Re: [Mpls] GetBob Candidate Fair conflicts with the Park Board Meeting?

[Annie Young]

Excuse me - we were at a Park Board meeting.  One of the things on 
campaigns that often happens is you have volunteers that help you out when 
necessary - that was my story of the day since I also have a job!  My 
volunteers pitched in for me!


Anyway - so thanks to my volunteers, they gave out literature and lawn 
signs.  What more could you want? Write me anytime - I answer letters and 
e-mails in my spare time.

Annie Young
citywide Park Commissioner



At 11:42 PM 9/8/05 -0500, Dan McGrath wrote:

Park board
incumbents were (naturally) absent, but had staffers in their stead.























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[Mpls] My Candidacy for Mayor

[WJKAHN]

NRP, MCDA, Minneapolis Planning, the present CPED, and the confused state of 
land use planning in Minneapolis have long been topics of interest to me. I 
don't think we've improved anything. I love NRP for the engagement and 
creativity it has brought to city government, but I've always had problems with 
it; it 
can be incredibly wasteful of time whether citizen or public servant. But 
until CPED can engage neighborhoods in the same way that NRP has, we better 
keep 
funding NRP and fund it well.

I think that the merging of Mpls Planning Dept and MCDA into CPED was pretty 
much a result of the Mayor and Council acting on the recommendations of the 
McKinsey Report (I think it was McKinsey, a high powered consultant group that 
likes to reorganize stuff for profit). I was ambivalent about implementing any 
of the McKinsey recommendations because I suspected that they would not save a 
dime and might even cost a pretty penny; I'd've rather seen them chewed on 
for a few years. The fact that the recommendations did not touch Public Works 
and other departments that account for the lion's share of the city budget was 
and remains really bothersome to me. One might think that the idea behind it 
was to pave a superhighway to land development--but it is unpaved and rough if 
you believe the posts on the longer process for completing projects--to bring 
in a bigger tax base, rather than to save any money; but that's not how it was 
sold, I believe. I call the reorganization a failure then and I think it is 
fair to lay it at RT Rybak's door.

Bill Kahn
Prospect Park
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Re: [Mpls] Questions About The Donor List

[Elizabeth Wielinski]

Jim Wrote...



Other points:
The Mayor’s donor list reads like a whose who of The Breck School – 
where his children attend.  Not that I question anyone for sending 
their children to great private schools.  The poor parents of this 
City would send their children to such schools also if they were part 
of the “Power Elite”.  All Minneapolis children should receive such 
good educations.  This is probably why the quality of Minneapolis 
Public Schools and neighborhood schools are just not as much of a 
priority for the Mayor that it is for some others.




This issue of where anyone's kids go to school really annoys me.  After 
a recent Park Board meeting Tony Scallon,  former McLaughlin campaign 
manager had the audacity to complain people were picking on Park Board 
Commissioners for sending their kids to DeLaSalle and then voting on a 
project with DeLaSalle.   He was incensed anyone would use where 
people's children went to school to attack his "friends" on the MPRB 
and yet he and his " friends" can turn around and use the same argument 
against the Mayor.


Liz Wielinski
Columbia Park
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Re: [Mpls] My Candidacy for Mayor

[Eva Young]

At 10:57 PM 9/8/2005, Mark Snyder wrote:

On 9/3/05 2:43 PM, "wmmarks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Mark Snyder wrote:
>
>> Until we see that, I'll stand by my point that McLaughlin hasn't had 
to make
>> the same choices with NRP vs. other city needs that Mayor Rybak and 
the city

>> council has, even if he was one of the architects of it in the beginning.
>>
> Then you have missed the point entirely.  It isn't the funding alone
> that is at issue, though Rybak's supporters always want to spin that
> way. Rybak and the council have systematically undermined the principles
> of the NRP. They created CPED out of MCDA as the vehicle to undermine
> the principles of the NRP. They cut the partnership we were building
> between the police and the citizenry of the core city. They did it to
> take power away from citizens and hoard it to themselves and keep their
> taxes high, though they think they're keeping them low.

Actually, I don't think I have since pretty much all of McLaughlin's
promises have been about money and pretty much all of the complaints coming
from the various NRP supporters have been about money.


NRP is a huge boondoggle and how does NRP keep our taxes low?  The one 
really positive thing about Mark Stenglein's campaign 4 years ago is that 
he was the only mayoral candidate who had the courage to speak out againt 
the pork barrel otherwise known as NRP.  City Council members are elected 
to make spending decisions.  These so-called "citizen participation" 
organizations are not - nor do they do well at engaging the citizenry.



Also, I'm pretty sure there were other reasons why CPED was created than to
"undermine the principles of the NRP" - notably, I seem to recall there was
a lot of problems and delays being caused by communication and other
dysfunctions between MCDA and the other departments that it merged with to
form CPED.


I believe that was the case.


Given the large number of projects we have going on now that haven't
required TIF handouts, I'd say that was a pretty good move on his part,
particularly since it meant keeping one of those campaign promises that his
critics claim he forgot.


Good point here too.


> The spin you've put on this situation is remarkable. The cops who were
> cut or positions left unfilled during the SSB administration were
> absorbable, to a degree, because it was done very gradually so that the
> PD had a chance to adjust. RT cut cops in one fell swoop because RT and
> his supporters have no experience with the situation for the core city,
> but do not want to support contending with the issues imposed on the
> core city through red lining. You can spin this 'til the cows come home,
> but the base reality is that the comfortable cannot see well enough to
> support our city recovering from 40 and more years of both malicious and
> blind neglect or solutions which only support a larger and larger social
> services sector of misguided "fixers."

It's not spin, Wizard. It's fact.

Rybak's first term will end with more 40 officers on the streets than it
started with.

Another fact: Rybak's adminstration has held harmless or increased the
police department's budget steadily during a period where he's had to manage
fiscal crisis after fiscal crisis due to LGA cuts and other "gifts" from our
Legislature, along with getting started on cleaning up the massive financial
mess that the SSB administration left for him.

Looking below, you'll see that in the first year of his administration, the
police budget increased by $4 million over the last year of the SSB
administration (2001). Then you'll notice that while nearly all the other
city departments were getting slashed over the following couple of years,
the police budget stayed virtually the same. Then when things started to get
better, the police budget got another $3 million increase.

2001: $95,286,294
2002: $99,551,497
2003: $99,448,921
2004: $99,487,569
2005: $102,481,580
You can accuse me of spinning all you want because you don't like what I'm
saying, but so far, I'm the only one actually providing facts to back up my
arguments.


Mark does seem to back up what he says.  I happen to think Rybak is too 
supportive of the NRP dollar wasting boondoggle.  But it seems that a 
Minneapolis Politician can't get caught dead saying that NRP is a boondoggle.


Whatever happened to encouraging neighborhood organizations to show 
viability by showing a certain number of paid memberships in the 
organizations?   Sure there are people in neighborhoods that can't afford 
memberships - but if everyone in a neighborhood can't afford it, the issue 
isn't affordability - it's that there is a lack of support for the 
neighborhood organization.  If the neighborhood organization is truly an 
investment in the neighborhood, they will find neighbors willing to 
financially contribute.


Now I know I'm jaded a bit - because the neighborhood organization I am 
most familiar is the notorious Central Neighborhood Improvement

Re: [Mpls] Rybak retort to Minneapolis Police Federation

[Dan McGrath]

> So why do you continue to repeat this falsehood from the McLaughlin
> campaign?
>
> If things are as bad as you say in the inner-city neighborhoods, why do
you
> have to spread lies to make your point?

Things ARE pretty bad in our inner-city, and getting worse. There should be
no debate over the notion that we need more cops. We also need to make
changes in how the police are deployed, and find ways to make them more
effective. The coppers don't have the tools and authority they need to
really have an impact on our worsening crime situation. Of course, we also
have problems with administration and courts. There is a system-wide
dysfunction in law enforcement which is in dire need of attention and
remedies. I believe our entire city government is at fault for not tackling
these problems in the last four years. Basic city services (like police and
fire) should be job one for a city government. Everything else comes AFTER
those items have been sufficiently addressed. It seems to me that during the
past four years (yes, and longer, even), essential city services have taken
a back seat to the more glamorous (and political) issues, and development.

ATTENTION, NEXT CITY GOVERNMENT (may there be many new faces):
Provide excellent police and fire protection.
Keep our roads, paths and sidewalks in good shape.
Keep the roads clear of snow and ice.
Collect our trash, provide us clean water.
Keep the street-lights burning.
Keep our traffic signals and transit systems operating.
Keep our parks in good condition, and keep them open and accessible.
Keep books and staff in our libraries.
Hold taxes to a level that working and retired people can afford to keep
their homes.

Then, If there's any time and/or money left, do the fun, glamorous stuff. Do
your duty to the basics first!

Dan McGrath
Longfellow
http://www.shegstad.us

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Re: [Mpls] GetBob Candidate Fair conflicts with the Park Board Meeting?

[Dan McGrath]

I attended the GetBOB candidates fair with Dave Shegstad. They did a really
fantastic job putting it together. Very orderly, and great participation
from candidates.

I know that GetBOB made quite an effort to get the word out about the fair.
I feel like I was bombarded with reminders leading up to it. However...
Something went wrong. For some reason which escapes me (I don't think it's
just the MPRB meeting), few citizens took advantage of this great
pre-primary resourse that the GetBob folks went to a lot of trouble to put
together.

Since there weren't too many voters to field questions from, I had a great
opportunity to get to know several candidates, and learned quite a bit about
our independent boards, which are pretty obscure to most folks. Park board
incumbents were (naturally) absent, but had staffers in their stead.

For those who were interested, and did attend, they got a rare treat. Easy
access to most of our elected city government officials, and candidates for
office. One could probably have picked a politician's brain for a half-hour
straight, if they chose.

If our system of government is really going to work for us, we need to take
the time to be informed. GetBOB did their part. I really hope people make
more of an effort leading up to the general election. If not, our democracy
is in trouble.

Dan McGrath
Longfellow
http://www.shegstad.us

> The scheduling conflict is my fault - a gigantic oversight on my part
> in the early planning of this forum.  I've been apologizing to the MPRB
> (and Library Board) incumbents as I've talked with them and their
> campaigns, but for any other MPRB commissioners and Library Board
> members out there whom I have not spoken to, please accept my sincere
> apologies for my mistake and know that a representative of your
> campaign is welcome to attend the fair in your stead.
>
> The October 26 pre-general election candidate fair does not conflict
> with anything.  No other meetings anywhere across the entire city that
> evening so EVERYONE should be free to attend (smile).


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Re: [Mpls] Rybak retort to Minneapolis Police Federation

[Mark Snyder]

On 9/6/05 9:51 PM, "Barbara Lickness" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Promising to add 71 police officers when you took away 150 over a 4 year
> period does not lend itself to proof that Public Safety has been the mayors
> highest priority since becoming mayor. To me R.T.' is the one attempting to
> score political points  by promising to add more officers within weeks of the
> election because the crime issue is an Achilles heel for him. Too little too
> late!

Except that's not true and you know it.

You know full well that there are not 150 fewer cops than than when Rybak's
administration began. That 150 cops refers to how many have been lost since
1997, which was when SSB's second term was just starting and a full four
years before Rybak was elected mayor.

And it only takes simple math to figure out that if the 71 cops being hired
brings us to 41 more than when Rybak's term started, then obviously, there's
no way 150 cops were lost over that period unless you're using the kind of
seriously fuzzy math that got the city into it's financial distress in the
first place.

So why do you continue to repeat this falsehood from the McLaughlin
campaign? 

If things are as bad as you say in the inner-city neighborhoods, why do you
have to spread lies to make your point?

Mark Snyder
Windom Park

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Re: [Mpls] My Candidacy for Mayor

[Mark Snyder]

On 9/3/05 2:43 PM, "wmmarks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Mark Snyder wrote:
> 
>> Until we see that, I'll stand by my point that McLaughlin hasn't had to make
>> the same choices with NRP vs. other city needs that Mayor Rybak and the city
>> council has, even if he was one of the architects of it in the beginning.
>>   
> Then you have missed the point entirely.  It isn't the funding alone
> that is at issue, though Rybak's supporters always want to spin that
> way. Rybak and the council have systematically undermined the principles
> of the NRP. They created CPED out of MCDA as the vehicle to undermine
> the principles of the NRP. They cut the partnership we were building
> between the police and the citizenry of the core city. They did it to
> take power away from citizens and hoard it to themselves and keep their
> taxes high, though they think they're keeping them low.

Actually, I don't think I have since pretty much all of McLaughlin's
promises have been about money and pretty much all of the complaints coming
from the various NRP supporters have been about money.

Also, I'm pretty sure there were other reasons why CPED was created than to
"undermine the principles of the NRP" - notably, I seem to recall there was
a lot of problems and delays being caused by communication and other
dysfunctions between MCDA and the other departments that it merged with to
form CPED. 

Given the large number of projects we have going on now that haven't
required TIF handouts, I'd say that was a pretty good move on his part,
particularly since it meant keeping one of those campaign promises that his
critics claim he forgot.
  
> NRP has these principles (fill in the others, oh, ye with better
> memories): 1. neighborhood decision making and implementation; 2. NRP
> independence from the city's development agency (MCDA or CPED); 3.
> freedom from strict adherence to centrally determined goals; 4.
> notifying neighborhoods of planned development and notifying them early
> enough so they could impact the decision; 5. continuing collaborative
> processes so that decisions are not imposed on the citizens.

And from what I have seen in my participation with my neighborhood
organization, we still are able to make decisions at the neighborhood level,
we're still free from strict adherence to centrally determined goals
(whatever that means), we still get notified of planned development early
enough to impact decisions and we get to take part in decision-making rather
than have them imposed on us. So how exactly has Rybak undermined NRP again?

> RT and council punished the city rather than insist that the legislature
> continue to send money back to Minneapolis that we had already put in far
> above what we take back out.

Oh, please! Like all Rybak had to do was "insist" to the Legislature in 2002
that they not cut LGA and all would be well. Yeah, right. Those of us who
actually pay attention to what goes on at the State Capitol are fully aware
of just how much time and effort Mayor Rybak, along with a host of mayors
from throughout Minnesota, spent arguing, begging and pleading for LGA to be
kept at previous levels, to no avail.

And if McLaughlin could have done better, then where the heck was he? Surely
he could have deemed that a good use of his time and talents to protect his
home city and his constituents from the actions of a short-sighted governor
and State Legislature by lobbying to prevent LGA cuts. The simple fact of
the matter is McLaughlin wouldn't have done any better and possibly would
have fared worse, since in 2002, there were still plenty of suburban and
rural legislators who would have associated him with the LRT line that they
opposed, but were strong-armed into passing by former Governor Ventura. And
if you haven't noticed, they're not shy about taking out their grudges on us
city folk.
  
>> The cuts in police staffing started long before Mayor Rybak's administration
>> began. The 71 cops that Mayor Rybak has proposed to add will bring police
>> staffing up to 40 more than when his administration began. Those are the
>> facts, much as McLaughlin and his supporters would like to claim otherwise.
>>   
> The spin you've put on this situation is remarkable. The cops who were
> cut or positions left unfilled during the SSB administration were
> absorbable, to a degree, because it was done very gradually so that the
> PD had a chance to adjust. RT cut cops in one fell swoop because RT and
> his supporters have no experience with the situation for the core city,
> but do not want to support contending with the issues imposed on the
> core city through red lining. You can spin this 'til the cows come home,
> but the base reality is that the comfortable cannot see well enough to
> support our city recovering from 40 and more years of both malicious and
> blind neglect or solutions which only support a larger and larger social
> services sector of misguided "fixers."

It's not spin, Wizard. It's fact.

Rybak's f

[Mpls] Shame!

[megan goodmundson]

Shame! Shame! on {anyone} for automatically leaping to smear the Mayor before 
any real info is shared about this issue.  Let's get some facts before we go 
trying to attach other people's reputations, careers and judgement to a 
developing crisis.  
 
It is indeed a sad day in Minneapolis when citizens must stoop low enough 
create a destructive rumor out of the latest spotlight scandal. 
 
I say if any candidate is so far better and so much the clear choice - it will 
be apparent to the voters - there is no need to destruct the record/reputation 
of the opponent.  I am seeing this destructive strategy alot and it is 
sickening and discouraging!  (I won't mention any specific races - Im pretty 
sure that's apparent as well!) 
 
-Megan Goodmundson
Jordan 
 



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RE: [Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home

[David Brauer]

Jim Graham writes:

> The Mayor has a difficult time with this situation.  The only veto of
Mayor
> RT Rybak in four years in office was in favor of the criminal Basim Sabri.
> Fortunately enough Council People had good sense that they overcame
Rybak's
> illegal veto.  ... What politician in his right mind would support a
> project that resulted in Basim Sabri getting not only a city block, but
even
> the City street for only $125,000.  Perhaps this is part of the reason for
> the FBI investigation. Where will the next FBI investigation be?

I think this is really unfair speculation.

We know FBI agents raided Zimmermann's home. As of now, we don't know why -
as his campaign manager notes, the affidavit is sealed. The Sabri connection
here is a guess, and to then leap to the suggestion that a third party
(Rybak) is criminally involved is simply a smear.

Reasonable people can disagree about Rybak's veto in support of Sabri's
project. But it's worth remembering that the initial council vote against
Sabri's Elroy Street & Pillsbury project wasn't 13-0, or 9-4, it was 7-6.
Councilmembers Niziolek, Benson, Goodman, Lane and Samuels joined Zimmermann
in support of the project - before Rybak ever whipped out his veto pen.
Should we assume they're criminals too? Or maybe suggest that we should
narrow the field of future FBI targets to just Niziolek, Goodman and Lane,
who voted with Zimmermann to uphold Rybak's veto?

Must we criminalize political acts based only on our dislike for the actors?

And it wasn't just six, or four, councilmembers. The Minneapolis Planning
Commission also supported the project. [Later, the Council's Zoning and
Planning Committee granted the Whittier Alliance's appeal of the Planning
Commission's approval, which the Council's 7-6 vote upheld.]

For everyone's memory, here are the facts about what the vote was about
(from
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/archive/20040903-proceedings.pdf):

The Council ultimately rejected the Planning Commission's approval of a
conditional use permit and site plan for 69 dwelling units. (This was the
affordable housing Rybak said he wanted when he issued the veto.)

The project is rising, I assume without the housing, which means Rybak's
veto was not crucial to Sabri getting the site and ultimately building
something there. It was just about what would be there.

David Brauer
Kingfield

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[Mpls] Questions About The Donor List

[gemgram]

I also like Dean Zimmerman personally, he was always a good guy.  I hated to 
see him get tied up with the Sabri criminal organization.  But even good 
guys sometime get pulled in over their head.


I know the sad situation with Dean Zimmerman will probably color the "List" 
for a couple of days, and most certainly the election.  So as to take a 
different tack I decided to look at other issues on campaign "Donors" the 
"MPLS List" has been discussing the last couple of days.


--
Questions about the Donor List

After viewing some of the posts on “List” about campaign finance for the two 
candidates I went to the filing reports of campaign donors and found some 
interesting questions raised by the Rybak list. To begin I have a question 
for our Mayor.  RT, are you really so detached from the city's work that you 
don't know who Paul Zerby works for?  Or for that matter are you so detached 
from your own campaign that an old guard member of your finance committee, 
Sylvia Kaplan, also has an unknown employer?  The list continues from Mayor 
Rybak’s finance report; hand-picked Betsy Hodges, DFL endorsed Alan Hooker, 
etc.  There are 398 names in RT's filing report of large donors who he 
claims he doesn't know who they work for.


For the moment, I am going to assume he does know who Paul Zerby works for 
and he just decided to leave the legally required information off his 
finance report.  That being said, how many of the other 397 people does he 
actually know who they work for, and he just isn't telling us.  Mr. Rybak 
has a troubling trend with his past promises, and promises about fundraising 
in particular.  First, he said he would NOT raise money in non-election 
years.  We all remember, and know he did that, right?  He also promises to 
not take money from people with business in front of the city. Of course I 
guess there is no way to confirm how accurate that is since about two-thirds 
of his donors' employers were kept hidden by the Mayor.  I do see that Rybak 
took money from at least one liquor store, Hennepin Lake Liquors;  took 
money from at least one bar owner, The Local;  and RT Rybak took money from 
the head of a strip club, Déjà Vu!  Last I checked those are all businesses 
regulated by the City, so how many more are there Mr. Rybak?  Well maybe 
there is more than one question we need to ask this Mayor.


Other points:
The Mayor’s donor list reads like a whose who of The Breck School – where 
his children attend.  Not that I question anyone for sending their children 
to great private schools.  The poor parents of this City would send their 
children to such schools also if they were part of the “Power Elite”.  All 
Minneapolis children should receive such good educations.  This is probably 
why the quality of Minneapolis Public Schools and neighborhood schools are 
just not as much of a priority for the Mayor that it is for some others.


The Mayor says no developer money, but there seems to be plenty of 
professionals such as architects, lawyers, etc who do there business with 
the City through a developer.


Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, and a sad night in the Sixth Ward

"The attempt to close the gap between what is known and what IS, is the 
temptation behind the apple in Genesis." 


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RE: [Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home

[Michael Atherton]

Jim Graham wrote:

> No matter what it is a sad day for Minneapolis.

Again.

Michael Atherton
Prospect Park

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Re: [Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home

[Greg Abbott]

Strib story:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5604473.html

Judging from the interest in Zimmerman's financial records, I'd say  
they're looking for a Sabri link.


I like Dean personally - I hope this turns out to be an unsuccessful  
fishing expedition.


Greg Abbott
Linden Hills
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[Mpls] Fw: Re: Thursday's Editorial on the Library Board

[Dorie Rae Gallagher]

Samatha's letter for a retraction...

>> To Mr. Jim Boyd:
>> To The Editors and Publisher of the Star Tribune:
>>
>> I am hoping it was just an oversight, a mistake, a miserable failure 
>> in
> your research, and not an intentional act to damage my candidacy for 
> the

> Minneapolis Public Library Board, that made your Editors fail to even
> mention my campaign in today's Editorial.  I am, in fact a candidate 
> and

> have been since April of this year when I notified the Star Tribune
> political staff.  Someone at your paper knows about my campaign because
> Susan Hilliard contacted me to be a part of the Voters Guide.  Yet, 
> your

> editorial does not even mention me even once, although you mention
> candidates that only just filed in July and candidates who have barely
> been
> present at the ten Friends of the Library Fora.
>>
>> I would like you to print a very visible retraction of this error and
> rectify this situation in the next day or two.
>>
>> Furthermore, I would like to tell you why I am not only viable, but 
>> the

> best candidate in this race.
>>
>> I am the only candidate to have been personally responsible for
> organizing my neighborhood to save our library in Nokomis from the
> devastating hour cuts of 46 to 24 hours, with no Saturday service. 
> This

> attempt over the last three years involved catalyzing a neighborhood
> organization - Concerned About Nokomis - which aggressively lobbied the
> Board for Saturday hours, gathering more than a thousand signatures,
> organizing letter, email and phone campaigns, going to Board meetings

and

> getting them to meet in our neighborhood, and ultimately, raising more
> than
> $30,000 to keep our library open on Saturdays for almost a year, 
> keeping

> union workers employed.
>>
>> I have attended dozens of Board meetings to offer testimony and 
>> monitor

> their decision making process and have offered proposals for funding
> scenarios to the Board, one of which was approved for research by the
> Board
> but was never carried through.
>> I am an actual library user, along with my children, and know acutely

the

> damage that has been done over these last three years.
>> I am the only candidate bringing a Harvard/Radcliffe education to bear

on

> our current problems.
>> I am the only candidate bringing 25 years of grassroots community
> organizing experience to this race, as well as 20 years of independent
> fundraising experience.
>> I am the only single mother of three children in public schools who

need

> to use the library and actually suffer the most from these hour and

staff

> cuts.
>> I am the only candidate to publicly call for adoption of the St. Paul
> model, which is 95% funded through City funds, thereby bypassing the
> agonies of the LGA cuts and can continue to offer seven-day-a-week

library

> service at award-winning levels of excellence.
>> I am the only candidate calling for implementation of the American
> Library Association's 1990 Policy #61 on Removing Barriers to Poor
> People's
> Access to the Library.
>>
>> By excluding me and my candidacy from your Editorial, you not only did
> damage to me and the work I have done tirelessly since April, but you

have

> also done damage to the voters of Minneapolis by limiting their

knowledge

> of the choices before them.
>> I expect an apology and retraction as soon as possible.
>>
>> Thank you for your prompt attention, Samantha Smart
>>
>>
>> Samantha Smart
>> Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Smart libraries are OPEN libraries!
>>
>forwarded by dorie gallagher/nokomis
>







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[Mpls] Fw: Re: Thursday's Editorial on the Library Board #2

[Dorie Rae Gallagher]

Samatha's inquiry to why she was not mentioned

>> To Mr. Jim Boyd
>> To The Editors and Publisher of the Star Tribune:
>>
>> I am hoping it was just an oversight, a mistake, a miserable failure
>> in
> your research, and not an intentional act to damage my candidacy for
> the
> Minneapolis Public Library Board, that made your Editors fail to even
> mention my campaign in today's Editorial.  I am, in fact a candidate
> and
> have been since April of this year when I notified the Star Tribune
> political staff.  Someone at your paper knows about my campaign because
> Susan Hilliard contacted me to be a part of the Voters Guide.  Yet,
> your
> editorial does not even mention me even once, although you mention
> candidates that only just filed in July and candidates who have barely
> been
> present at the ten Friends of the Library Fora.
>>
>> I would like you to print a very visible retraction of this error and
> rectify this situation in the next day or two.
>>
>> Furthermore, I would like to tell you why I am not only viable, but
>> the
> best candidate in this race.
>>
>> I am the only candidate to have been personally responsible for
> organizing my neighborhood to save our library in Nokomis from the
> devastating hour cuts of 46 to 24 hours, with no Saturday service.
> This
> attempt over the last three years involved catalyzing a neighborhood
> organization - Concerned About Nokomis - which aggressively lobbied the
> Board for Saturday hours, gathering more than a thousand signatures,
> organizing letter, email and phone campaigns, going to Board meetings

and

> getting them to meet in our neighborhood, and ultimately, raising more
> than
> $30,000 to keep our library open on Saturdays for almost a year,
> keeping
> union workers employed.
>>
>> I have attended dozens of Board meetings to offer testimony and
>> monitor
> their decision making process and have offered proposals for funding
> scenarios to the Board, one of which was approved for research by the
> Board
> but was never carried through.
>> I am an actual library user, along with my children, and know acutely

the

> damage that has been done over these last three years.
>> I am the only candidate bringing a Harvard/Radcliffe education to bear

on

> our current problems.
>> I am the only candidate bringing 25 years of grassroots community
> organizing experience to this race, as well as 20 years of independent
> fundraising experience.
>> I am the only single mother of three children in public schools who

need

> to use the library and actually suffer the most from these hour and

staff

> cuts.
>> I am the only candidate to publicly call for adoption of the St. Paul
> model, which is 95% funded through City funds, thereby bypassing the
> agonies of the LGA cuts and can continue to offer seven-day-a-week

library

> service at award-winning levels of excellence.
>> I am the only candidate calling for implementation of the American
> Library Association's 1990 Policy #61 on Removing Barriers to Poor
> People's
> Access to the Library.
>>
>> By excluding me and my candidacy from your Editorial, you not only did
> damage to me and the work I have done tirelessly since April, but you

have

> also done damage to the voters of Minneapolis by limiting their

knowledge

> of the choices before them.
>> I expect an apology and retraction as soon as possible.
>>
>> Thank you for your prompt attention, Samantha Smart
>>
>>
>> Samantha Smart
>> Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Smart libraries are OPEN libraries!
>>
>
>







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Re: [Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home

[gemgram]

Aaron is correct.  Apparently it started shortly after 3:00 PM. A person 
living across the street called about that time.  Since that time probably 
fourteen or fifteen people have called.  Apparently there was also 
speculation that this was somehow tied to an earlier raid of Sabri holdings. 
Seriously, speculation is going wild.


Several of those calling me speculated on what the impact of these stories 
will have on both the City Council race and upon the Mayor's race.  It would 
be ironic if Sabri's criminal activities determine races in City Council 
races in two different wards four years apart.  Also the Herron scandal may 
well have in a small way impacted RT Rybak coming to office. It would be 
ironic if the same criminal's behavior got RT voted from that same office.


There will be more FBI investigations I am sure.  After all Basim Sabri 
admitted in Federal Court that he had bribed Minneapolis public officials to 
overcome neighborhood opposition and gain access to NRP money and City owned 
land.  The key word there is the plural "Officials". Those of us who 
attended the sentencing immediately wondered who the other Minneapolis 
officials are.


The Mayor has a difficult time with this situation.  The only veto of Mayor 
RT Rybak in four years in office was in favor of the criminal Basim Sabri. 
Fortunately enough Council People had good sense that they overcame Rybak's 
illegal veto.  Still one must remember that most of Minneapolis had watched 
television news when Sabri was bribing Brian Herron long before RT Rybak was 
supporting Sabri.  If nothing else it shows the very poor judgment that RT 
Rybak is prone to.  What politician in his right mind would support a 
project that resulted in Basim Sabri getting not only a city block, but even 
the City street for only $125,000.  Perhaps this is part of the reason for 
the FBI investigation. Where will the next FBI investigation be?


On this List I have previously speculated that Rybak's support of the 
criminal Sabri will be the bale of straw that breaks the political camel's 
back.  It just might come true.


Unfortunately, as more than one caller speculated this afternoon, the Sabri 
crime organization may have claimed two more Minneapolis politicians? No 
matter what it is a sad day for Minneapolis.


Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, Sixth Ward





- Original Message - 
From: "Aaron Klemz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: 
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 6:03 PM
Subject: [Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home



KARE 11 just reported that the FBI is currently
searching Dean Zimmermann's Minneapolis home. A
statement from Councilmember Zimmermann is reported to
be forthcoming.

aaron klemz
cooper

+++
Aaron Klemz, Minneapolis, Minnesota
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
+++

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[Mpls] Fw: Re: Thursday's Editorial on the Library Board #1

[Dorie Rae Gallagher]

Below is a letter that Samatha Smart wrote to the STrib asking why she, 
alone, was not included
in it's editorial while all other names were mentioned as candidates for the 
Library Board. There

is also a response from Mr. Boyd as to the reason.

The statement ...candidates we most hope will make it through the 
primary You mean the
DFL candidates we most hope...correct?! Samatha is not affiliated to a party 
and according
to the buzz...some of the DFL party members, along with candidates, have 
been less than
Minnesota nice in private. Why...is she too bright and too educated? Are 
some of the DFLer's
threatened by the fact that this woman gets things done, she speaks the 
truth, she takes a

stand and doesn't sway with the wind, and has ideas to work upon.

Is it because Samatha is passionate on getting women's issues out front and 
god forbid that we
should mention activism in public...that is so radical! Instead we hide 
behind the cloaks of secrecy,
we hide behind the newspapers editorials that has been fed by the powers in 
charge, and we hide
behind words, thoughts, and decisions chosen not by ourselveshow 
invisible.


I make a plea for all people to vote for Samatha Smart  Library Board on 
Tuesday... to show that newspapers

cannot control elections or keep honest  hard- working people down.

Dorie Gallagher/Nokomis


>> [Original Message]
>> From: Jim Boyd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> Date: 9/7/2005 4:27:05 PM
>> Subject: Re: Thursday's Editorial on the Library Board
>>
>> Dear Ms. Smart: No candidate has a right to be mentioned in any
> editorial. We were trying to suggest the candidates we most hope will

make

> it through the primary; you were not on that list. Should you survive

the

> primary, we will be delighted to again consider your candidacy for the
> general election. This is not an error, and there will not be a
> nor an apology.
>>
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Jim Boyd
>>
>> B. James Boyd
>> Deputy Editorial Page Editor
>> Star Tribune
>> 425 Portland Av.
>> Minneapolis, MN 55488
>>
>> 612-673-4470
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>
>







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FW: Re: [Mpls] Endorsements and Mayor- Lite

[Justin E.]

On the sustainability topic, before Rybak is given a pat on the back for 
this I would just like to state that I worked with MCNC (Mississippi 
Corridor Neighborhood Coalition) to provide Mayor Rybak in March of 2002 our 
"Environmental Agenda" (in response to the Mayor's '90-day Agenda') which 
included encouraging the City of Minneapolis to adopt Sustainability 
language.  We offered up some definitions and it also included some precepts 
of sustainability largely adapted from materials off of the Office of 
Environmental Assistance's (OEA's) website and other City's plans.


We are still awaiting a response from his office.
(see http://www.mcnc-mpls.org/)

Additionally, as a member of CEAC, (Citizens Environmental Advisory 
Committee) who has been tasked with some oversight (albeit limited) of the 
sustainability indicator process.  This has been a an ardous process and 
still till this day is completely, and I mean completely, unfunded.  There 
isn't even a single City staff person who is dedicated to coordination or 
implementation of the indicators or goals, which means if a citizen 
participant suggests a target on renewable energy  used in municipal 
buildings of 50% by 2012, City staff (mayor appointments included) descend 
upon that person like rabid wolves decrying budget concerns and how 
ridiculous the notion is (despite the fact that OEA staff who helped provide 
a grant to the City of Minneapolis to work on the indicators suggested a 
target of 100%).


So if you have an idea that fits within the box, which is the size of a 
small coin purse, then maybe it is worth looking into.  But if you have 
ideas of actual policies that would steer towards sustainability, forget 
about it unless you come with cash and I don't mean ideas of how to raise 
revenue either, (such as a carbon tax or pollution tax) those are off the 
table in an election year or any year.


People interested in sustainability are at the root of any accomplishments 
that the City can take credit for so far, meaning that the mayor could have 
created a position, and still can, that works towards implementing 
sustainability metrics and goals. Unfortunately politics have gotten in to 
what was some very good citizen input and produced what we have so 
far--which is not much.




Justin Eibenholzl
Armatage


Mr. Snyder writes:



"Question: I know a number of Hennepin County staff members who have done
some great work regarding sustainability issues, but where is Hennepin
County's sustainability plan and how has that been integrated into their
master planning efforts? I mean, at least Minneapolis has these things even
if you're not wholly satisfied with them.

"Aren't you risking taking a step backwards by supporting the guy who's had
how many years on the Hennepin County commission to propose these kinds of
efforts and apparently hasn't done so or if he has, hasn't managed to get
anywhere with them?"





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[Mpls] FBI Searches Dean Zimmermann's Home

[Aaron Klemz]

KARE 11 just reported that the FBI is currently
searching Dean Zimmermann's Minneapolis home. A
statement from Councilmember Zimmermann is reported to
be forthcoming.

aaron klemz
cooper

+++
Aaron Klemz, Minneapolis, Minnesota
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
+++

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Re: [Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughlin for Mayor/Brian Rice Gets Good ROI for his Park Board Fundraising

[Eva Young]

From: Eva Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 11:01:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughin for Mayor (Just 
A-C)



> Hey! My last name starts with "C" and I gave money
> to Peter McLaughlin. Why wasn't I mentioned? What am
> I, chopped liver? I have no connection to the Twins,
> Northwest Airlines, nor any (formal) connection to
> any bars, nor am I a developer, but can't I be old
> guard? Am I too young? Can't a GenX'er be old guard?
> Or is it because I supported Rybak in 2001?

Perhaps you weren't mentioned because the person looking at these campaign 
contributions didn't  find your contributions worth raising eyebrows 
about.It's well worth mentioning Peter's contributions from the Twins, 
Unions - as well as the independent expenditures done by those 
interests.  It's a legitimate question for a taxpayer in the city to ask - 
will the Mayor work for his contributors for for the city.


At the same time, Mayor Rybak seems to use city resources for his 
campaign.  Who needs campaign contributors, when the taxpayers will pay for 
your campaign?  Recall the newsletter that was sent out in January - that 
was basically a Reelect Rybak lit piece.


Nikki Carlson might not have business with the city - but Peter 
McLaughlin's contributors who do ARE a legitimate campaign issue - and I 
much appreciate people who do some analysis of campaign expenditure reports 
and bring these contributions to our attention.


This issue is a huge problem with the Park Board also - Brian Rice - 
lawyer/lobbyist/Park Board commissioner major fundraiser is a case in 
point.  Rice holds fundraisers - and gets his clients from his lobbying 
business to come for most of the sitting park board.  He gets a good return 
on investment on this one.


Meanwhile the Taxpayers are left holding the bag.

> This whole phrase old guard sounds like when Al Gore
> cornered W in a debate about social security and W
> replied that it sounded like fuzzy math. Raise
> legitimate issues? No! You're just old guard. It's
> smart marketing to marginalize your competition but
> in this case, probably a mistake. I mean, a
> candidate can criticize another candidate, but to
> insult the entire group of supporters is like
> calling consumers who use a competitive brand
> stupid. They'll never want to do business with you.
> Oops.

I'm not sure how W's comment about fuzzy math in a debate relates to this 
area.  But then Karl Rove seems to get used regularly also.


Wizard Marks mentioned that Peter McLaughlin shouldn't be held accountable 
for statements made by John Delmonico of the Police Federation comparing 
Minneapolis to New Orleans.  Well then, Peter always has the option to 
publically distance himself from those comments.  I'd encourage him to do 
so if he finds them excessively demogogic.


Why didn't Lisa McDonald run for Mayor this time?  The choices we have for 
those wanting a bit more accountability for the taxpayer and a positive 
vision for the city aren't there.  Lisa has a great vision for the 
city.  In my opinion - the 13th ward has two good candidates - Mike Hohmann 
and Lisa McDonald to choose from (both running against a DFL endorsed 
candidate)


Mark Snyder mentioned that if the Mark Stenglein conflict of interest was 
all the opponents of public subsidies for the stadium boondoggle had, then 
he'd expect the stadium to get passed at a special session should think 
again.   On the Twins issue, it looks like Sen Dean Johnson is having 
second thoughts about a Stadium Session.  Fair Goers gave a clear thumbs 
down to the scheme:


http://lloydletta.blogspot.com/2005/09/voters-polled-at-state-fair-give.html

Voters polled at the State Fair Give Thumbs Down to the Stadium Session

From the strib:

Thousands of State Fairgoers who filled out public policy questionnaires 
sponsored by the Minnesota House and Senate shared some strong opinions 
with legislators:

A special session for stadium proposals? No way (69.3 percent opposed).
A local sales tax increase without voter approval? Not on your life (81.1 
percent opposed).


It appears that now Dean Johnson is backing down from his call for a 
stadium session:


The Senate poll also offered a detailed description of the Hennepin 
County-Twins stadium plan, which hinges on a 0.15-percentage-point sales 
tax increase in the county without a public referendum. Only 23.2 percent 
favored that, with 67.2 percent calling for a vote or opposing any tax 
money for a Twins stadium.


Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, who joined House Speaker 
Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, last month in calling for a fall special session, 
backed off from that on Tuesday. The survey findings, plus the current 
focus of public concern on the hurricane disaster in Louisiana and 
Mississippi, militate against summoning legislators back to the Capitol 
anytime soon, he said.


"All of our juices are being used up for hurric

[Mpls] Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dunb. Destroyers of Worlds

[Aaarty]

 
So many politicians seem to b taking credit for light rail. I  thought 
Ventura was mainly responsible. He got a few things done by mistake. But  it 
was no 
great accomplishment anyway. It cost a fortune even tho there were  matching 
funds from the feds. Its a way of getting the jet set and the super  shoppers 
back and forth to the airport and the MOA.  
 
The commissioner brags that this was his big accomplishment for the  
environment. ??  For the environment?? For the airport you mean...the  airport 
which 
is the greatest ecological atrocity in the metro area.  Thanks commissioner but 
with your ideas of environmental improvement we  are on a fast track (on a 
train?) to the gates of hell. Your ideas might go over  better in your home 
state of Pennsylvania because your not really knowledgeable  about our city and 
its problems. The people who design public transportation are  not the people 
who use it every day. They are unaware that getting from east to  west across 
this town is slow and not that easy in most cases. Most busses go  downtown. 
Carl Pohlad is happy with the light rail. It was a windfall for him as  it was 
for much of downtown and that's who these two mayoral candidates serve  after 
all. Just look at the thousands they get from the Twins owners,  executives, 
etc. for their campaigns.
 
Minneapolis like all cities in this  
military-prison-casino-oily-Bushwacked-industrial complex are cancer pits 
thanks  to opportunistic politicians serving 
their special interests and their  plutocratic supporters. Cancer is now the 
leading cause of death and the cancer  rate is accelerating at a frightening 
pace. I get those facts from the Cancer  Center at HCMC where I've been treated 
for the last two years and I wasn't a  smoker. Our air pollution, even tho 
its more invisible gets worse every year.  And it will get much worse with the 
unnecessary housing boom that will only  bring more teeming masses into our 
city. Not a word is mentioned about it in  this campaign. Remember the mayor 
holding up the algae in the lake in his last  mayoral campaign, trying to palm 
himself off as an environmentalist? He made a  lot of money for his former 
employer, the biggest advertising rag and destroyer  of forests this city has 
ever 
seen. 
Then the city drew up a resolution opposing the bloody, costly  eco-atrocious 
unnecessary, illegal invasion of Iraq and he refused to sign  it.  With these 
guys watching out for our environment what chance do we  have? 

 
Sincerely,  Don Johnson, Candidate for Mayor, 3808 Grand Ave So. Minneapolis, 
MN 55409 (612)  824  _www.DonJohnsonMayor.org_ 
(http://www.donjohnsonmayor.org/)  
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[Mpls] In Ballot Box: Notes from Wednesday's Candidates' Fair

[Craig Cox]

In Ballot Box: Notes from Wednesday's Candidates' Fair

Go to: 
--
Craig Cox
Founder/Editor
The Minneapolis Observer
www.mplsobserver.com
612/721-0285

Support the independent media! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper!
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[Mpls] McLaughlin's crime and safety efforts as county commish

[wmmarks]

On Tuesday a poster asked what McLaughlin has done as a county 
commissioner about the sheriff's loss of personnel. That's the wrong 
question, I think, because it focuses the scope and latitude of a county 
commissioner post on too narrow a spot..


More than 10 years ago, we in his district requested that McLaughlin 
contribute leadership and county funds to both our economic and crime 
and safety efforts. He delivered. The Lake St. Repaving Project and the 
35W Access Project were both requests for his leadership on huge 
efforts. I was in the room when the request was made. We did this 
because we have 11.6 acres of dead land in the middle of our lives 
(Sears) and that deteriorated infrastructure has nurtured criminal 
behavior beyond our capacity to cope. That dead land had to be put to 
use. He also brought in LRT and bought out the Soo Line tracks as a 
transportation corridor (the Greenway), preserving it as a 
transportation corridor. We can get to jobs at the Mall of America and 
the airport without a car and get home both day and night with that 
train. This was truly a grass roots effort which would not have worked 
without someone with his particular skills in a commissioner seat.


The basic reason for all of our efforts was to return to the good old 
days when these Minneapolis neighborhoods were safe to walk, safe to 
play, safe to work, had jobs and contributed more to the tax base than 
it took out of the tax base. All of our efforts for the last 15 years 
have been on economic viability and safety.


His job as commissioner is to bring home the bacon to his district for 
our legitimate public uses. The job of mayor is the same. It would take 
the mayor we now have another 20 years before he has the skills to do 
anything similar.


Given conditions in the city at this time, McLaughlin's skills are the 
ones we desperately need in the mayor's office.


WizardMarks, Central




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Re: [Mpls] Gente de Minnesota endorsements for wards 8 and 10

[Dennis Plante]

I am very happy to see the Latino community weighing-in on this issue...

dennis plante
lind-bohanon


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[Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughin (I didn't include Nikki because she is a biker)

[ken bradley]

Minneapolis Folks,

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 
Hey! My last name starts with "C" and I gave money to Peter McLaughlin. Why 
wasn't I mentioned? What am I, chopped liver? I have no connection to the 
Twins, Northwest Airlines, nor any (formal) connection to any bars, nor am I a 
developer, but can't I be old guard? Am I too young? Can't a GenX'er be old 
guard? Or is it because I supported Rybak in 2001?

Nikki Carlson
Linden Hills
GenX wing of the Old Guard


I apologize to Nikki because she is not chop liver.

I did not include her because "she was a generation X'r and too young", and 
because I once saved her life. You have found my weakness. Oh, and because she 
rides a motorcycle. I didn't include anyone that rides a motorcycle, or 
contributed less then $200, most folks gave $500,  the max. And because she is 
an extremely fine person, even if I do disagree with her mayoral choice.

Ken Bradley






































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Re: [Mpls] Gente de Minnesota endorsements for wards 8 and 10

[Loki Anderson]

 I suppose it was only due to the lack of a hotly contested race, but folks 
should be aware of the growing Latino community in the Third Ward, particularly 
on the Northeast side. I used to walk and bus thru those neighborhoods often 
while going to and from work and know that there are many many young Latino 
families that have moved into the area. I hope the Hofstede and Newman 
campaigns are taking note of that fact.
 
Congratulations to Mr. Hayden and Mr. Persons.
 
Loki Anderson
Downtown 

Alberto Monserrate <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Enclosed is a translated version of our editorial endorsements for Minneapolis 
city council primaries in wards 8 and 10. Please keep in mind this is a 
translated version intended for our Spanish speaking audience






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Re: [Mpls] Gente de Minnesota endorsements for wards 8 and 10

[Loki Anderson]

 I suppose it was only due to the lack of a hotly contested race, but folks 
should be aware of the growing Latino community in the Third Ward, particularly 
on the Northeast side. I used to walk and bus thru those neighborhoods often 
while going to and from work and know that there are many many young Latino 
families that have moved into the area. I hope the Hofstede and Newman 
campaigns are taking note of that fact.
 
Congratulations to Mr. Hayden and Mr. Persons.
 
Loki Anderson
Downtown 

Alberto Monserrate <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Enclosed is a translated version of our editorial endorsements for Minneapolis 
city council primaries in wards 8 and 10. Please keep in mind this is a 
translated version intended for our Spanish speaking audience





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Re: [Mpls] Gente de Minnesota endorsements for wards 8 and 10

[David Strand]

Great work by Gente de Minnesota!  Another question I
believe may be of interest to your readership is the
position of candidates on resident alien voting
rights.  State legislators have stated that they need
local governments to support their efforts to make the
necessary changes to allow local jurisidictions expand
the franchise to noncitizens in local elections.

Resident aliens pay for, use and depend upon local
government services and allowing resident aliens to
vote in local elections requires local elected
officials to respond to the needs of all residents.

If many of my neighbors are disenfranchised, I am
effectively disenfranchised as city wide elected
officials pay more attention to were the majority of
voters are.  Some wards have far fewer voters than
others for a variety of reasons and allowing local
jurisdictions to expand the franchise for local
elections to more residents than required for state
and federal elections is one way to remedy the
discrepancies in electoral power in different sectors
of the city.

Many noncitizens own small businesses and/or own
property in the city as well as being residents.

I know that the MN Green Party Platform supports
resident alien voting rights and numerous state
representatives from Minneapolis and St. Paul(all
DFL'ers so far) support resident alien voting rights
as well.

David Strand
Loring Park

--- Alberto Monserrate <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Enclosed is a translated version of our editorial
> endorsements for Minneapolis city council primaries
> in wards 8 and 10. Please keep in mind this is a
> translated version intended for our Spanish speaking
> audience. 





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[Mpls] Gente de Minnesota endorsements for wards 8 and 10

[Alberto Monserrate]

Enclosed is a translated version of our editorial endorsements for Minneapolis 
city council primaries in wards 8 and 10. Please keep in mind this is a 
translated version intended for our Spanish speaking audience. 

Copies of our paper have started to be distributed in Minneaplis today, and an 
online version in English and Spanish will be avaialble today at 
www.gentedeminnesota.com. The direct link to the editorial in English is 
http://gentedeminnesota.com/editorial_det.php?nid=7.


Gente de Minnesota endorses candidates for City Council of Minneapolis in wards 
8 and 10
 

 

Around four weeks ago we decided that as a media outlet that is part of the 
political, economic and social environment of the Twin Cities, we needed to 
demonstrate a larger political participation and endorse candidates in the 
September 13th primaries. We also decided to make endorsements so we could help 
our readers make what can be a very difficult decision: who to vote for in 
hotly contested races in Minneapolis. At the same time we wanted to draw 
attention from Minneapolis politicians to issues that affect our community. We 
decided to make endorsements in two wards in South Minneapolis that are very 
competitive and that have two of the largest concentrations of Latinos in the 
city: wards eight and ten. 

 

Ward eight covers from Lake Street to 50th Street and from Lyndale Avenue to 
Cedar Avenue and it has the one of the largest Latino populations in 
Minneapolis. Ward ten has a smaller Latino population than ward eight and it 
covers the uptown area, including part of Lake Street from Second Avenue to 
Lake Calhoon and forty second Street to Franklin. Both wards have grown a lot 
in Hispanic population in the past ten years, and they will continue to grow 
much more in the next ten. 

 

The job was harder than we expected since there were no incumbents in these 
races, and we had never heard before of most of the candidates (fourteen total 
candidates). But it was an interesting process to go through and we hope we can 
help in your decision on who to vote for. In Ward 8 six of the eight candidates 
we sent questionnaires to answered our questions and in ward ten, three of the 
six candidates responded. 


We asked the candidates seven questions that we decided covered the most 
important issues that our community faces. We asked what they would do to 
increase diversity in the City of Minneapolis decision-making, if they would 
support that Minneapolis residents be allowed to get a drivers license 
regardless of immigration status, what they would do help reduce the learning 
gap between white and minority students in Minneapolis, what they would do to 
help reduce gangs and crime in the city, what they would do to improve the 
chances for home ownership in the city, how they would help to improve the 
environment for small businesses in Minneapolis, and how to improve the job 
climate for thousands of immigrants that will move to the city in the next few 
years. 

 

In ward 8 we decided to endorse Jeff Hayden. We were very impressed with his 
pervious experience, which included time as assistant to Gary Schiff a member 
of the city council who has done a lot to support the Latino Community and who 
endorsed Hayden. We were impressed by his answers to our questions, and his 
knowledge about the Latino community. Hayden who is African American would add 
to the much needed ethnic diversity needed in the city council. 

 

Very close to Hayden was Elizabeth Glidden who impressed us with her answers, 
and demonstrated a very good understanding about issues that confront immigrant 
communities. Glidden was the candidate that seemed to put the most effort into 
answering our questions. We feel that either candidate would represent our 
community well. 

 

Donald Bellsfield impressed us with most of his answers. It was refreshing to 
listen to a candidate that doesn't sound like most Minneapolis politicians, and 
that understands that most jobs are created by small business owners, and that 
high taxes discourage immigrants from buying homes and investing in businesses 
in the city. He also talked about the need to hire more cops and about how 
democrats must stop taking minority voters for granted.   

 

Unfortunately Bellfield is opposed to letting Minneapolis residents obtain a 
drivers license regardless of immigration status. He also made a bad impression 
with our editorial board who worked so hard in this endorsement process, by 
insinuating that we had pre selected the endorsed candidates before sending the 
questionnaires. Bellfield would add to desperately needed ethnic and 
ideological diversity in the city council by being African American and a 
Republican. 

 

Terry Yzaguirre the only latina in the race, and who is running as an 
independent, impressed us with her energy and passion to improve her community. 
But we feel she needs more experience in politics before we can endorse her as 
a candidate.

Re: [Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughin for Mayor (Just A-C)

[nikkicarlson001]

Hey! My last name starts with "C" and I gave money to Peter McLaughlin. Why 
wasn't I mentioned? What am I, chopped liver? I have no connection to the 
Twins, Northwest Airlines, nor any (formal) connection to any bars, nor am I a 
developer, but can't I be old guard? Am I too young? Can't a GenX'er be old 
guard? Or is it because I supported Rybak in 2001?
 
This whole phrase old guard sounds like when Al Gore cornered W in a debate 
about social security and W replied that it sounded like fuzzy math. Raise 
legitimate issues? No! You're just old guard. It's smart marketing to 
marginalize your competition but in this case, probably a mistake. I mean, a 
candidate can criticize another candidate, but to insult the entire group of 
supporters is like calling consumers who use a competitive brand stupid. 
They'll never want to do business with you. Oops.
 
Nikki Carlson
Linden Hills
GenX wing of the Old Guard
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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[Mpls] Children's Book Festival

[Krueger, Rodney]

The Target Children's Book Festival presented by the Star Tribune will be held 
on Saturday, September 10th at the Hyland Lake Park Reserve. 

Read and spend time together during a day of FREE family fun: entertainment, 
author book signings, paddle boats, climbing wall, children's activities and 
more.

Local Authors:
   
12:00-12:30 Tracy Uttley 
12:35-1:05  Paul Dixon  
1:10-1:40   Marian Dane Bauer  
1:45-2:15   Mary Casanova  
2:20-2:50   Marsha Wilson Chall  
2:55-3:25   Lisa Westberg Peters 
3:30-4:00   Catherine Thimmesh 
4:05-4:35   Rick Chrustowski 

The Children's Book festival is sponsored by the Metropolitan Library Service 
Agency (MELSA).  MELSA is a multi-jurisdictional federation of the city and 
county public libraries in the metropolitan Twin City area organized to provide 
cooperative services and cost saving programs to the participants. MELSA is the 
administrative agency for receiving and equitable sharing of state and federal 
grant appropriations made available through Library Development & Services of 
the Minnesota Department of Children, Family & Learning.  Minneapolis Public 
Library (MPL) is  a member of MELSA. 

For more information on MESLA:   http://www.melsa.org

MPL: Books for Kids or Web for Kids: 

http://www.mplib.org/wfk/wfk_readingideas.asp


Children's Book Festival
Saturday, September 10th
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Hyland Lake Park Reserve
10145 Bush Lake Road
Bloomington MN

For directions and parking information go to 
http://www.target.com/mplsbookfestival


Thank you,

Rod Krueger
Minneapolis Library Board / MELSA Library Trustee
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[Mpls] food drive for local food shelf at DUST JACKET BOOKS

[c lee]

Thank you to Commissioner McLaughlin for holding a Katrina food drive.

The extent of this disaster has impacted our local food shelf (Minnehaha 
food shelf).  Our major supplier, Hope for the City, is doing a wonderful 
relief effort on the Gulf.  But this means the many families depending on 
local help wll be getting much less.  This food shelf serves hundreds of 
families with 5,000-7,000 lbs of food/month from Lake st. to the Airport and 
Cedar to Minnehaha Park. The shelf is located at 3701 - 37th avenue south 
(Minnehaha Utd. Methodist Church), 612-721-6231


DUST JACKET BOOKS contacted us.  They have graciously stepped forward and 
offered to assist the Minnehaha shelf with a community food drive.


The drive will last throught Sept. 18th.  Please drop off non-perishable 
food items at Dust Jacket

   2726 East 50th street  612-724-4342 (closed on Monday)
   This is 1 block east of Lake Nokomis at 28th Ave. South and East 
50th St (next to

 Nokomis Beach Coffee shop)

Many thanks to Rick at DustJacket!

Thank you,
cheryl luger

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[Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughin for Mayor (Bill Kahn's cab driver comment)

[ken bradley]

Minneapolis Folks,
 
Bill Kah criticized me including Gene Buell in my list of special interest 
contributors. He essentially tried to claim that I was picking on a cab driver 
that had contributed to McLaughlin's campaign. 
 
Gene Buell is the President of Gopher Towing a company that is regualted by the 
city and I believe charges $125 for cars to be released from impound. The 
company makes a significant amount of its money durring snow emegencies. I am 
fairly certain he is a honest bussiness man but his bussiness is directly 
impacted by the city regulatory process. Good or bad he is a special interest, 
and not just a cab driver. I consider contributions of $500 significant. 
 
PS. Cab drivers need a price increase because of the increase in fuel prices. 


Gene Buell, Gopher Towing $500 


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Re: [Mpls] More overpersonalization of posts

[jhpalmerjp]

 Jim and List,
 
I had meant this as good-natured ribbing to someone who I've agreed with at 
times and disagreed with at other times, but always with at least my 
understanding that it was intellectual sparring and never an attempt to malign 
him.  My intent was never to overpersonalize or in any way be a serious insult 
to Jim.  Jim, I sincerely apologize to you personally for my indiscretion and 
hope you will take it in the spirit it was meant.  If you want to discuss it 
further, please feel free to email me offlist or give me a call.  I will 
refrain in the future from overpersonalization.  My apologies as well to anyone 
on the list that was offended or caused undue stress by my posting.
 
Jonathan Palmer
Victory
 
-Original Message-
From: List Manager <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: mpls@mnforum.org
Sent: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 07:09:57 -0500
Subject: [Mpls] More overpersonalization of posts


Another, clearer example of same overpersonalization. Please stop, everyone!

David Brauer
List manager

> -Original Message-
Ahh, Jim.  I have missed the opportunity to discuss and debate with  someone
> of your caliber.  You are probably the only person on the forum who
writes
> longer and denser posts than me (or at least run equal to) and it's
always a
> joy to exchange thoughts, especially when you're wrong.  I did,  however,
expect
> you to be able to write your own posts rather than rewrite mine,  but it's
> probably more difficult to come up with original material. Let me know  if
you
> need help coming up with your own phrases and colloquilisms, I've got a
couple
> in my spare pocket. ;-)  

> And  while we're on the subject of utilizing power and influence, you must
> have  missed ...


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Re: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

[freealonzo]

Oops, sorry I forgot to sign (first time!)

Dean E. Carlson
Ward 10, East Harriet

- Original Message -
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 8:18 am
Subject: Re: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

> Sheesh, talk about the lowering the bar, what's next, complaints 
> that 
> RT's wearing of mismatch sox directly led to Daytons now being 
> owned by 
> an out of town firm?  How about the time the Major illegally left 
> his 
> Hybrid running, it seemed like the crime rate started to creep up 
> right 
> after that, maybe it was a subtle hint that it was ok to be an 
> outlaw 
> in the city.
> 
> I especially love the complaint about the budget.  Here is a mayor 
> who 
> inherited a huge budget shortfall from a former mayor who didn't 
> want 
> to make hard budget decisions and a staff that was afraid to 
> confront 
> it.  Couple that with a state government that literally turned its 
> back 
> on inner cities, plus having to govern in a post 9-11 world where 
> Cities were saddled with additional security needs but no 
> additional 
> funds to pay for them.  He could have taken the path the former 
> mayor 
> did and stick his hands over his ears and say "la la la I'm not 
> listening."  But instead he confronted the budget mess head on.  
> 
> Now he's facing an opponent full if happy bromides but won't give 
> us 
> his budget details.  So excuse me if I'm a little nervous.  But 
> don't 
> worry, I'll also watch his office hires, I'm sure that 
> receptionist 
> position will be his first order of business.
> 
> 
> - Original Message -
> From: wmmarks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 2:23 am
> Subject: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder
> 
> > After the last election, the winner of course moved to city 
> hall.  He 
> had proclaimed that he was going to 'sweep city hall clean,' have 
> an  
> open door policy, and fix the budget. OK. Fine. Roll it out, let's 
> see 
> your act.
> > 
> > Within a week or so he had removed the receptionist and some 
> other 
> low level clerks, installed his staff, sans any receptionist, and 
> had 
> moved the staff positions into higher wages than the positions had 
> carried under the previous administration.
> > 
> > At that point he had broken all three of his intentions. The one 
> that 
> galled me the most was his failure to hire a receptionist. What it 
> told 
> me about Rybak was that he devalued the work of a receptionist, 
> thinking that job irrelevant. It completely contradicts the notion 
> of 
> an open door policy. The consequences are myriad and far reaching. 
> *Phone messages get lost, *visitors are greeted with confusion, 
> *having 
> an open door implies someone is home. Things don't happen in a 
> timely 
> fashion. In my estimation no office of any size over two 
> inhabitants 
> can operate without competent clerks. That also appears to have 
> been 
> the conclusion of every mayor preceding Rybak for a hundred years. 
> Then, of course, raising staff salaries for the remaining group  
> out of 
> the wages of a receptionist and a couple of clerks meant he could 
> shuffle money into the pockets of his supporters and out of the 
> picture 
> for running city hall well. Clerk positions are through civil 
> service 
> process and the contenders are not of the mayor's choosing
> 
> > It was also dumb. The administration we have had as a 
> consequence has 
> religiously followed the path of not-quite-up-to-standard 
> throughout. 
> Rybak had the opportunity to hire people who could have improved 
> the 
> functioning of the city, but did not. Instance after instance when 
> he 
> could have made decisions for the city, all of which impacted the 
> budget to one degree or another, Rybak made less than sterling 
> decisions. A few bad decisions are to be expected. Nobody's 
> perfect.  
> But decision after decision? Over a period of 4 years? At some 
> point 
> one is forced to say that this guy ain't got his act together OR  
> follow the money and see where it takes you.
> > 
> > Not a pretty picture.
> > 
> > WizardMarks, Central
> > REMINDERS:
> >
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PROTECTED] befor

[Mpls] Strib Mayoral Recommendation: Part 2

[Gary Hoover]

(Continued from "Part 1" of this e-mail.)

A third taboo topic is that our political dialogue is dominated by the very 
institutions most resistant to change.  furthermore, these institutions have 
made our people into dependent pro-sumers rather than self-aware citizens

 Our large corporations exploit consumers, workers,  and to the environment.  
As individuals we have been taught to place large corporations in place of 
government.  Furthermore, we religiously, obsessively advertise to ourselves 
the real faith of our time: our happiness lies in material consumption.  We are 
taught to be compliant at work and at play, and are rewarded like children with 
new toys if we behave.

Our political leaders encourage us to "consume" government services like soft 
drinks from a vending machine.  Our economic leaders encourage us to place 
large corporations in the place of our parents.  These corporations shape our 
adult world and really do the business of managing our lives and our 
government.  We are taught in this way to be powerless.

The two DFL candidates for mayor will no more challenge this system than they 
would take on a family of wild animals.  Any politician to win an election 
would be hobbled from the start.

This winter as New Orleans swims in a toxic pool of chemicals we would prefer 
not to know about, we in Minneapolis will experience a huge increase in the 
cost of heating our dwellings and places of business.  We will be told not to 
worry.  We will be given assurances that we need not change, and that the great 
corporations upon whom we have grown so dependent will take care of us.

This winter we will above all be expected not to find ways to generate needed 
energy in renewable ways as a part of our urban infrastructure. We will be 
encouraged to escape the winter cold by flying to warm and sunny places.  The 
following spring we will be discouraged from learning a lifestyle which 
includes growing our own food or providing a simpler lifestyle for our 
families.  We will be encouraged to consume food from around the world brought 
to us through use of petroleum bought with terrible violence in global resource 
wars.

As long as our civic leaders encourage us to deny these realities, we will have 
economic apartheid and all the violence that this implies.  We do have an 
option to develop new paradigms, which will open the way for a shared civic 
vision.

-- pedaling for peace and ecojustice -- Gary Hoover
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[Mpls] Strib Mayoral Recommendation: Part 1

[Gary Hoover]

>From the Strib's Editorial:
>And here's the one we're waiting for -- who can describe clearly and 
>concisely the city that Minneapolis should become?<

In the light of recent discussion on the Minneapolis list, there is good reason 
for the two DFL candidates to avoid articulating any vision for the future of 
Minneapolis.

We are living through a paradigm shift.  Meanwhile citizens have been 
bludgeoned by violence, duplicity, and a refusal on the part of American -- and 
Minneapolis -- leadership to understand or address the most significant issues 
of our time.

The violence exists at every level: from global resource wars to gang violence 
on our city streets.  But the violence is deeply related to our own duplicity 
and denial of issues so great as to constitute an entire family of 800-pound 
gorillas sitting in our civic living room.

The first taboo topic is this: we are divided in an economic apartheid.  This 
economic violence still has a powerful racial component, and it is a 
foundational form of violence in any city or nation, including our own.  Fear 
and rage seethe in the streets of our city as those who know they are "unwanted 
eaters" and those who fear people they see as "useless eaters" eye one another.

Those who are tortured with images of affluence on television from birth also 
know instinctively that their lot in life is grinding poverty. Those who are 
wealthy cannot allow any scrutiny of our economic system.

We exclude this economic apartheid from our political discussion.  We can only 
see a common civic future if we acknowledge the economic apartheid in which we 
live.

The second taboo topic is this: we still live in the relationship to our 
environment as the worst of the robber-barons.  Our city infrastructure is 
designed as though there is an infinite amount of free land, energy, and water 
for us to use without care.We have also designed our city and every element of 
it as though we have an infinite sink into which to dispose of our waste.

All of our local industry and businesses operate according to these ideas.  
From hospitals to airlines, costs are "externalized" onto the environment as a 
matter of course.

Our houses and apartments are designed as though it does not matter how much 
energy we require for heating and cooling.  Our transportation system is also 
designed to encourage easy consumption while spending a maximum amount of 
energy and creating enormous pollution.

We will not be able to articulate a common vision for the future until we 
embrace a new paradigm for our urban infrastructure and lifestyle.

(The third taboo topic which I think prevents us from developing a shared civic 
vision...I'll send in a second e-mail...)

-- pedaling for peace and ecojustice from Lynnhurst -- Gary Hoover
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Re: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

[Dennis Plante]

What would be interesting to take a look at is the effect that national 
economic conditions have had on the crime rate in Minneapolis?


As crazy as it may sound, I believe Minneapolis is viewed as "fertile 
grounds" for many disenfranchised residents from other metropolitan areas.  
And it'd be interesting to learn to what extent we're "inhereting"  our 
problems from other metropolitan areas.


If it is as I suspect, it'd be pretty tough to blame the issue on the 
actions (or inactions) of our current mayor.


I just don't ever remember seeing a newspaper article that read "Joe Smith - 
long-time resident of North Minneapolis was arrested yesterday in connection 
with the drive-by shooting that occurred recently at 43rd and Bryant Ave N."


I do not suggest that we attempt to stop individuals from moving here, I am 
merely pointing-out that there are some things that are out of the control 
of City government.  Like national economic conditions.



dennis plante
lind-bohanon


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[Mpls] Murals

[Mark Wilde]

One graffiti abatement tactic that hasn't been
mentioned in this 
current thread is the use of murals on frequently
tagged walls. 
Unfortunately, businesses and residents with
single-color walls (especially white) 
are basically taunting taggers with a blank canvas.
Subsidizing the cost 
of mural paintings may be a good investment of NRP
dollars in affected 
neighborhoods. Offering rewards for turning in vandals
may also be an 
effective use of NRP funds.

-Ed Kohler

Tag Tagger in Cooper

Wow, I didn't think I would find anything to agree
with in a post by Mr. Kohler, but the mural idea is
great.  With the help of the Windom Park Citizens in
Action and NRP money, we put up two big murals at an
abandoned gas station on Central Ave.  I am now
working on finding artists for murals on the Eastside
Co-op building on Central.  Murals are a great
deterrent to graffiti.  I have helped put up many over
the years and have never once had one defaced by
graffiti. Anyone in Northeast interested in helping
email me off-list.

Mark Wilde
Windom Park



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Re: [Mpls] FEMA/2nd Harvest/McLaughlin food drive

[nikkicarlson001]

I checked with 2nd harvest, and as Pamela suggests, they do need can openers, 
they accept Sterno, flashlights and new packaged batteries, and they also need 
feminine care products. The need is great so if this spot is convenient for 
people it would be great if you could drop off something.

Barbara Lickness <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

I am forwarding something I received from the Peter McLaughlin campaign:

Dear friends:

I know you are just as shocked and devastated as I am seeing the aftermath of 
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the gulf coast. This disaster has 
disproportionately affected the poor and the elderly and we are all struggling 
to find ways we can help.

Second Harvest Heartland has partnered with FEMA to provide food and supplies 
to 
victims of the hurricane, and volunteers at my campaign have put together a 
food 
drive. I invite each of you to stop by Thursday evening with a donation. Below 
is a list of what is most needed.

WHEN: Thursday September 8th, 5:00 p.m. to dusk
WHERE: Beard?s Plaisance parking lot 45th & Upton, SW corner of Lake Harriet
WHAT TO BRING: 
Bottled water
Hand-held snacks like beef jerky, granola or energy bars
Peanut butter
Canned meat
Canned meals like hearty soups or chili
Diapers!

The food and supplies that we collect will be shipped immediately to the gulf 
region or to Camp Ripley to aid the evacuees from New Orleans.

Thank you.

Peter



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Re: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

[freealonzo]

Sheesh, talk about the lowering the bar, what's next, complaints that 
RT's wearing of mismatch sox directly led to Daytons now being owned by 
an out of town firm?  How about the time the Major illegally left his 
Hybrid running, it seemed like the crime rate started to creep up right 
after that, maybe it was a subtle hint that it was ok to be an outlaw 
in the city.

I especially love the complaint about the budget.  Here is a mayor who 
inherited a huge budget shortfall from a former mayor who didn't want 
to make hard budget decisions and a staff that was afraid to confront 
it.  Couple that with a state government that literally turned its back 
on inner cities, plus having to govern in a post 9-11 world where 
Cities were saddled with additional security needs but no additional 
funds to pay for them.  He could have taken the path the former mayor 
did and stick his hands over his ears and say "la la la I'm not 
listening."  But instead he confronted the budget mess head on.  

Now he's facing an opponent full if happy bromides but won't give us 
his budget details.  So excuse me if I'm a little nervous.  But don't 
worry, I'll also watch his office hires, I'm sure that receptionist 
position will be his first order of business.


- Original Message -
From: wmmarks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 2:23 am
Subject: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

> After the last election, the winner of course moved to city hall.  He 
had proclaimed that he was going to 'sweep city hall clean,' have an  
open door policy, and fix the budget. OK. Fine. Roll it out, let's see 
your act.
> 
> Within a week or so he had removed the receptionist and some other 
low level clerks, installed his staff, sans any receptionist, and had 
moved the staff positions into higher wages than the positions had 
carried under the previous administration.
> 
> At that point he had broken all three of his intentions. The one that 
galled me the most was his failure to hire a receptionist. What it told 
me about Rybak was that he devalued the work of a receptionist, 
thinking that job irrelevant. It completely contradicts the notion of 
an open door policy. The consequences are myriad and far reaching. 
*Phone messages get lost, *visitors are greeted with confusion, *having 
an open door implies someone is home. Things don't happen in a timely 
fashion. In my estimation no office of any size over two inhabitants 
can operate without competent clerks. That also appears to have been 
the conclusion of every mayor preceding Rybak for a hundred years. 
Then, of course, raising staff salaries for the remaining group  out of 
the wages of a receptionist and a couple of clerks meant he could 
shuffle money into the pockets of his supporters and out of the picture 
for running city hall well. Clerk positions are through civil service 
process and the contenders are not of the mayor's choosing
 
> It was also dumb. The administration we have had as a consequence has 
religiously followed the path of not-quite-up-to-standard throughout. 
Rybak had the opportunity to hire people who could have improved the 
functioning of the city, but did not. Instance after instance when he 
could have made decisions for the city, all of which impacted the 
budget to one degree or another, Rybak made less than sterling 
decisions. A few bad decisions are to be expected. Nobody's perfect.  
But decision after decision? Over a period of 4 years? At some point 
one is forced to say that this guy ain't got his act together OR  
follow the money and see where it takes you.
> 
> Not a pretty picture.
> 
> WizardMarks, Central
> REMINDERS:
>
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[Mpls] Strib: Mayoral recommendation, debate, Ward 8 recap

[List Manager]

Mayor's editorial:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5602235.html

Mayoral debate story:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5602469.html

Ward 8 story:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5602571.html

David Brauer
List manager

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[Mpls] More overpersonalization of posts

[List Manager]

Another, clearer example of same overpersonalization. Please stop, everyone!

David Brauer
List manager

> -Original Message-
Ahh, Jim.  I have missed the opportunity to discuss and debate with  someone
> of your caliber.  You are probably the only person on the forum who
writes
> longer and denser posts than me (or at least run equal to) and it's
always a
> joy to exchange thoughts, especially when you're wrong.  I did,  however,
expect
> you to be able to write your own posts rather than rewrite mine,  but it's
> probably more difficult to come up with original material. Let me know  if
you
> need help coming up with your own phrases and colloquilisms, I've got a
couple
> in my spare pocket. ;-)  

> And  while we're on the subject of utilizing power and influence, you must
> have  missed ...


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RE: [Mpls] Rybak retort to Minneapolis Police Federation

[List Manager]

Folks, a few excerpts below are another example of overly personalized posts
(which lead to overly personalized responses, which lead us away from issues
and candidates.)

PLEASE for about the thousandth time, resist the urge to get in one-on-one
spats and focus on issues, not each other. If you're addressing your words
to another member, write her or him OFF LIST.

David Brauer
List manager
Focus-keeper

> -Original Message-
I'm not sure why you don't  see this, but
> your point is in accurate and illogical.


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[Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder

[wmmarks]

After the last election, the winner of course moved to city hall. He had 
proclaimed that he was going to 'sweep city hall clean,' have an open 
door policy, and fix the budget. OK. Fine. Roll it out, let's see your act.


Within a week or so he had removed the receptionist and some other low 
level clerks, installed his staff, sans any receptionist, and had moved 
the staff positions into higher wages than the positions had carried 
under the previous administration.


At that point he had broken all three of his intentions. The one that 
galled me the most was his failure to hire a receptionist. What it told 
me about Rybak was that he devalued the work of a receptionist, thinking 
that job irrelevant. It completely contradicts the notion of an open 
door policy. The consequences are myriad and far reaching. *Phone 
messages get lost, *visitors are greeted with confusion, *having an open 
door implies someone is home. Things don't happen in a timely fashion. 
In my estimation no office of any size over two inhabitants can operate 
without competent clerks. That also appears to have been the conclusion 
of every mayor preceding Rybak for a hundred years.


Then, of course, raising staff salaries for the remaining group out of 
the wages of a receptionist and a couple of clerks meant he could 
shuffle money into the pockets of his supporters and out of the picture 
for running city hall well. Clerk positions are through civil service 
process and the contenders are not of the mayor's choosing


It was also dumb. The administration we have had as a consequence has 
religiously followed the path of not-quite-up-to-standard throughout. 
Rybak had the opportunity to hire people who could have improved the 
functioning of the city, but did not. Instance after instance when he 
could have made decisions for the city, all of which impacted the budget 
to one degree or another, Rybak made less than sterling decisions.


A few bad decisions are to be expected. Nobody's perfect.  But decision 
after decision? Over a period of 4 years? At some point one is forced to 
say that this guy ain't got his act together OR  follow the money and 
see where it takes you.


Not a pretty picture.

WizardMarks, Central
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