So the Mayor of Minneapolis couldn�t get her party to support her bid for
reelection and it sounds like she is in denial. She just can�t figure out
why.
Her public explanation is that the �left wing� of the DFL is upset with the
money she gave to Target Corporation to build a downtown store. I think its
much more than the �left wing� of the DFL that doesn�t approve of the Target
subsidy, a subsidy that has increased substantially from the amount of her
original proposal. Can you say �doubled�?
Even if you thought that the Target project was a good use of City of
Minneapolis money, it doesn�t seem unreasonable to expect a realistic
projection of how much it will cost. Maybe just a little bit of candidness
on what this stuff costs, not this �oh, by the way, we�re going to need to
spend just a little bit more�
It�s like LRT. I heard an interesting tidbit on MPR this morning about LRT.
The Met Council project manager for the LRT project was recently the project
manager for the new Safeco Field, the new baseball park in Seattle. How
many hundred million did that thing go over budget? I don�t like the trend
here. (and I like the concept of LRT
We know from our Metrodome experience that it is possible to build a public
project on time and on budget. MNDOT seems to be able to do come in on
time, on budget with their projects. Why can�t Minneapolis and Met Council
do the same thing?
We moved the Shubert Theatre a couple of years back. It sits boarded up on
its new location right on Hennepin Avenue. No progress. How much did Mayor
Sayles-Belton have us spend on that one? How much will she have us spend on
Block E? Oh, yes Block E. That�s what we moved the Shubert off of because
construction was immanent
.
So why is the Mayor having trouble with her reelection bid? Maybe it�s her
misplaced priorities. She�s spending her time giving money to Target
Corporation and Block E developers while she ignores Police Department
racial profiling and lets restrictions stand that keep boarded up houses
owned by MCDA from becoming affordable housing. Real issues affecting real
people. She has good opponents this year, should it be a surprise that her
campaign is falling apart?
Terrell
_________________________________
Terrell Brown
Loring Park
110 West Grant Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403-2315
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.terrellbrown.org
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
