After all of the viscious and negative campaigning that Peter McLaughlin has
done in his attempt to unseat our current mayor, it is a true RELIEF to see
that RT is still leading McLaughlin in the polls.
To be sure, RT doesn't have a stellar record as mayor. If he had stronger
competition, RT may not have survived the election. Of course it's too soon
to say that he's survived this one, but it is at least close and he's
leading his over his opponent.
RT is weak on crime, that needs to improve and from what I can tell it has
started to. On the other hand, Peter McLaughlin is a consumate politician.
He's taken credit for just about every positive thing that has happened in
Minneapolis since he's lived here, including improving RT's crime agenda:
doesn't that just about say it all??? Seriously, McLaughlin takes credit
even for things that he has opposed, and I despite all the time he spent
promoting the ultra-wasteful Access Project, no where have I seen McLaughlin
take credit for that boondoggle! I'm guessing he's blaming RT for it, ha!
Does Peter think that his promises to Allina and other big businesses, which
fly in the face of constituent best interests, have gone unnoticed?? Don't
forget his vote for major stadium subsidies either, which of course went
against his campaign promises. (what are they anyway?)
Peter McLaughlin seems to be best at grandstanding. The tone and conduct in
this campaign truly reveals that Peter McLaughlin is nothing more than a
mean-spirited bully, in my opinion.
I felt the recent Star & Tribune article stated it well, that Peter
McLaughlin basically talks a good line about all of the things he would fund
if elected, but where in the heck would the money come from?? It's
revealing that the McLaughlin-ites downplay RT Rybak's attempt to hold
property tax increases to 8% as unsustainable. Unsustainable? A rate of
increase that is almost twice the rate of inflation is unsustainable?? What
would McLaughlin do to property taxes??? Beyond that, RT has done much more
for minority communities than McLaughlin. While McLaughlin was busy
funding the "old white guys" at Urban Ventures, RT has been working directly
with the Somali community, working to promote diversity (a long slow process
given the size of the ship that needs to be turned) on the police force,
etc. Does McLaughlin have similar accomplishments at the county level?
Now look at the list of political contributions (available through City
Pages website); Peter McLaughlin has stron big business & old guard
"good-ole-boy" support, including Smith Parker!! This is not the agenda
that will be good for Minneapolis. Constituent and business interests need
to be balanced.
The election is upon us, and though RT is clearly not perfect and has room
for improvement we all need to ask ourselves what McLaughlin, a career
politician, really has in mind? In my experience, RT is willing to work
with people for compromise and progress. Peter McLaughlin's record is one
of arrogance. I know from experience that if you disagree with him, you are
the enemy, you're "either with him or against him", and that's just not
collaborative at all. Beyond that, McLaughlin has made far too many grand
promises to be able to keep them, and the prospect of city budgets once
again spiraling out of control is all too real.
As I recall, during the last election for county commissioner, Peter
McLaughlin's now ex-wife put up a lawn sign supporting his opponent. Their
relationship issues aren't fair game, but her lack of support for him is,
because after all those years together I'd guess she knows him better than
anyone.
I'm not willing to risk voting for McLaughlin. RT Rybak has my vote.
Rob McGraw
Phillips
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