The situation at the Capitol is grim. Since the beginning of the session,
the House
Republicans' tax, budget, education and transportation proposals could be
summed
up in two words: "screw Minneapolis." (Education cuts for urban districts,
special
taxes for transit that don't apply to highways, tax "deform" that shifts
property tax
burdens off businesses and onto homeowners, etc.) And now with the
Governor's
help, they're in danger of succeeding. In the current negotiation, there's
no
possibility of a good result for Minneapolis property taxpayers nor for the
NRP
program, which they'll destroy funding for along the way.
BUT WE DON"T NEED to participate in our own marginalization by making our
argument just for Minneapolis nor just for NRP. The truth is the situation
at the
Capitol is bad for all Minnesotans except for big businesses and the
wealthiest
suburbs.
Therefore, I strongly encourage all Minneapolitans to contact their
legislators,
write letters to the editor and call into radio programs to make the
following three
points:
1. House Republicans' are using a Bait 'n' Switch - Drop our homeowner
property
taxes for one year, so as to distract us from the huge increases we'll get a
few years
down the road.
2. The Legislature and Governor are running out of time to come up with
anything
but a patchwork collection of bad ideas that hurt average homeowners.
3. At this point the prudent and responsible thing to do is pass a basic
"lights on"
bill with a simple inflationary increase. That would avoid a government
shutdown
before the June 30th deadline. Leave other issues aside until they
reconvene in
January."
With this message that's inclusive of all Minnesotans about to get hosed, we
can
stop the Republicans and live to fight another day.
Joseph Barisonzi
Lyndale Neighborhood
Ward 10,
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