as short as a three second clip-they can clone your voice with only three seconds of audio. This continues to be a huge problem for artists in the music industry. New puppy Our neighborhood is sporting new puppies, from black labs, golden retrievers and the ever popular doodles. Puppies are cute, cuddly and fun until it’s time for bed or you have to clean up after them. I don’t know what we were thinking when we added another Aussidoodle into our family mix. It seemed like our 3-year-old dog could benefit from a playmate, and with a kid still at home it felt like the timing was now or never. The two dogs are up early and play every morning, though the older one is running short of fur on his ears and tail from the constant biting by the puppy. We’ve been slowly introducing our puppy to others in the neighborhood and appreciate those who have respected our wishes. As your out walking your dog or dogs, keep in mind the different stages of dog ownership people are at and the goals they have in dog ownership. The new puppy has been another learning experience. We assumed he would have a similar personality to the other dog, who loves running outside and expressing his herding tendencies. The new one seems content to sit on the steps and watch the older one run. The puppy has been quick to learn a few tricks, though we wish those included sleeping a little later than 5 a.m., and asking to go outside every time he has to pee. We have a way to go in getting him settled into the family, but if you're thinking of getting a puppy its a friendly reminder its more work than you remember. As always, when getting a dog consider a rescue or even better try taking on foster care of dogs and cats. Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications.
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Legislative session produces investments for present, future
y many measures, the 2023 session at the State Capitol was historic. The session was marked by extraordinary investments in Minnesotans, especially workingand middle-class residents, and the systems we use throughout our daily lives. Some of these investments will be felt almost immediately by Minnesotans. In other cases, it will years to feel Legislator take their full effect. I campaigned Lingo on “building bridges and getMatt Norris ting results,” and that’s what I tried to do from the start at the Capitol. I was the chief author of 24 bills that became law. And whenever I could, I worked with stakeholders from various viewpoints and members from both parties to craft balanced legislation that will stand the test of time. My number one priority this session was securing money for the redesign of Highway 65. For far too long, it’s been the most dangerous stretch of roadway in the metro area and a major inconvenience for people in the north metro. I was able to secure an incredible $102.75 million investment in the
highway—enough to remove all the stoplights from 99th Avenue to 117th Avenue! I worked in a bipartisan fashion to secure this money, but I’m proud to be the only legislator representing Blaine or Lexington to vote for all $102.75 million. Construction is likely to begin in late 2025. One investment Minnesotans will feel even sooner is my commitment to cutting property taxes. I heard a lot about skyrocketing property taxes on the campaign trail. So, when I was chosen to be Vice Chair of the House Tax Committee, I immediately got to work. I authored a bill to “supercharge” the targeted property tax refund. This means if your property taxes increase by more than 6% from 2023 to 2024, you’ll get a refund of up to $2,500. Based on voter feedback, I also authored a bill to increase the Homestead Market Value Exclusion to $517,200 since home values have increased so much in recent years. This bill became law as well. Local governments will also see boosts in state funding, with the goal of reducing their reliance on property taxes to pay for basic services. Lexington will get an extra $95,395, a 21% boost. Anoka County will see an increase of 30.7% or almost $6 million. I know many people are worried about recent spikes in crime as well. So, I authored $300 million
in public safety aid for cities and counties. This means $4.1 million for Anoka County, $3.1 million for Blaine, and $114,000 for Lexington to pay for public safety, fire, and emergency services. One area where our investments will pay off in the long run is education. I was the chief author of a bill that led to a 4% increase in general per student funding for our public schools this year and a 2% increase next year. Even more importantly, my bill adjusts this funding for inflation in future state budgets so political gridlock at the Capitol will never again prevent students and teachers from having the resources they need. One other key investment for our community is support for manufactured housing residents. I secured $27 million to improve infrastructure in these parks, repair and renovate units and lots, provide financing and down payment assistance, and encourage owners to sell to residents when a park is sold. These are just a few of the investments Minnesotans will benefit from in the coming months and for decades to come. And, perhaps most importantly, we got our work done on time with no need for a special session! Matt Norris is the Minnesota House of Representative for District 32B.
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