Remember: our rules allow pointed disagreement, but require respectful discussion.
--
As a liscensed stock broker and a Green I take great
exception to the idea that Greens, Green ideals and
politicians are a threat to the local business
climate. I would posit that the inverse is true!
First of all, a municipal utility reliant on
renewables and increased use of renewables and
environmentally and energy conserving design in our
public buildings will result in great savings for
years to come. A recent federal study found that the
average school spent 6 times as much money on energy
than they do on all school supplies for students and
teachers. A federal bill was introduced as a result
that would make grants available to school districts
to implement environmentally friendly design and use
of renewables in new school buildings.
Secondly, the only municipalities of California that
did not suffer the energy shortages there over the
past year were those with municipally controlled
energy sources. Energy in our high tech economy has
become as necessary as water to our day to day lives
and the function of our businesses.
Thirdly, the technology is now available in affordable
formats. Fuel cell technology, solar, wind, and
environmentally responsible hydro development(not
wreaking the environmental and cultural devastation of
the Manitoba hydro projects) has become very
competitive.
I think our posterity will be grateful to live in a
place that had the foresight to deal with these large
problems much as we are grateful to our predecessors
for establishing the independent Park Board assuring
the continued support of our park system. Where would
you rather your children live? In a city that
incorporated clean and wise energy investments sooner
rather than later?
Furthermore, the Greens are very friendly to small
business and several of our city council candidates
have put forward proposals that will help small
business people in the city.
I think the Greens stand against "corporate welfare"
is a principled one. As one stock trader I worked
with last fall said "I'm voting for Nader. I work
with stocks all day and I know corporations have too
much power over driving our governmental policy."
Corporate benefit does not equal business benefit or
community benefit. The two may at times coincide but
our policy at many levels of government have become
too driven by the interests of the few over that of
the many.
There are corporations in this town that have a long
history of supporting charity and doing great things
for the community. We keep the Minneapolis business
climate hot by maintaining the health and welfare of
it's citizens, environment, and other quality of life
issues. This is how Mpls will continue to be a great
place to live- and thus- do business, not by giving
handouts to every corporation that wants to create non
living wage jobs.
Thanks, David Strand
Loring Park
Ward 7
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
