While I agree with Neal Simon's position regarding SSB, I shudder at the
comparison of RT with Ventura. Ventura may be the most popular governor in
recent memory, but his effectiveness is not so concrete. He certainly doesn't
seem to be a friend of Minneapolis.
Just this year, Ventura rammed through property tax "reform" that further guts
K-12 school funding, threatens our much-needed NRP and (despite little mention
by the media) phases out homeowner protections against massive valuation
increases to their property taxes. I know my house in NE Minneapolis currently
has a market value of at least $10,000 more than the taxable value. I'm sure
others have a much wider gap.
Did anyone else see the final price tag for the Legislative Special Session?
Nearly $4 million in taxpayer money, most of that being money spent by state
agencies to prepare for the possible unprecedented shutdown of state government.
While the Legislature must share some blame, so must Ventura. Spending much of
the main session rehearsing for his XFL gig and appearing on talk shows didn't
help get things done. Sitting on the sidelines taking potshots at legislators
didn't help either.
Lastly, after spending much of his summer threatening legislators of the myriad
consequences of a state government shutdown and praising hard-working state
employees, he does a 180 and decides that state employees are undeserving of
wage increases that keep up with inflation and instead deserve massive increases
in their health care co-pays, leading to the largest public employee strike in
Minnesota (and national?) history that virtually shuts down state government
anyway, costing taxpayers even more in wasted preparations and hiring
replacement workers at far higher salaries than the regular workers were paid
(one example I saw was retired police officers being hired as security guards
for $25/hr, nearly twice the $12-$15/hr regular security guards were paid).
Getting back to Minneapolis now, we've seen much in the media and campaign
literature from the mayoral candidates (at least RT, I haven't seen much SSB
lit) regarding how they would address the hit to NRP funding - I'd like to know
how Council candidates feel the consequences of Ventura's "reform" should be
handled. I'd also like to know where school board candidates feel cuts to K-12
funding should be targeted in light of the hit imposed by this great "reform".
Mark Snyder
Windom Park/Ward 1
--__--__--
Message: 5
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2001 09:51:59 EST
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Mpls] Star Tribune endorsement of Sayles Belton.
Last Sunday's Minneapolis Star Tribune endorsement editorial is entitled:
"Sayles Belton
Fired up for unfinished business."
Well, I hate to think of what that might mean. The present mayor's office
doesn't seem to want to be in charge of what is happening in Minneapolis
government or even be influential.
The Star Tribune's endorsement of Sharon Sayles Belton certainly reflected bad
judgment, but, after all, it was defended by erroneous, unpopular assumptions.
Also, Sayles Belton is credited with improvements that were beyond her control.
Indeed, she would have had to have strived vigorously to have had any negative
effect on the nationwide evolution of positive change. With such an irrational
basis for endorsement, there must be a hidden agenda on the part of the Strib.
Although the Star Tribune's endorsements often make sense, as in the case of its
endorsement of Paul Zerby for second ward council member,the Strib hasn't always
proven to be a very competent prognosticator. Three years ago the Strib more or
less giggled about Jesse Ventura's candidacy and dismissed it in quite an
offhand manner. Jesse Ventura is now one of the most popular and effective
governors in Minnesota history.
Considering the positive comments that the Star Tribune found it necessary to
make about R. T. Rybak, RT should even outdo Jesse Ventura's 1998 election
outcome.
Neal E. Simons
Prospect Park
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
