RE: Ventura tax reform & Mpls. schools
Oops, meant to post that one under my own name...not the administrative List Manager designation. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of List Manager Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 1:17 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Ventura tax reform & Mpls. schools Doug Grow had an informative column Sunday on Ventura's tax reform plan. Now as we all, ahem, know, purely state matters are not germane to Minneapolis-Issues. But Grow included a particularly Minneapolis aspect in his piece (which is at: http://www.startribune.com/viewers/qview/cgi/qview.cgi?story=83286723&templa te=column_grow_a), or go to columnists on the Strib's Metro-page site. Anyway, Grow wrote: "And, in perhaps his scariest 'reform' proposal, Ventura said that owners of businesses, farmland and vacation homes should not have to pay for excess school levies. That burden would fall totally on homeowners. Think of how a proposal such as that could gut excess-levy programs such as the one overwhelmingly passed by Minneapolis voters to maintain small class sizes. More than half of the $40 million levy comes from business and commercial property." As I recall, when we debated the referendum on the list last year, there was a subsection about state property-tax reform and how it pushed a greater share of the levy onto homeowners. If Grow is right, Ventura would lift the burden entirely -- presumably in exchange for the state picking up more education costs and reducing our property taxes. A levy cap sounds mighty dangerous to a city with most of the state's social problems, that has nevertheless been willing to surtax itself. >From the Minneapolis resident's perspective, levy-caps sound like the fatal flaw in Ventura's plan. Can list members on the school board, city government, or even on the state/governor side weigh in with their perspective? (And of course, the rest of us...) David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10
Bad DFL caucus rules
Lots of meat in Fredric's recent post, but I'm only going to touch on a couple of things: First, the item about Barb's list mishap is toward the bottom of: http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001221.htm. There is also an interesting item on Lisa McDonald gunning for union support via city low-voltage wiring inspection...see "Over Extending Authority" at http://checksandbalances.com/MN/players-page/pp001227.htm. Second, Fredric hits on a longstanding major gripe of mine: that the DFL locks in its 2001 delegates at its 2000 (presidential or legislative year) caucuses. This means any candidate not organized two years before election day (i.e., many non-incumbents) can't influence the party endorsing process by getting their grass-roots supporters to become delegates. (St. Paul, on the other hand, picks new delegates during the city election year.) Although at the major-office level, the DFL endorsement process is wheezing like a dying man, it still has great influence at the council level. It has always seemed to me a violation of the DFL's alleged grass-roots ethos to lock in its selectors so far in advance. I suppose the argument FOR doing so is that attendance is higher during even-numbered years. But in a state that's justifiably proud of its same-day voter registration, it seems ridiculous to shut down city council delegate selection 11 months before a city election year even begins, and 21 months before the election itself. (I've always hoped some new Democratic voter who just hit town arrival would sue the party for disenfranchisement, since the rule is also in effect a residency requirement mandating that you live here in February 2000 to decide the party's nominee in 2001. But I admit this is only symbolic, since the party has wide latitude to make its own rules.) I've always believed these restrictive rules exist to protect incumbents and insiders who show up annually. I think it is one reason the DFL is not as in touch with the electorate as it should be. I'm pondering offering a resolution at my local caucus to change the practice. Of course, one resolution at one caucus won't do much. Anyone have advice about how to make a bigger impact? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Chied Olson's reappointment
Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental health problems. I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which council members are and are not supporting Olson? If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events policy. Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department, could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the critical events policy. David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10
RE: mill city montessori
Hey, Denny, thanks for remembering! That was my story! (I think it was the Reader, though I worked for both so even I get confused...) While I am not an absolutist about corporate support of the schools, I wrote at the time (and continue to believe) that it was wrong for Target to "purchase" several downtown school spots, and attach the requisite public school teachers. Originally, I think, the school was mostly Target kids, with others (mostly minorities) thrown in for diversity. I have no problem with corporations subsidizing a downtown school, but it just seems wrong to make the result so directed. If a bunch of big hitters wanted to thrown in for a downtown school, without a student-spot guarantee but with the understanding that a big downtown school would make their workplaces generally more attractive...well, I'm for that, because people still have an equal chance to get in. But that might not be a big enough "return" for a private business to capitalize. And I acknowledge that getting new funding into the schools somehow can be a good thing for all, because existing resources can serve the rest of the students. Since then, the charter movement has really picked up steam. Wonder if downtown businesses could set up their own charter. Could they then restrict enrollment somehow? Would that be more palatable done via charter? (At first blush, I think not.) The bigger thread is whether there is still a demand for downtown spots, and if so, how can we fill it to equally serve all parents and their kids? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 8:39 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: mill city montessori There were and are lots of questions about Target (or any business) sponsoring a public school. It would have been nice to air that debate years ago. List members may remember a cover article on the topic in City Pages (or was is the Reader?) when the school opened. But none of those questions should affect thinking about TIF. Target has no legal or moral responsibility to continue to sponsor the school. It was, from the start, a service to its employees, with some significant external benefits. Mill City Montessori was generally seen as an first-rank school, so it would be worthwhile to keep its staff and program together. Wanna bash Target or its TIF victory, fine. But this is not the hammer. Dennis Schapiro Linden Hills
RE: MCDA and STA Associates news release
Can someone decode this release? The MCDA was ready to foreclose on STA, who looked like they would beat the MCDA to the punch by selling to a Chicago developer who would provide fewer jobs. Who forced whose hand here? Did STA checkmate the MCDA and force the agency to back down? Can anyone read tea leaves and say if the project is going in the direction of fewer jobs, or whether STA can pull a rabbit out of the hat and produce a project like the MCDA thought they were getting? David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Haugen, Elizabeth Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 3:47 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: MCDA and STA Associates news release Sears foreclosure is on hold while MCDA and STA Associates discuss redevelopment options. Please click on the following link to read the joint news release from MCDA and STA Associates. http://www.mcda.org/Content/Org/Newsreleases/STA.htm Elizabeth Haugen, Public Information Minneapolis Community Development Agency 105 5th Ave. S., Suite 200 Minneapolis MN 55401-2534 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (612) 673-5121
City Council meeting access
Just received the press release from the city about renovating City Council offices (unglamorous stuff like heating and air conditioning, I'm told) and moving everyone to temporary quarters. This is no big deal for most of us, but the renovation has an interesting effect on council meetings. They are being moved to courtrooms in the Federal Courts building across the street. Seems reasonable, except when you realize that the meetings will be bound by some interesting Federal Court Building rules. To wit: The Courts don't allow TV cameras. The only way televised visuals will be available is through the two-hour tape-delayed feed from Channel 34. Imagine the next controversial issue, or big demonstration, at a council meeting. Sorry, no independent pictures, only those by cameras somewhat controlled by the council - and only 2 hours after the event actually happens. Now I know the council isn't always great TV, but I don't know why any TV station in town would stand for this, and citizens shouldn't either. TV, as shallow as it can be, still can be our eyes and ears into these meetings. (I know, as a print reporter, I should cheer the leveling effect, but I play citizen here.) The other policy change is a mixed blessing. The courts also don't allow cell phones. That makes it harder for journalists to call in breaking news or talk with their editors. However, it makes it harder for lobbyists to use their phones, too! Anyway, I appreciate the council's need to find new meeting space - but I think it should be the courts that compromise their policy, not the media - and by extension, the public - swallow compromised access. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Schools kudos
Corrections and amplifications: Dean observes: >Nice post, and Tom Streitz and the King Field and East Harriet folks do deserve >a pat on the back. However, I take slight offense to David's shot at those of >us who choose not to send our kids to public School. No offense meant, Dean. I was taking my shot more at people who WANT to send their kids to public school, don't do anything to improve the system, and give up and go private. If you think private is the best place in the first place, do what you gotta do. Russell sez: >Well I have to thank Tom Streitz and Catherine Shreves who both seemed to >listen to me and others in our open area school district. But it really is >too late to be of much use to my family. It is now the middle of the >holiday season. We have already toured our schools and entered our two top >choices. (We've toured, had a re-tour and certified our tours. O.k., >probably a bad joke.) And it is really too late in the game to start >looking all over at schools again - especially since MPS put a caveat on the >new criteria that says two of the three choices must be community schools. Sorry, I should have noted that parents in open districts who have already made their picks in this year's lottery will be contacted and allowed to add a third choice. That's precisely because the decision was made too late to add to this year's material. (And yup, should have noted the two-community school requirement.) Russ, if you did all that searching, and are in an open district, there must have been SOME school that came close to being one of your top 2. Now, you can add it, if you choose. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Schools kudos
Forgive the long post. I do come to praise something, not criticize it, so I hope that will carry some of you through. There was a little story last week that probably meant nothing to most of you, but there was a neat success for Minneapolis citizen activists last week - and some praiseworthy responsiveness from their elected officials. As some of you might be aware, a significant percentage (30%?) of this city is not in a community schools district. Families who live in a community school district can pick any two schools in the public school lottery -- but if they don't get those choices, they can always get into their community school. It's a nice situation - you can either send your kid to a school where most of the neighboring kids go, or if you want to go somewhere else, you get one of your top 2 choices. But non-minority families in neighborhoods without community schools are doubly penalized. Not only don't you have a school where most neighborhood kids go, you have NO fall-back if you don't get into one of your two lottery choices. This has made "school choice" a joke for many - or else worrisome, since you don't have a clue where your kid will end up if your two favorite elementary schools are full. (These oversubscribed schools fall in to two groups: magnets whose open spots are filled with sibling and minority preference, or good community schools stuffed with kids from that attendance area.) About a year ago, activists in two open neighborhoods, King Field and East Harriet -- led by the list's own Tom Streitz -- began agitating against this unfairness. The group wants a community school built here, though that has little chance since there is a far greater need on the north side. (Currently 122 kids for every 100 spots in North; 67 kids for every 100 spots South. A lot of coveted Southwest schools are filled with North kids -- which is totally fair until more schools are built closer to them.) In lieu of new construction, the group pressed the school board to at least eliminate the inequity between open and community districts. Long story short: despite a lot of anger, misunderstanding, and defensiveness among some participants, the district last week agreed to change its policy citywide for open districts. Starting now, if you're in an open district, you get THREE lottery choices, not 2 - and are guaranteed a spot in one of your three picks. For those of us in open districts, it's not a community school, but it gives us a lot more control over our kids' fate, which believe me, has many parents down here breathing easier. When the controversy first erupted, the King Field-East Harriet group got mau-mau'ed in City Pages as a bunch of SUV-owning yuppies who were only being listened to by school officials because they had a little cash in the bank account. However, it's important to note that the policy change affects families in open districts throughout the city - north, south, or east: every one will get three choices, and a guarantee. Tom and his small group worked their butts off - and are still working their butts off for a more long-term solution - and they deserve praise for hanging in there, negotiating in good faith, and remaining constructive rather than letting cynicism consume them. (They could have been like some, who either left the city or enrolled their kids in private schools.) Also, praise goes to the school board, including school board member/list member Catherine Shreves, who remained engaged with the group. Also, many staff people at 807 Broadway (most of whose names I don't know) who came around to trying something different. I know there are many of you out there who are big fans of the public school system, and believe that there are so many good choices that being "thrown to the fates" has little downside. I can tell you many of us who are involved (and I am only a very bit player) are also big fans of the public schools, but still want an equal measure of control of our kids' fate as other parents in the system. It's less about avoiding the nightmare school than having a fair shot at the school you thought most appropriate for your kid. I know, too, that segregation is a major issue, though I don't think this change affects that concern. (Minority kids and deseg orders still get preference within the individual schools.) If people have a different analysis, I'd love to hear it. But anyway, this is how citizen activism is supposed to work - from the ground up, with elected officials listening. Thanks to Tom, Catherine, and everyone involved. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 (President of the King Field Neighborhood Assn., which endorsed this effort and will be working on the longer-term solutions to hopefully come)
RE: TIF Funding due to decertification/Response to Ms. Del Calzo
Russ writes: >However, I am a little confused. Can Carol or someone tell me how our tax >capacity can almost double from $360 million to $770 million in nine years? >And my second question is how much of that decertified TIF money will be >needed to pay off the NRP debt service and continue to fund NRP? And if >there isn't enough, will we need more? You ARE confused...$770 million is more than double $360 million. (Actually, it's double plus 15 percent, or 115%.) The math does seem pretty aggressive. A rough approximation: city assessors are assuming a 10 percent growth for nine years to get the 115% jump. That's right; double-digits for nine straight years. That seems like a lot - but remember, there is a lot of "stored" taxable valuation in all of our homes, since our tax bills cannot go up by more than X (10?) percent annually, but assessed value hikes have been much higher than that. Even if the economy hits the rocks, this stored-up "residential tax capacity" will keep tax base humming along for at least a year, probably more. That's good for city fiscal stability, though not so much for our pocketbooks. It would be interesting to know how much the city's tax base has grown in the LAST nine years. That's probably the most solid way for we amateur math geeks to judge how much blue-sky is involved here. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
the Greens and the City Council
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread Department: My Southwest Journal column this month is about Green Party post-Nader prospects for the 2001 city election. Remember, the issue here is how the Greens will do in the city in 2001 contest, NOT refighting Gore v. Nader! Anyway, I'd love any comments, to me or to the issues list: http://www.swjournal.com/swjournal/myarticles.asp?P=324499&S=212&PubID=5737&; EC=0 (If the link breaks, go to http://www.swjournal.com, then to the Opinion page, and look for the column "Starting the Conversation.") David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Doug Grow column on NEHD-NRP fiasco
I thought Doug Grow had a very interesting and provocative Minneapolis column on Wednesday, and was surprised to see no discussion...perhaps Thanksgiving planning got in the way. http://www.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82984553 The gist is that the Northside Economic Development Council, the economic development arm of the Near-North and Willard-Hay neighborhoods, allegedly misspent $727,000, of which $240,000 was unaccounted for (including lots of checks made out to cash). Working off a state auditor's report, Grow attacks NRP exec director Bob Miller for not catching the malfeasance; Miller argues it's an isolated instance, Grow reminds him of People of Phillips. Miller says NEDC got away with it because they were actively cheating the public -- unlike POP, which was incompetent. Grow asks why public oversight agencies aren't set up to catch cheating. Essentially, Grow says no Minneapolis official is taking responsibility for what is a significant misuse of public funds. Most importantly, Grow uses the NEDC fiasco to tar the NRP concept - that by pushing decisions to the local level, the Keystone Kops multiply, decisions become more foolish, and we need to get those silly neighborhood people out of the spending game. Some criticism is clearly deserved in this case, but I'd hate to throw the NRP baby out with the bathwater. As a journalist I was pretty skeptical of NRP, but as a neighborhood board president overseeing the work of our NRP Steering Committee, I've become a big believer. Our staff expenses are low and I've seen real benefits in neighborhood folks being able to direct some portion of discretionary city spending. Here's the thing: I'm still somewhat baffled by the story. I am not a front-line NRP person (by design), but it seems like our neighborhood has several hoops to jump through any time we want to spend a significant chunk of cash. That's good (except when contracts for our home-improvement program sit on a city lawyer's desk for three months, but that's a different story). My sense, here in King Field, is that NRP oversight is pretty tough - so I'm left wondering...just how did NEDC get away with it, and how much responsibility does NRP bear for the fiasco? I think Grow raises important issues of public trust, so I'm hoping to have a fuller discussion of what happened. Can knowledgeable folks provide specific insights? My apologies if I missed an earlier discussion of this. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: Property Taxes
Adam writes: >Admittedly, >we didn't take the time to post our ideas to this list of DFLers, but I'll >seriously reconsider that in the future (many 60Bers are on this list). I am >well aware that we can't solve these problems without working across party lines This seems contradictory: if we're all DFLers here, and you agree we need to work across party lines, you should have worked to convince us, especially all the 60Bers here. (Plus, Mpls-issues readers are a captive - dare I say fixated? -- audience.) I think Terrell Brown took the time to make moderate Republican points - but aiming his fire more at DFL politicos than DFLers who actually express sympathy with tax frustration. I think the mini-debate that occurred between Terrell and Myron during the summer was great, and am sorry you didn't attempt it here, Adam. However, I must take issue with your complaints that this is a "list of DFLers." The list was set up to be open to all, and there may be a higher percentage of non-DFLers on the list than in the city as a whole. (I think most people haven't disclosed their party affiliation; it's reasonable to think a majority are DFL, given the city's make-up, but never assume!) I welcome any and all non-DFLers to mix it up - a one-sided list isn't much fun. Also, whatever folks' affiliation, this list has been fairly critical of DFL governance of the city. Adam might have exploited that. >Many of us Republicans do not fit into the stereotypes constantly thrown around >in the press or in these public forums. We are working hard to change our >party, to introduce ourselves as people, and to overcome voter apathy and, in >some instances, ignorance. One excellent way to combat ignorance is to be specific. Instead of basically claiming that anyone who is a DFLer can't complain about property taxes, you'd do well to detail where, exactly you would draw the line about city spending. That way, perhaps, we can look past the label. But so far, it's all been partisan labeling - which I admit I shot back at you. I did check out the Stenberg website. From the issues section: A pledge not to raise taxes (that's nuanced - better hope there aren't emergencies, recessions, welfare reform doesn't crash, and god forbid additional investments that might actually be worth it.) The phrase "government monopoly on education" - code for vouchers (without actually saying so.) Pro-life. Pro-death penalty. Anti-same sex marriage. No public incentives for affordable housing other than property tax cuts. On these major, major issues, all GOP boilerplate - not that a GOPer can't have that, but not one claiming to break the mold. There are a few unconventional positions: 100 percent state funding of education. Pro-LRT (but not in the Hiawatha corridor) - a new exurban airport connected by LRT. Pro-new stadium (!) as long as it's less than 10 percent of the total cost. Domestic partner benefits through cafeteria plans where employees get a set amount of money they can spend on benefits. So there's something. (To be fair, Rod Grams would never go for a stadium...but then, neither would Jim Niland.) Not enough to convince me the GOP has turned over a new leaf, but list members can now judge for themselves. (http://www.stenberg.org/issues.htm) To take my own advice about not strictly labeling the other side, I was pleasantly surprised that the city GOP chair endorsed the library referendum. Even though I was only a lukewarm supporter, and it seems a curious place to acknowledge higher taxes can, at times, be good, I took it as a positive sign that Republicans can be open-minded. I look for more evidence of same. And I can't speak for others, but I can say that I would gladly vote for the candidate with the best platform - Republicans, to my mind, probably won't get there, but there is an opening. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 - Fabulous 60B!
RE: Property Taxes
Adam writes: >I'm really tempted to vent on these admitted liberals writing in to >complain about the property tax increases. Your votes and your support >have served to amplify an ongoing problem - I would say crisis. As >Steve Minn pointed out, we haven't even seen the bill for the new >library. Actually, it was this admitted liberal who pointed that out. It's good to restrain one's gloating - for I think that lust to gloat is what has kept city Republicans an (electorally) endangered species. As I admitted in my original post, I'd always love my tax bill to be lower - that doesn't make me a hypocrite, just human. But unlike most Republicans whose rhetoric I hear/read, I consider what we get with taxes - you don't always go with the low bidder and you don't always prosper in a low-tax climate. (Sorry, I don't equate my tax level with "freedom," as many GOPers do.) That's not to say there isn't much stupid spending I wish my DFL council hadn't done - you all know about those silly TIF deals. However, I have yet to see conservatives such as Adam make a convincing case that they could both restrain spending and intelligently encourage city development through reasonable public investments. Simply put, the city GOP hasn't even come close to offering a palatable alternative - instead, we get mini-Rod Gramses clearly not in tune with city voters. It's no fun having to vote for reckless spenders, but the GOP in the last several years has only offered the alternative of feckless social conservatives and fiscal unsophisticates even more out of touch with the city public than the institutional DFL is. There's a reason the last two non-DFL council members have been independents, not Republicans. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Property Taxes
I live in King Field, and not in rental property. On my mansion, which will soon be valued at $117,000, my combined city-county-etc. bump was 11 percent. As a fellow tax-and-spender, I wasn't surprised or outraged, though I'd always like the bump to be lower. Can't help you with appeals, but I believe the government bodies all still have to have their truth-in-taxation hearing. That might be like banging your head against several walls, though. Spending for the new library isn't included in these estimates, so get ready for that. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Caroline Palmer Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 9:48 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Property Taxes Greetings, I happily checked "yes" on the referenda to the schools and libraries this past election day and I'm the first to admit I'm a tax and spend liberal, but I was a bit taken aback by a whopping 48% increase on the 2001 estimated property taxes for a rental property we own on W. 46th. I tried calling the assessor today to no avail, and a colleague thought that the city could only impose a certain increase percentage each year (i.e. 15% or the like), but wasn't sure. I'll keep trying the assessor, but does anyone know about the appeals process or is this type of increase typical? We did go from homestead to rental (non-homestead) but that doesn't seem to warrant such a huge increase, especially on the school levy line, which went from $76 to somewhere in the neighborhood of $450! Yikes! We'll have to raise the rent on our property if this keeps up and that's the last thing we want to do since we like our tenants and want them to stay. Thanks, Caroline Palmer Kingfield
10th ward candidate?
As a 10th ward denizen and relentless hunter of scuttlebutt, I'm hearing the name of Denise Tolbert mentioned as a possible candidate here. I get interesting reactions from people when I mention her name - on the order of "Wow! She's forceful!" Still, very few people seem to know much about her, or what she might stand for. All I know is she worked in the mayor's office, and that's she's African-American. Not much more than that. I don't even know if she's really interested. Looking for any scouting report list members might have. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Street sweeping, Leaves in the street, end of yard wastes col
Russ asks, of leaf guttering: >Can we start an exception to the rule ??? I'm sure this is what the first TIF-extending developer said, too, Russ... ;) David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 Bagger, not gutterer
RE: Brady's (was Moby Dick's)
D. Klein remembers: >We had cocktails at Moby Dick's and dinner at the Flame >Room. It was one of the best nights I ever had downtown, and I will >never forget it. While I enjoyed many a sociological experience at Moby's, my most indelible memory came courtesy of a saloon just a couple doors down - I believe the place was called Brady's. Some friends and I had been out celebrating New Year's Eve all night, and come dawn, wound up there, a classic dive with a big curved block-glass wall. It was the first place I'd ever seen people drinking with luggage by their feet. As my friends and I were about to settle into a booth, a rather large gentleman noticed my, um, presence, and stalked over to stick his finger in my chest. "Hey," he bellowed, peppering my sternum, "you a Jew? You sure look like a Jew!" Fortunately, my alcoholically experienced friends knew how to defuse a drunk. But there it was - my first and so far only Minneapolis experience with overt anti-Semitism. It wasn't the most pleasant of moments, but it sure didn't scare me away from downtown. I happened to notice the other night that several parking spots across the street from the police sub-station by 5th & Hennepin had been commandeered from Thursday night to Sunday morning - no doubt for the extra patrols now needed to police the Warehouse District. I sure am glad we have a higher-spending class of miscreant in our downtown these days. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Election strategy
Note to Adam Stenberg and Progressive Minnesota: Your election postcards arrived this afternoon. Too bad I voted this morning! You may want to get your stuff in the mail earlier...then again, I never manage this at holiday time! David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 - at the end of the mail person's route
Minneapolis turnout
Greg notes: >Anecdotally, I voted at 11 a.m. today in 13-3, and I was voter #847. Heavy, >heavy turnout. In 10-10, I voted at 9:30 a.m., and there were already 500 voters. Election judges there were remarking it was the heaviest turnout they had ever seen (and of course, many were old, so I imagine their personal database was pretty good). It'll be interesting to see if this is because snow looms, or everyone is just fired up by a close election. It will also be interesting to see if Minneapolis is different than the rest of the state, as far as heightened turnout. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Jessie knows my number!
RT asks: >It is list-appropriate to ask what other tactics people are seeing to turn >out city voters? Sure, that's fine, as long as it's city specific. A couple of other election anecdotes: Included with my independence party lit drop was a piece for Nader. Are Jesse's folks and Ralph's folks working together in Mpls? (It would make sense, since Jesse doesn't have a Prez candidate and the Greens don't have many lower-ballot folks). Also, an acquaintance, a well-to-do Mpls lawyer, showed up at the government center looking for an absentee ballot. The clerk eyeballed him, and said, "Every since George Bush started doing well in the polls, all YOU people have started showing up." Not only was my acquaintance upset that a clerk was showing disgust at a particular party or candidate, he was mad because he's a Democrat! I wonder if the latter, especially in the DFL city, is a sign of anything -- I remember first thinking Jesse might win when the lawn signs sprouted...could absentee ballots portent a Minnesota win for W? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Libraries and Bonds
Lawrence Rudnick argues: >A quick look at the Metropolitan Council's summary of top-bond-rated cities >(www.metrocouncil.org/Region/ri121.htm) lists five cities with rankings >of Aaa or Aa1: Minneapolis, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle. >Except for Minneapolis, all four have breath-taking central libraries or >new ones approved or under construction. Pictures of these other >cities' jewels can be found at dallaslibrary.org/central.htm, >pac.lib.ci.phoenix.az.us/web/hoursframe.html, >www.sannet.gov/newlibrary/, and www.spl.org/lfa/central/design.html, >not to mention spectacular new libraries being built across the country. >So while I understand the concerns about potential risks to our >absolute top bond-rankings, I also know that other top-rated cities have >found it wise to invest in facilities that serve and inspire their citizens. I don't think many argue that Minneapolis needs a better central library, but the above reasoning might be a bit incomplete. Other cities may have been able to finance great libraries and retain their top bond rating precisely because they didn't burden themselves with other costly subsidies. Minneapolis may be in danger precisely because it has already used the credit card on other things. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 - still a reluctant library-initative supporter
RE: Candidate School
Jon K. asks: >One important thought I would like to throw in is that >these classes be free. That was always my plan. I'm also interested in advice on fundraising, or places/organizations that will help for free as part of their own mission. Foundation suggestions, anyone? >Which runs into my second thought - how are people >enrolled? My first thought is to have an "enrollment >window" and depending on demand, and the number of This is to be determined, though Jon's right about not making it first come first served, to avoid insider taint. The logical way to best get the word out is to inform the city political parties, including Greens, Libertarians, Independence, etc. I've wrestled with a few questions already: do you allow candidates from the same race to sit in the same class? Competing for the same primary? My early answer is yes -- best to have one mass session, to reduce time on the presenters (who will probably have to be volunteers unless I get cash for honoraria). I think we'll need to have participants sign a "code of conduct" -- that this is not a debate, no arguments, only questions, etc. Something to keep it steered toward information, not electioneering. >Is David actually going ahead with planning on this, >or is there someone else (or a group) who is willing >to take up the reigns? I'm running with it for now, but don't wish to "own" it and would welcome any help. I've contacted friends at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, and the Humphrey Institute, to see who can help. Anu other nominations are welcome. >One last thought...it seems like this would be a good >thing to hit cable access with... FABULOUS idea...can someone at MTN provide advice here? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Voting question
I was just looking over my ballot for Tuesday (thanks, Hennepin County cyber-dudes!), and I noticed a contested race I know nothing about. OK, OK, it's the Soil & Water district race -- but darn it, I like to cast informed votes! The contestants are: Leigh Harrod Gregory M. Chock Bonus points if you tell me what the Soil and Water board really does. By the way, you can get your own sample ballot -- and anticipate these notty problems -- at: http://www2.co.hennepin.mn.us/voterinfo/AddrSrchFrm.htm David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 PS It also looks like you can vote at the Hennepin County govt center today (Saturday) from 10 to 3 and Monday during working hours, if it's too late to get an absentee ballot (or you want to avoid long lines on Tuesday.)
Better candidates for 2001
An idle thought rattling around my brain since we started discussing the 2001 Council races: It's clear we will have a lot of first-time candidates. That's great, because people with different life experiences can now apply that to political office. But there is also a lot to learn about governing the city -- even for the involved and aware. Part of the skill you must display as a candidate is becoming educated. Still, it must a nightmare, learning the details behind city finances, the MCDA, the charter, etc. It must also be haphazard. I wonder if we can make it easier for newcomers. So here's my question -- especially to those who have run or those who are going to: Would it be worth it to try to set up "candidates continuing education" class? My idea -- very loose at this point -- is something like the Kennedy School of Government does for new Congressfolks. Get together a group of experienced community folks -- city bureaucrats, representatives of important foundations or community groups, people experienced in government -- and provide a series of voluntary tutorials on city basics. (The Kennedy school does this for the winners, but I want to do it before, not after the election.) No candidate would have to attend, but those who do might have a better underpinning about why what goes on and why. Theoretically, candidates' policies might become smarter, or more sophisticated -- or if they are in opposition, their arguments could become sharper. The key thing is that we, the voters, would benefit if positions are more thoughtfully worked out and better argued. There are, of course some dangers. Candidates might feel they are being "indoctrinated" by the very people they seek to reform. We would have to work out a way to make it clear this is non-partisan, and candidates -- whether they agree or disagree -- should not treat this as a debate but a learning experience they can accept or reject. Obviously, there would have to be some thought as to a broad-based program of speakers, not just elitists, or insiders, etc. Also, city staffers might be worried incumbants would penalize them if they are educating challengers or outsiders. And opponents for the same seat might not want to share a room, and tip off their arguments. Anyway, I know good candidates spend a lot of time educating themselves. But I think seminar approach might be an important compliment. The question is, is it a good idea, or a pie-in-the-sky waste of time? Please post your reaction to the forum: [EMAIL PROTECTED] David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10 Not a candidate for anything but always has more to learn
RE: Library referendum
Yet another list manager screw-up -- I'm getting them ALL out of my system this week. We don't allow anonymous posts. However, Rosalind was thoughtful enough to ask my permission before sending, and I said yes, thinking she could take responsibility. But these are pretty serious allegations and I think the author should be known to stand behind them. (I realize retaliation is a possibility, but I though unions were about job protection!) Anyway, no more anonymous posts, not even second-hand. Sorry for my brainlock. On to the substance... >By the way, members of the Library Board have attended 2 meetings of >AFSCME #99, trying to get the union to support the referendum. We won't. >The staff, the people who actually do the work, don't support the referendum. This is interesting...can anyone on the list (and willing to be identified) confirm this? And if it's true, does anyone from the union have enough guts to publicly say exactly why? Assuming this union's rejection is true, I have two questions for them: 1. Is one reason you're against it that you're still mad about the library management's handling of the Internet filtering controversy? 2. Are you against it because efficiencies in a new library may mean fewer union jobs, or at least not the kind of job growth the union wants? Or perhaps because of job loss/dislocation during the time the library is closed? >Finally, the reason they gave for rebuilding on the current site, rather >than using the old Nicollet Hotel site directly north of the current >building is: but if we build there, we'll be at the end of the skyway >system. I actually hadn't heard this. What the library folks told me is that the Nicollet Hotel site is smaller, so a new building would have to be taller there. That means it would be more costly to operate (more going up and down) over the long-term, wiping out the upfront cost savings, even factoring in the two-year relocation cost. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Re: RE: Reopened S. Nicollet Ave., with housing?
Russ sez: >I didn't see anything really inspiring, just a lot of lines and squares on >paper. C'mon, man, the glass isn't always half-empty! This is an early idea! In spite of the bewildering Star Tribune graphic (designers: when you use that many colors, make 'em more distinct, or also use patterns!), this generally looks like the right idea for the space. Retail on Lake Street, housing facing the Greenway, delivery/parking junk in the middle. Theoretically, this showcases how the Greenway can enhance commercial design a couple of blocks away. The devil, of course, is in the details, but I hope something like this happens. Even though I live south of there close to Nicollet and know the traffic will explode (we factored this in when we purchased here six years ago, so no problem). One thing to keep your eye on is how transit is integrated in the area. There's supposed to be buses or LRT on the greenway, but also a major "transfer station" for bus passengers at Lake and 35W. What's happened is a lot of these developments have overwhelmed the planning, but it makes sense to me to have one major highway collection/transfer point that accomodates both Greenway transit users and Lake St. riders. (Right now, the Greenway users couldn't transer to the highway north-south route without walking two blocks to the Lake St. transfer station.) The problem is, as the transit planning has lurched forward, some of the newer ideas like Greenway transit, for example haven't been integrated into an older master plan. By the way, is the Sherman involved formerly of Sherman-Boosalis? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Re: Flyers (was McDonald v. Oarfolk)
RT (who, by the way, is running for mayor, not the 13th ward, right RT?) sez: >I'd love big public boards in places >like this where we encourage people to post whatever they want. I vaguely remember some neighborhoods putting in board-type kiosks, I think as part of NRP. Anyone know how well those worked? Also, as far as the McDonald-Oarfolk battle...even though posting flyers is illegal -- and known by the official, wonderful name of "snipe" (no relation to Harry Potter's teacher), I personally don't have a huge problem with them stapled up in rockin' commercial nodes such as Uptown. However, given flyers' illict status, I reserve the right of citizens' arrest to tear down any advertising get-rich-quick schemes or diet scams (plastic Herbalife boards are like a 10-point buck in my world). Also, if your band has decided to put f**k on their poster, it's coming down too -- I'd rather explain this term to my kid on my own terms (like after I utter it). I definitely draw the line at stickers, though -- anything that requires that much effort to remove has GOT to be wrong. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Re: City Council 2001 - an office-space odyssey
Erik notes, of city council hopefuls: >Dore Mead is leaving in the Eleventh. Jim Niland in the Sixth. I've >heard that Lisa McDonald might run for Mayor leaving the Tenth an open >seat. Cherryhomes likewise with the Fifth potentially up for grabs. >Moving to the South again, I have also heard rumblings about >Colvin-Roy's performance representing the 12 though after years of Deny >Schulstad, constituents may just be getting used to having different representation. A few other names I have heard second-hand to throw out: List member Barb Lickness in the 6th. Former Community Crime Prevention/SAFE guy and current preventing-crime-by-design guy Dan Nizolek (though I have to learn to spell his name and get his current title right) in the 10th. Stop the Reroute rabble-rouser, list member, and all-around funnyman (really, he made money at this and was good!) Ken Bradley in the 12th. ROAR member and list member Scott Benson in the 11th (previously noted by RT Rybak, himself running for mayor). More names, anyone? This is fun... David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Neighborhood Boundaries
I'm kind of interested in this question, too -- how coercive will the city be about making boundary changes? For example, the document I received from the city planning says the "optimal size of a neighborhood may be one-quarter to one-third of a mile center to edge...". King Field -- whose only natural boundary is 35W to the east -- is almost twice that big, from 36th to 46th Sts. S. Does this mean the city will re-do our boundaries -- and by this, I mean split us up -- or will something happen only if we ask for a change? (The idea of a split or redraw has been contemplated over the years, but since we are in the middle of our NRP disbursements, I don't think anyone here is pushing this right now.) Anyone in a position to know, please let me or the list know. We're supposed to be discussing this at our neighborhood board meeting on Wednesday. Best, David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Dave Stack Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2000 9:36 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: Neighborhood Boundaries > From: David Fey > >> a "virtual boundary" that has no physical marker. In fact, this virtual boundary now runs right through the middle of one of the new industrial buildings in the Seward Place industrial park. I hope we will be able to work with the Longfellow neighborhood to realign this boundary >> About a year ago Bryn Mawr and Harrison had an interesting negotiating meeting to clean up a border that was ill-defined in some locations - running through lots and buildings, etc. Most of the new line was decided upon in one meeting by three resident representatives from Bryn Mawr and three from Harrison, and facilitated by a staff person from the city planning department. Everyone seemed to have a little different idea. I was pushing for the use of Bassett Creek as the border as much as possible. First we completed the easy sections where all agreed on the creek. Then thru compromise we finally worked it all out. The final line uses a street, RR tracks, creek, and property line. Although part of the subsequently published property line section on the east end was a surprise to all six Harrison and Bryn Mawr participants. I had heard that this Harrison / Bryn Mawr border was the last ill-defined boundary to be digitized into the new GIS mapping system, but now it sounds like this was not the case. Southwest Journal did an article on the Bryn Mawr / Harrison border redraw (if this link does not work, search 'archived publications' with somelthing like "harrison border") http://www.swjournal.com/swjournal/myarticles.asp?H=1&S=212&P=47135&PubID=12 20 Dave Stack Harrison (where Bassett Creek is the border for most, but not all, of the line with Bryn Mawr)
RE: OarFolk & Graffiti
Folks, I blew it. Thinking the owner of Oarfolk should have his day after Lisa McDonald's post, I somewhat robotically forwarded his response to the list this morning. Then I read the whole thing and realizes it violated several of our list rules against insults, personal attacks, etc. This isn't Trehus's fault -- he's not a member of the forum, and he certainly has the right to defend himself as he sees fit. But McDonald's post, while critical of Oarfolk, didn't resort to personal attacks and insults -- and I really should've asked Mark to re-do his post to fit the same criteria. (By the way, it's perfectly fine to describe what happened, and even advocate that Lisa not be re-elected. You just can't call her names. I know she can take it, but it's a list rule you can't do this, to avoid the forum being taken down the path of many others -- into endless, nasty flame wars.) Anyway, I know I've rung some of you up for violating this rule, and I don't want you to think there's a double standard. Sorry I let this one through, and -- as entertaining as this post may be for some -- I won't let it happen again. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of List Manager Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2000 7:16 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: OarFolk & Graffiti Forwarded on behalf of Mark Trehus -- David Brauer, list manager, Mpls-issues 10/27/00 Hello out there! My name is Mark Trehus, and I own the property which includes Oar Folkjokeopus Records on 26th (not 25th) and Lyndale. I became informed of Ms. McDonald's posting (reprinted below) by a very nice woman who subscribes to this mailing list, and I thought it would be nice if I could share MY version of the experience she related. Ms. McDonald and her male friend came bursting into Oar Folkjokeopus with a copy of a flyer picturing some hip-hop group I have now forgotten the name of, and asked if we stocked the CD. Thinking that she was interested in purchasing this CD, my co-worker dutifully checked to see if we did (we did not). I recognized the picture on the flyer as being the same as that which graced the cover of a promotional vinyl record which had been sent to me in the mail, probably by the label or a marketing firm. After producing it, the extremely abrasive Ms. McDonald promptly snatched it out of my hands and demanded to know how to get ahold of this record company so that she could get them fined for "vandalizing" the new light fixtures around the area! Viewing this intrusion by this decidedly uptight person and her accompanying yes-man as something less than welcome on an otherwise pleasant fall afternoon, I asked her did she not have better things to concern herself with? She replied that as a property owner I myself certainly SHOULD be concerned with this grave act of vandalism! After a couple less-than-cordial exchanges, she left in a self-righteous huff, leaving me with the indelible impression of an unstable, reactionary, rabble-rouser who misguidedly runs around making mountains out of molehills. For the record, neither myself nor the employees who work at Oar Folkjokeopus by any means support the spread of graffiti! Then again, I personally don't really care one way or the other about the posting of flyers on telephone poles and lightposts. In our area, I think it's perhaps even BETTER to look at a variety of posters advertising various musical, theatrical or political events than it is some drab yellow paint--but that's only my opinion. I think it's energizing to be made aware of various goings-on about town! My reaction to Ms. McDonald's outburst had more to do with her repulsive, self-righteous, ultra-conservative-flavored crusading TANTRUM than it did this burning issue she seems to take so doggone seriously. Believe me, I would certainly rather have the people I have noticed posting these flyers around the neighborhood over to my house for coffee than this scary woman. Makes you wonder who the real miscreant is in this scenario. Based on this, my SOLE experience with her,I would urge anyone who is within Lisa McDonald's voting district to seriously consider voting for anyone BUT her in the next election. Someone this out of whack should not be in a position of authority. Kind regards, Mark Trehus Oar Folkjokeopus P.S. Here is Ms McDonald'posting: You think that is bad, today I was out visiting busineses on Hennepin Avenue and discovered that everyone oif our new pedestrian light standards, which we haven't even turned on yet, had been stickered by a record company. Of course I pulled off a sticker and went to Oarfolk on 26th and Lyndale to see if I could find an address for this company so we can issue a ticket. The owner of the shop asked me why I didn't have better things t
RE: Paper Box Responsibility
D. Klein writes: >I thought I was the lone voice in the wilderness - but I too think this >obsession with graffiti is pointless. In fact - I've even seen some >graffiti I've rather liked. I guess some see it as a slippery slope; I see >it as a fine line. I do agree that the defacement of every flat surfaced >object in public is a nuisance, but I would rather spend my "civic duty" >energy on education, feeding the hungry etc. But hey, whatever . I'll admit, as one of the anti-graffiti maniacs you critique, that I've wondered why I feel so strongly about it myself. (Jordan Kurschner wondered the same thing at the last Mpls-issues gathering, and I'll admit, talking to a guy who defends the powerless, it does make you a little sheepish...) I'll be honest and admit one reason: anal-retentiveness. While not quite Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets," I have my moments. It really is, on some level, a very visible psychological crime. People in my area take great pride in the neighborhood's appearance, and some little punk has the arrogance to put something that'll stick in our face for days, or, given the city's cleaning speed, weeks. We're not talking out-of-the-way walls or free underpasses, either -- more like stone walls, nice planters, public street signs (including Stop signs, where it gets a little dangerous). Since I know business owners who've spent hundreds or even thousands to clean this crap up, I call it visual burglary, like ripping money out of someone's till. But the other thing is does -- and I think this is very important -- is that it creates a minor depression, a sagging. We all respond to visual stimuli, and sorry, most graffiti is NOT good-looking. It takes a lot of energy to keep a community healthy, especially public or openly private spaces where we all must accomodate others' needs. Seeing some arrogant jerk's work -- a visual f-u to that community spirit -- takes a little wind out of you, and over time, can take more, which leads to worse things. That said, is graffiti the biggest problem facing Mpls? No, but. Like Russ, I do a lot of other civic things that I hope are more important. But even if I don't, for many of us, this is a wrong we can see, and live with in our everyday lives. (Yes, this is a function of living in a nice area where larger social problems aren't as visible.) I don't blame anyone for taking it on. It's the folks who don't do squat about ANY social problem that I would criticize. In a perfect world, would I pick a grafitti-obliterated landscape where everyone gets a great education and a fully belly? Sure. But trust me, the larger social problems you see -- education, hunger, etc. -- also have massively more energy directed at them. The city's response to graffiti has been puny -- most of the energy you feel attacking it is precisely because nothing (other than empty words, for the most part) has been done. Anyway, it's a quandry I continue to think about, as I straighten the papers on my desk into neat little piles. Best, David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: GMCVA
Tim sez: >the memorandum GMCVA presented to ways and means in >which they ask the city to seek from the state an >additional one cent hotel tax to increase their budget >in the coming three years states in their words, "the >request is with the full support of the Minneapolis >Hotel Association, who recognize the value of the plan >and the importance of GMCVA programs." Man, if my fabulous USWest-is-now-Qwest DSL wasn't down this morning, I would have been ALL OVER this story. (http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82791115) We build 'em a friggin' Convention Center, and they say that's enough to get tourists. We build 'em a bigger Convention Center, they say that's enough. A $1.5 million fund to subsidize Convention Center rents? If even a penny of that comes from city taxpayers - and it looks like $750,000 could come out of taxpayers' hides even if a one-percent hotel tax is approved - it's an outrage! David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
NRP Conflict-of-Interest policy
Steve Brandt writes of NRP's proposed stiffer conflict-of-interest policy: http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82783110 Basically, the policy would prevent anyone on NRP's governing board from serving on neighborhood board or other groups funded by NRP. This goes way beyond normal IRS non-profit regulations (my wife the lawyer tells me). Those rules say that a board member must recuse themselves from any issue benefiting them personally, or benefiting another group they're involved with specifically. More general conflicts - say, a board member voting to increase NRP funds dedicated to low-income housing while also working for one low-income housing group - are okay, at least according to the IRS. There's nothing inherently wrong with the city being tougher than IRS standards. However, it strikes me that a lot of neighborhood activists are going to die (metaphorically) for Jackie Cherryhomes' sins. As you may recall, Jackie got a sweetheart deal on an NRP-rehabbed house - with rehab spending many said would not have been available to others - while sitting on the NRP governing board. That's clearly improper - so it looks like NRP pooh-bahs are going overboard for letting Jackie's thing slide, in effect saying, "You're against conflicts of interest? Well, we'll you're your neighborhood stuff a conflict of interest so now you'll have to squirm, too." NRP Policy Board members should be prevented from personally financially benefiting from NRP - I don't have a problem with that. If the price of serving on the Policy Board is you give up your right to attach NRP money, well, that's ok with me. As a neighborhood board president, I would never, ever apply for neighborhood NRP money - even though I can. It wouldn't bother me if that rule was codified. But banning all "organizational conflicts" seems far-fetched. I don't think there's a fundamental problem with Gretchen Nichols (cited in the Strib's story), sitting on her neighborhood board and the NRP Policy Board - though she should recuse herself if her neighborhood group is getting some individualized benefit. I mean, folks, these are volunteer boards. If you outlaw personal benefit, an NRP policy board member's "conflict" becomes pretty scant at this level. The idea that Gretchen has a conflict serving on the Center For Neighborhoods - which I don't think receives a penny of NRP money, but is an NRP "watchdog" - is ludicrous. If any group should be worried about this role, it's the Center for Neighborhoods, but they are private so it's their call. I'm a little more suspicious of an NRP Policy member who gets paid by groups attaching NRP money. Apparently, Gretchen also serves on the board of a non-profit housing group; does she get paid for that? If not, no problem. If so, I'd consider a ban. The article also cites George Garnett, who does a lot of neighborhood economic development stuff, is identified as "a consultant for neighborhoods and non-profits that receive NRP funding." This, I'm suspicious of. It's funny that NRP is getting tough when the city usually isn't. For example, the city usually appoints a union person to the Metropolitan Sports Facilities commission, who votes on issues that could lead to union jobs. Nobody is saying that person has to leave the board. I don't want to fall into the trap of arguing for loose NRP rules just because that's common practice everywhere - let's tighten the rules on all direct personal conflicts before jumping to organizational ones. It is interesting that NRP may be held to a higher standard than the city's business as usual. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Ramp meters sucking the life out of Mpls?
An intriguing Strib piece on Sunday includes speculation that sprawl would crawl if only ramp meters went away. The theory is that the highways would then be more congested for folks in the hinterlands, so people wouldn't live so far out and Minneapolis would become even more attractive. I've often wondered if congestion is the city's friend. When we first moved to our block six years ago, we were surprised to find several suburban refugees who worked in the city and were tired of driving in. I've wondered since, if the drive gets tougher, would Minneapolis housing demand rise even faster? I don't know - the alternative hypothesis is if we were in gridlock, more commercial development would go to outlying areas, since so much of the population lives out there now. I've never quite decided which I think will happen. Others? The Strib piece is at: http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82775438 David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 Guy with a 20-second commute from bedroom to home office
RE: A true neighborhood ballpark?
My friend Andrew Dresdner chided me for getting the "actual neighborhood ballpark" discussion off on a less-than-serious foot, so I want to redeem myself somewhat. I am a big baseball fan (for example, my three-year-old and I went to 5, yes 5 Twins games this year, along with an equal number of Saints games...the poor misbegotten youth was so scared by the Windsor Canadian hockey shootout between Saints innings that he vastly prefers the calm nothingness of the domeI still have time to work him, though). I have also been a big stadium opponent - gargantuan plans by gargantuan architects requiring gargantuan subsidies to small-minded owners. If the thing will be privately financed - one of Andrew's key conditions - then I say put it downtown, which is clearly the most underutilized real estate in town (at least on the periphery...am I nuts to think we could incorporate a library and save money? No, no joshing this time, sorry...). But if a park was to make more sense in a neighborhood, it could more fully realize one of Philip Bess's ideas. (Bess is the architect who started the "small ball" ballpark idea in Chicago. He has been a prophet unappreciated until Tom Goldstein of Elysian Fields Quarterly, Paul Ostrow, and Andrew fought to get him into the local debate.) Bess favors multi-uses, especially high-density housing, as part of the site plan. I would say looking for this type of space: a big stretch of territory needing to be redeveloped, where lots of housing wouldn't occur but for a stadium type amenity. The problem, I'm guessing, is that that sort of parcel is also coveted for light-industrial development, which yields more jobs and property tax base. I can't think of a stretch of territory that works southwest, though I do like Craig Miller's half-joking Broadway-and-riverfront idea (pending enthusiasm from folks who live there. The North and Northeast stretches of the river would make beautiful backdrops. Yes, they should probably be a park, or something like it, but my understanding is the resources aren't really there (and given the city's financial bind, probably won't be soon). So if you ask the north riverfront people, "would you take a ballpark or the same ugly commercial site?," they might go for it. Plus north and northeast are great sports-loving parts of town, and would give me more chances to get darts thrown at my head coming in the door at Stand-Up Frank's. However, the private financing, to me, seriously limits the chance of anything happening outside of downtown. Andrew, would the business owners who would have to finance a park contribute to something they'd have to drive to? What about the city, which is obviously craving downtown parking revenue? To stay serious: I like creative thinking like this...whatever you think of the basic stadium idea, it is "thinking outside the (batters') box." May come to nothing, but sure better than ideas crammed down our throats by small-minded bankers. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
A true neighborhood ballpark?
Here's a modest proposal to make it fly, Andrew: The most important thing is the name: Not Nicollet Field. Not King Field (wink, wink). Not even The Ballpark At Phillips. No, it must be called Dog Park. Every neighborhood has dog owners, but no one wants to cede park space for their dogs. So we build a NEW park, a REAL park, a TURE multi-purpose stadium - a playground for the millionaires some of the time, a playground for the canines most of the time. Think of the pr value - there goes Niland's arguments about subsidizing millionaires...no one makes less than a dog! The puppy pals will lobby en mass for a chance to enjoy massive green space - not some puny acre. There will be massive job opportunities for unionized pooper scoopers (or police jobs arresting dog owners without plastic baggies). You can help finance it by charging dog owners $5 a shaggy head -- or let them buy a season ticket! Another financing mechanism: because neighborhoods will fight over an amenity that might actually serve residents, you probably nick East Harriet-Farmstead taxpayers $10 or $20 each just to take the dog park controversy off their hands! Tired of the ballpark issue? Never! Especially not with creativity inspiration like this... David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 Let's Go Mets! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Andrew Dresdner Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 12:16 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: If the list is finally recovering from yet another bout of If the list is finally recovering from yet another bout of "Ballpark fatigue", I offer this up.. As a member of this Ballpark Committee, I bring to the list's attention the article in today's Strib and a little backgrouond information from last night. http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82756011 At last night's meeting Chuck Ballentine (Planning Director) dropped a bit of a stunner. Whereas all previous conversations had the ballpark somewhere downtown, he stated the City may be willing to consider a non-downtown site for a ballpark. He said no specific sites are under active consideration. He even said that one way to do this might be for the City will open it up to the neighbohoods to bid on. Kind of a funny stance to take on something that has apparently been run out of town three times in the past five years. So, it begs the question, would any neighborhoods outside the downtown actually embrace a ballpark. Could any neighbohoods actually conceive of a ballpark as contributing to their neighborhood? If so, what would it look like? Is this the stupidest idea of all? It seems to me that a critical piece to all of this would of course be a different mental model of what a ballpark is. Clearly it would not be the Metrodome. It probably would not even be the so called "industry standard" as seen in Cleveland, Seattle, Baltimore, Denver, blah, blah, blah. That is the same old same old. Those could be considered "the Block E's of Ballparks" or "mall-parks". Chuck said the point is for a "neighborhood ballpark" to be what the neighbohood wants (thats a novel idea). No one knows exctly what that means, but I think it would be something more in the model of Chicago's Wrigley Field, or Boston's Fenway Park. One other critical tidbit, we were told to operate under the assumption that it would be privately financed. Andrew Dresdner, AICP Cuningham Group (612) 379-5558 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: library referendum
Wizard & Russ - I've seen the info piece that the Minneapolis Public Library will soon send out. According to it, the tax bite from years 5-30 (when the tax is on fully) is the following: Ward 8 Median Home Value: $87,000 Tax: $49.34 per year (Wizard's ward, I think) Ward 9 Median Home Value: $89,000 Tax: $50.47 per year (Russ's ward) Ward 10 Median Home Value: $139,000 Tax: $78.82 per year (my ward) ..and of course, as assessments rise, you may reach the levels of these wards: Ward 13 Median Home Value: $171,000 Tax: $96.97 per year Ward 7 Median Home Value: $273,000 Tax: $154.81 per year By the way, the Rich Ward rankings: Ward 7: $273,000 Ward 13: $171,000 Ward 11: $143,500 Ward 10: $139,000 Ward 2: $118,500 Ward 1: $104,000 Ward 12: $103,000 Ward 9: $89,000 Ward 8: $87,000 Ward 4: $75,500 Ward 3: $67,000 Ward 5: $66,000 Ward 6: $56,500 (where the median home will pay $32 per year for the library initiative) David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 - We're #4! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of wizardmarks Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 8:54 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: library referendum I hope someone can answer Russell Peterson's first question, I'd like to know the tax bite from building the new library. As to his second question, the notion of merging Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public libraries has been discussed for years. The conclusion seems to be that Minneapolis libraries would lose big in a merger and the resources would be concentrated out in the county. I tend to agree with that judgment. Wizard Marks, Central Russell Wayne Peterson wrote: > I have two questions: > 1 How much will the new Library cost each taxpayer in Minneapolis including > the interest on the bonds per year and for how many years? > 2 Has the idea of merging libraries to create a metropolitan library system > been discussed? Any pros or cons? > > Russell W. Peterson > Ward 9 > Standish > > R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N > "You can only fly if you stretch your wings." > > 3857 23rd Avenue South > Minneapolis, MN 55407 > > 612-724-2331 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID > Founder > > -Original Message- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Andy Driscoll > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 1:21 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: Re: library referendum - Swan/Taxes/etc > > Carol Becker makes the case for the referendum solely by her first point - > where was my friend, Wally Swan, when his constituents were backing the > bonds for private corporations and millionaire business and sports owners? > Wally's credibility suffers severely under the strain of these comparative > tirades, but the library is the business and the pleasure of the people, and > one can surmise all one wishes over the role corporations play in the > library system. At bottom - it's a public, a people's institution, worthy of > centennial improvement and upgrading. > > The issues David raises are important they make eminent sense - follow the > money, of course - but his concerns not enough to scuttle the building of a > new library. I've used the Minneapolis Library. And you can feel the squeeze > just walking in. > > Downtown? It's central, pure and simple. I'm getting very tired of these > tribal arguments between advocates of a central district and outlying > neighborhoods as if these entities are not interdependent for the vitality > of an urban core. Get with it, people, this is divisive and unproductive and > just the thing king/queen-makers love to see - communities torn asunder by > their biases. > > Of course the main library should be built and built downtown. It is as > important - perhaps more so - than much of this drive toward corporate > welfare, proven by experience everywhere in this nation to have backfired > almost every time when the promises are compared with the reality of the > subsidy. > > On these issues alone should the referendum pass, albeit overlaid with more > wisdom, perhaps, in the site selection and ancillary (hidden?) costs > addressed. > > Andy Driscoll > -- > "Whatever keeps you from your work is your work." > Albert Camus > The Driscoll Group/Communications > Writing/Graphics/Strategic Development > 1595 Selby Ave./Suite 206 > St. Paul, MN 55104 > 651-649-1188/Fax:651-645-3169 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.driscollgroup.com > > > From: "Carol Becker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 08:13:31 -0500
Wally Swan
I just wanted to say a big "thank you" for Wally Swan for writing his original letter about the library issue. Ultimately, I come down on a different side of the question than he does, but I appreciate his willingness to publicize - in detail, and without venom - his views. I believe one of the things that has hurt Minneapolis civic life is an unwillingness to engage the public in great civic debates...too often, folks in the know keep their cards too close to the vest, or play them after the hand has been decided. That's why I appreciate the elected officials who mix it up here. I do think Wally Swan's letter was a particularly fine example of public service and public "publicity," whatever your opinion of his conclusions. So thanks again, Wally. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: Library Referendum
Glad this thread finally took. Although I recently had a chance to sit down with library backers, I didn't have the insight to ask all the right questions. A few more have come to mind: 1. What is the cost of warehousing/moving the current library for three years, versus buying land elsewhere downtown? 2. Given that the former Nicollet Hotel block is empty, why not build the new library there, then demolish the current library across the street and put the parking/housing there? 3. How vital is tax-increment financing to this project? I've heard some folks refer to a four-block TIF district, or a two block TIF which I assume includes the library and the parking ramp. While I generally support the library plan, I generally opposed to expanding TIF (call me a middling Wally Swan). Do I have to take TIF to get a new downtown library? Thanks to everyone for mixing it up on this. I'm learning a lot... David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Kathleen Mottl
She seems to be the only Hennepin County judicial candidate with a visible campaign...so I'm curious. Can anyone tell me anything about her? David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Polling place info
Here's another neat voting cyber-service, this time from Hennepin County. Just type in your address and it tells you your polling place: http://www2.co.hennepin.mn.us/voterinfo/AddrSrchFrm.htm Neat, huh? This Internet thing might just be for real. David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10
Smaller class size demographics
Catherine Shreves asked me to forward the district's response to my question about whether demographics were controlled when assessing improvement from smaller class sizes. The honesty is appreciated, though the answer is what I feared: students who are in smaller classes longer also have other, basic advantages. That makes it impossible to know exactly how much of the test score improvements are due to class size alone. That said, I'm still a strong supporter of the referendum, because overall, things seem to be moving in the right direction. I remain skeptical that the best way to spend money is making classes smaller, but I'm not an ed expert so I won't overrate my doubts. David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10 Dear David, Catherine, and Judy: David asked a good question regarding the correlation of Minnesota Basic Standards pass rates with years of enrollment during the referendum reduced class size period. Since the referendum was not implemented as a controlled study (e.g. randomly assigning schools to small class size vs. large class size)there were no controls for student demographics. The students who were continuously enrolled in Minneapolis from 1st to 7th grade were, by definition, more stable than students who were enrolled 4-6 years, 1-3 years, or no years. They also were less likely to be students of color, more likely to live with two parents, and less likely to receive free or reduced price lunch. Controlled studies with random assignment of students to treatments are relatively rare in education. Fortunately there is a study of reduced class size out of Tennessee (the Tennessee STAR program,www.telalink.net/~heros/classsizeresearch.htm) that did randomly assign students and found large effects for reduced class size. Our study is consistent with these finding but since it is correlational, we cannot claim that reduced class size caused the increased MBST pass rates. Thanks for asking. - Dave * David Heistad, Ph.D., Director Research, Evaluation & Assessment Minneapolis Public Schools 807 NE Broadway Mpls. MN 55413 Ph: 612-668-0570 Fax: 612-668-0575
RE: Referenda
Catherine Shreves weighs in: >Minneapolis also has its own research department which has been >documenting the gains in achievement of those stduents who have been >with the MPS for their entire school career, and therefore benefiting >from the lower class size. For example, 79.4% of students who had 7 >years of lower class size have passed the Minnesota Basic Standards Test >(Reading) compared with 53.5% of students who have had 1-3 years of >lower class size, and 42.3% of students who had no years of lower class >size. I get so little work out of my statistics degree, I have to use it when I can In the above comparison, were the groups' other variables controlled? In other words, are we talking about roughly the same demographic population in each group? It's possible kids with seven years in smaller classes were, say, wealthier (or at least better-connected), or from more stable homes, or superior in other demographic attributes that have predicted achievement... While I trust Catherine completely (this is not sarcasm), I'm always suspicious of an overall stat without seeing how it was derived. Guess they taught me too well to show my work in public-school math-class. It's not Catherine's responsibility to do this, I'm just curious for more information. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: absentee ballots
The city's done a great job with this...just go to: http://www.ci.mpls.mn.us/citywork/clerk/elections/absentee.html You can print the ballot request form from the site...way to go city webheads! David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 First-time absentee voter in the recent primary...ps don't forget to put the ballot in the secrecy envelope before you put it in the main envelope! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2000 11:57 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: absentee ballots Anyone have the info. on how someone goes about getting absentee ballot materials/application for this fall's election. i.e. for a college student living away from home? Thanks in advance. M. Hohmann 13th Ward
Referenda
Folks: We have less than a month to go before two of the bigger referenda in Minneapolis's history - the schools, and libraries initiatives. Does the silence mean everyone is ready to queue up in the voting booth and pull the YES lever, or are you all planning to vote NO and don't want to make waves? Or maybe the supporters of these initiatives haven't really penetrated your consciousness yet. Anyway, these seem like classic Minneapolis-Issues issues...someone - other than your occasionally manipulative list manager -- please start the discussion! Thanks! David Brauer List manager, Mpls-issues [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Target Center competition -- in the dailies
It doesn't happen all that often, but we have somewhat contradictory spins on whether the City Council will go for a $30 million Target Center renovation - even quoting the same two council members. The Pioneer Press story is optimistic the renovations will pass, the Strib, pessimistic. Can someone reconcile the differences? Here's the PP's version (http://www.pioneerplanet.com/news/mtc_docs/035770.htm), yesterday: The city council, whose members comprise the board of the city development agency, probably will approve the Target renovation, council members Lisa McDonald and Joan Campbell predicted. Campbell said she'll vote for the overhaul as long as it doesn't jeopardize the original financing of the $90 million area. McDonald said SFX was hired to operate Target Center to help ward off the challenge from Xcel. SFX is the nation's largest promoter. ``Now the question will be, `Do we think (the renovation) also will keep us competitive with St. Paul?' I think we as commissioners probably will look favorably on it,'' McDonald said. Now the Strib's, (http://www.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisStory=82681033) this morning: Two council members questioned whether the city would be able to help SFX pay for renovations. Ways and Means Chairwoman Joan Campbell said she didn't want to jeopardize the plan the city has for paying off the Target Center. The city borrowed $84.6 million in 1995 to buy the arena. The debt will be paid through a mix of property taxes, parking revenues, and entertainment, ticket and concession taxes. Council Member Lisa McDonald agreed with Campbell, noting that all the tax revenue generated by the arena is pledged to pay off the bonds, especially the 3 percent entertainment tax on Target Center tickets and some of the property tax. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Target Center: competition costs
In the wake of Norm's Xcel Arena, Target Center's operators want a $30 million upgrade. Council members say a user fee will do it - but can one really fly when the building is in a newly competitive environment? http://www.pioneerplanet.com/news/mtc_docs/035770.htm David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Bus signs
I've seen bus signs about to the effect of, "I wont swear as much," or "I wont watch as much TV" with the tag line, "YOU Can make the peace." Someone told me they thought the city of Minneapolis is behind these? Any idea who is. If you know more, email me directly at mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks, David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
RE: light rail and Metrodome games
Carol writes: >Regarding the Metrodome events and the use of LRT. The question of why this >is an issue is a good one. 80% of transit riders are riding to get to work. >75% of transit riders ride during the peak periods of 7:00 - 9:00 am and >3:30 to 6:30 pm. Transit is basically for two purposes: 1) to get people to >work during peak periods and 2) to provide a basic level of transit for >people who have no other alternative. Neither of these functions has much to >do with providing transportation for special events like the Vikings. As >such, I would argue that this isn't really a fair criterion to judge the >effectiveness of LRT. I think it's a fair criterion, just not the major one. (The thread started when someone questioned the possible stack-up of PRT cars at big events.) Admittedly, though, the Metrodome is a sideshow compared to regular commuting - yet major enough to include a stop where few workers work. Anyway, I do think there's a generalizable point from the sports stuff: if LRT can't handle lots of folks at peak before and after a game, how many can it really handle at peak before and after work? I believe we need transit alternatives, but I've long wondered whether the cost really justifies the benefits. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
Light-rail and Metrodome games
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A few days ago, I referenced a story on the limited carrying capacity of
light-rail. The PiPress Rachel Stassen-Berger generously forwarded me the
original piece, below:
LIGHT RAIL WON'T TAME TRAFFIC AFTER VIKINGS GAMES
Published on 08/16/1999
If you were hoping the new $548 million light-rail line slated to stop at
the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis would ease traffic after a Vikings
game, expect your hopes to be dashed.
The one line - which is planned to run from downtown Minneapolis out of the
city and along Hiawatha Avenue to the Mall of America in Bloomington - won't
help much in shuttling folks from Dome events. The line can only handle
about 3,000 people over the course of an hour - and that's only if every
single rail car works and is filled to capacity.
``I don't want people saying light rail will empty the stadium,'' said
William G. Stead, of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas Inc. in
Minneapolis, a project consultant on the Hiawatha Light Rail line slated to
be open by the year 2003.
Only 120 people, at most, can fit in each light-rail car. Currently,
planners have budgeted to run two-car trains instead of three-car trains
along the light-rail line as a cost-cutting measure. That means every three
to seven minutes, 240 people - at most - can board the trains.
Compare that 240 to the more than 60,000 people who pour from the Metrodome
after most Vikings events, and the future of transit looks very much like
the present.
``Washington Avenue is at a standstill for quite a while'' after Vikings
games, said Sharon Lubinski, inspector of the Minneapolis Police
Department's Downtown Command. ``It happens, and I think folks expect that
.. Minnesotans don't use mass transit. They use cars.''
In the post-light rail world, cars will continue to dominate the post-game
traffic.
``Light rail is not the answer to clearing out everybody that is the
Metrodome because there is a limited capacity,'' said Bob Winter, light rail
planner for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
But every little bit of traffic diverted onto mass transit helps, said
transit planners.
``It will give another alternative, obviously, to anyone that wants to use
that alternative,'' Winter said.
If 3,000 people use light rail after a game, that means about 1,500 fewer
cars rushing onto the roads after dome events.
``That's going to help ... I don't want to over-promise what light rail can
do or under-promise either,'' said Stead. In Boston or New York City, where
Stead has worked on mass-transit projects, multiple lines in several
directions have made a major difference to traffic congestion, he said. That
possibility doesn't exist with just one line.
To make light rail more accessible to Metrodome attendees, there also is
talk, in the Minneapolis Department of Public Works, of building an
additional ``events only'' platform on the north side of the dome with a
pedestrian bridge to the stadium. However, an extra platform won't guarantee
that people will want to ride the light rail trains.
Planners have images of the mass transit of the future - with several lines
criss-crossing the Twin Cities - but that will not happen for at least a
decade, said Winter, in the most optimistic estimates. Until then, the Twin
Cities will only have one choice.
``Since we have one line that goes off in one direction, everyone who leaves
the Metrodome is not going to want to go in that direction,'' Winter said.
--Forwarded by David Brauer, King Field Ward 10
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RE: PRT
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RE: PRT
Jan asks: >And I really hope someone could answer this question. Where do you store all >the cars needed for a big event? Say there is a sold out game at the >Metrodome and you have a large, working PRT system. After the game thousands >might want to use the system at approximately the same time. How could you >stack that many cars to be used since if a car took some passengers to a >distant destination, the car might not get back in time to be of use in the >departure crunch. Just curious. The irony is that our coming LRT system isn't much better. I vaguely recall a newspaper story some months back -- I believe in the PiPress -- that detailed how LRT would only deliver several hundred passengers to each big game because of a decision to use two-car trains. It was shocking to see just how little relief LRT could provide during high-capacity events. Does anyone recall the figures and other planning details? I think I remember this correctly, although I'd like to be wrong. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10
New affordable housing new math
According to City Pages, the MCDA's Steve Cramer incredible math used some incredible math to calculate affordable housing gains...makes you wonder. http://www.citypages.com/databank/21/1034/article9007.asp?page=3 David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Greenway Public Art Project -- Writer/Photog wanted!
2 Writer-Photographer Teams Sought ASAP! Up to $8,000 is available per team to produce materials for the Midtown Greenway Corridor Project public art master plan, produce a character map of three south Minneapolis neighborhoods and help establish an ongoing community archive and database of retrievable information. Introduction FORECAST Public Artworks is assisting the Freeman/Whitehurst Group consulting team with the development of a public art master plan and implementation strategy for the new Midtown Greenway Corridor (a program of Hennepin Community Works), a 6-mile bike/skate/walking path in the former railroad corridor in south Minneapolis. As part of the public art master plan, FORECAST will commission two documents to provide valuable contextual information for artists and designers of future public art and public improvement projects in the Midtown Greenway Corridor. The documents will serve as character studies, or a character map of areas affected by the new Greenway. Eligibility Two teams, each comprised of one writer and one photographer, will be selected to spend up to three months preparing text and images (approximately 10,000 words and 50-75 images) for multiple uses and future applications. Both teams must focus on three target neighborhoods: Whittier, Phillips, and Powderhorn in south Minneapolis. ï One team must focus on the history of the Greenway and its relation to the three target neighborhoods. This could include oral histories, historic and current images pertaining to special places, important people, and significant events. ï One team must focus on the current realities of these three neighborhoods and their aspirations for the future. This could include interviews, profiles of special places, dreams of young people for their neighborhood, etc. Both teams will have access to community advisors, including historians, geographers, interpretive planners, artists, and residents; and resources, such as the Corridor Framework Plan, technical data, recent photographic portraits of neighborhood residents (by Wing Young Huie), photo scrapbooks and newspaper clippings. Deadlines & Important Dates Interested teams must submit a brief letter of interest, biographical information, and work samples to FORECAST by Friday, September 29 (all materials must be submitted to the FORECAST office by 4:30 p.m. to be considered). ï Four finalist teams (two in each category) will be invited to an interview on Thursday, October 5 (one hour scheduled between 10 a.m. ñ 2 p.m.). Finalist teams must be available for interview on this date. ï The two selected teams must participate in an orientation meeting on Friday, October 6, from 8:30-10 a.m. ï Work must commence October 6 and be completed and delivered to FORECAST by January 20, 2001. Commission Fees A total of $8,000 is available per team to cover fees, travel, materials, out-of-pocket expenses, and deliverables (text must be provided in digital and hard copy formats; images must be provided in 35mm color slide transparency formats). All work produced will become the property of Hennepin Community Works. To Be Considered Interested Writer-Photographer teams must submit a brief letter of interest, accompanied by biographical information and work samples (up to 10 slides or prints, and up to three published writing samples). Please submit all materials to FORECAST by Friday, September 29: FORECAST Public Artworks 2324 University Ave. W. #102 St. Paul, MN 55114 All materials must be submitted to the FORECAST office by 4:30 p.m. to be considered. FFI For further information, contact Jack Becker, FORECAST Public Artworks, at 651-641-1128 (or [EMAIL PROTECTED]).
RE: Finance news items
Rosalind asks: >One is that a Mr. Neil Christenson has been appointed as interim finance >director. Does anybody know anything about this person? Or do people just >not worry about him because he's temporary? Glad you mentioned this; I'd be meaning to. I believe the announcement said he would serve until Thanksgiving. Only two and half months? Seems like too short a time to accomplish anything; couldn't somebody already in the department fill the role (as I believe Keith Ford once did at the MCDA? Perhaps Mr. Christenson is wired for the job, in which case he's getting a head start -- though that's just speculation on my part. I don't think we're talking big money or big outrage here, but John Moir gave several weeks notice; you'd think that would be enough to find a suitable replacement, or, if one's not at hand, you might want to take several months to do a thorough national search. 2 1/2 months seems too middling, at least to this inexperienced observer. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Pantages theater
I want to be sure I correctly understand today's Strib story on the downtown theater refinancing. (http://www.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi-bin/article?thisSlug=MINN19&date=19 -Sep-2000) For $22 million, the city will refinance State & Orpheum theater bonds, and finance the conversion of the Mann to the Pantages, and the redevelopment of the Stimson Building that encases the Mann. I had heard that State-Orpheum-Mann deal was essentially a user fee deal, where a surcharge on theater tickets would pay the cost of the refinancing/conversion, not property taxes. But here's where I'm confused: Rochelle Olson writes, "The revenue bonds would be repaid through restoration ticket fees ranging from $1 to $3 a show **and with increased property taxes generated by the the Stimson Building after it's refurbished.**" (asterisks mine) This sounds like there is a tax-increment financing component too. Is TIF involved? Anyone who knows, reply to the forum at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chamber opposition to library initiative
Interesting to see that the Dave Jennings-led Greater Mpls Chamber of Commerce has come out against the library initiative...particularly the $30 million being used to upgrade the branches. I said to my wife, "In the old days, this might have meant something, but do you know any voters who listen to the Chamber today?" I mean, they were against the first school board referendum in '91(?). but lost. Then again, I think this library initiative is not as broadly supported, so perhaps the Chamber's opposition will be more of a factor. As a neighborhood guy whose child-filled world has constricted to a few square blocks, I'm a little pissed these folks are saying "build ours and not yours." I realize a downtown library is used by all members of the public, but it is definitely the one most central to the business community. If it wasn't for the business community, we could build our big mega-library in another central community, perhaps on much cheaper land -- helping to revitalize a neigborhood. I'm not sure I support the new downtown library yet, but I wouldn't support a downtown-only plan. (I'm probably the type the library board was thinking of when the rolled the branches into their referendum -- evidence that a downtown library has some popularity problems.) I half-think it would be better to spend $110 million on the neighborhood libraries, and make them incredible, though I'll admit this is more whimsy than analysis. David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
