Anyone who runs for the independent boards has a daunting task concerning reaching out to voters. Park District 5, for example, has 21 precincts in which a total of over 37,000 people voted last November - a little over 12 square miles on the ground. Of these more than half are settled voters who have voted in the last four even-year elections.
So, how does someone with a full-time job take on the task of contacting voters likely to have an interest in this race in November, 2005? Or consider at-large candidates, where the grand totals voting city-wide are several times these numbers? I don't know how much the Park Commissioners get paid, but their annual remuneration probably wouldn't even pay the postage for a first-class letter to their voting constituents. We are told that the Ward 13 candidates may drop as much as $10K per precinct into each of their ten precincts. At least the winner there will have $60-70K income each year for four years. If candidates for the Park Board can't campaign in the parks, ought school board candidates not be permitted to use school facilities? Ought all candidates be barred from what Superintendent Gurban calls "private property"? Ought the Park Board ordinances trump the ordinances of the City of Minneapolis? Inquiring minds want to know. It's a vision thing. Fred Markus, Ward 6, Phillips West REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
