While I do not agree necessarily with all the
conclusions made by this report card, saying that Joe
Barisonzi has a problem with "people of color issues"
based on the grade he gave Brian Herron is like saying
that he has a problem with "blonde woman issues" based
on the grade he gave Joan Campbell. Both scores were
given based on a recorded set of votes that each
councilmember cast on a list of issues, the majority
of which are related to downtown development.
Loki Anderson
Audubon Park
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--- M Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Report Card from Joe Barisonzi
> I am concerned that one person, or a group of
> people picked by Mr. Barisonzi, becomes the standard
> by which all others are judged. This Report Card is
> advertised as being a Report Card of "Neighbors",
> and it doesn't identify which neighbors it
> represents.
>
> I believe Mr. Barisonzi absolutely needs to be
> accountable to the community that he says he serves
> by identifying those neighbors. What stands out to
> me is that Mr. Barisonzi is obviously has an issue
> with people of color issues. (See Brian Herron's
> rating)
>
> When Neva Walker did not ask for Mr. Barisonzi's
> support as she was running for the Minnesota state
> legislature, he was publicly hostile toward her
> running for the state legislator, attacking her
> competence and her person. I think that should say
> something about his commitment to young women and
> people of color. I personally believe that his
> cultural competence leaves something to be desired
> and well as his commitment to poor people's issues.
>
>
> In his report card he refers to "Affordable Housing"
> issues. Affordable Housing is not the issue for
> poor people, low income housing (which has become
> politically incorrect to say) is the issue for poor
> people.
>
> I am concerned that this report card had no input
> from my neighbors or people that have deep
> neighborhood commitment to people of color and poor
> people. Mr. Barisonzi has a record that he has
> developed purporting commitment to these issues, but
> he has a very difficult time working with poor
> people and people of color, as exemplified by his
> issues when working with the Lyndale Neighborhood or
> when developing the Neighborhood Technical
> Assistance Program for Center for Neighborhoods. He
> worked well with highly educated, upper middle class
> folks but consistently has "bumped heads" with those
> outside of that group of folks. It would appear to
> me that this report card was developed by a select
> group of people that Mr. Barisonzi work well with,
> and I would be interested in knowing who.
>
> A City for Neighbors seems to be an outgrowth of the
> "for profit" organization that Mr. Barisonzi founded
> after he left Lyndale Neighborhood. My
> understanding is in "for profit" organizations, the
> bottom-line is profit -- how does this Report Card
> benefit Mr. Barisonzi's organization? I would also
> like to know the Mr. Barasonzi's political agenda.
>
> I think that this Report Card deserves discussion at
> the Insight Forum at Lucille's Kitchen. I will
> contact Mr. McFarland to see if we can get this on
> the Forum's agenda. I believe that this type of
> Report Card needs some serious accountability
> factors built in or at least identify the bias and
> shortcomings.
>
>
> The report card he refers to is at:
> http://www.acityforneighbors.org/reportcard.html
>
> Matthea Little Smith, 9th Ward, Powderhorn Park
>
>
>
>
> For Immediate Release
>
>
>
> Contact: Joseph Barisonzi
> 612-518-5536
> www.aCityForNeighbors.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Minneapolis Voters receive Report Card on their
> council members
>
>
>
>
>
> A City for Neighbors distributes 3000 report cards
> to DFL delegates before ward conventions start.
>
>
>
>
>
> Information available at www.aCityForNeighbors.org
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tuesday, February 26 over 3,000 DFL Minneapolis
> voters will receive a report card on how their
> council members have voted on key city issues. The
> report cards, produced and distributed by A City For
> Neighbors, calculates the percentage of "good
> neighbor" votes taken by the current 13 council
> members. The report card is a tool providing
> citizens the information they need to hold council
> members accountable for their most recent votes on
> issues such as affordable housing, subsidized
> development projects, the airport, environmental
> concerns and government ethics.
>
>
> The report card was simultaneously published at
> www.aCityforNeighbors.org with detailed research
> supporting each of the votes.
>
>
> According to Joseph Barisonzi, co-chair of A City
> for Neighbors, "In order to make voting decisions,
> citizens need to have information about how their
> Council Members are voting. We are providing a
> summary of important roll call votes. Citizens will
> make up their minds for themselves."
>
>
> Barisonzi further reports that "there is a very
> disturbing pattern of putting big money special
> interests ahead of people and neighborhoods � our
> goal is to make the information available and
> support citizens to make up their own minds. We are
> confident the citizens will hold their elected
> officials accountable based on the public record."
>
>
> While the report card was initially sent to DFL
> delegates, Barisonzi said, "We are committed to
> sending this report card to every citizen in
> Minneapolis." A City for Neighbors has targeted DFL
> delegates because 12 of 13 council members are
> DFLers. The incumbents� ward conventions are the
> first time citizens can hold their elected officials
> accountable in any election year.
>
>
> Who is A City for Neighbors?
> Formed less than two months ago, A City for
> Neighbors is a group of concerned Minneapolis
> residents who strive to advance a new vision for
> Minneapolis. A City for Neighbors, which does not
> endorse candidates, seeks to promote discussion and
> accountability by providing information to citizens
> about votes in City Hall that affect Minneapolis
> neighborhoods. A City for Neighbors is counting on
> positive feedback to provide the support to
> distribute this and other information tools to all
> Minneapolis voters.
>
>
> Why these votes?
> The selected votes were representative of the issues
> that have dominated public and media attention over
> the past 8 years. They are also the most indicative
> of the City�s skewed priorities: Block E, Target
> Store, Stadiums, our "affordable housing" money
> going for housing that is not really affordable at
> all. A City for Neighbors was committed to providing
> information on clean, single-subject votes where the
> issue being voted on was the only thing being voted
> on.
>
>
>
> Matthea Little Smith
> MN DFL Affirmative Action Officer
> 612-724-2997
>
>
> "A friend never demands your silence." -- Alice
> Walker
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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> Yahoo! Mail Personal Address - Get email at your own
> domain with Yahoo! Mail.
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