At 09:52 AM 10/2/01 -0500, Many Crows wrote: >that Joe has it wrapped up. This was also evidenced in the Off Beat >column in the Sept. 5th City Pages that begins.... >"Community activist Natalie Johnson Lee might not have much hope of >unseating incumbent Minneapolis City Council president Jackie >Cherryhomes......" "much hope" is in bold letters. What is meant to be >achieved? >I expect opinions from political campaigns but not from journalists. If > >people think it's a done deal they may not vote. Is this akin to >declaring a winner >before the polls have closed? EY: With the primary results being what they are both Natalie Johnson Lee and Shane Price have an uphill battle. The papers were just reporting that. In addition Doug Grow is a columnist -- which means he publishes opinion. Offbeat isn't really "hard news" either -- it's more of a political/media gossip column.
>I know Shane Price's campaign has brought hope >to a part of the third ward that has been neglected by our current >Council person, Joe Biernat. A council person has a unique role in any >city, he or she can inspire their citizenry to get involved. Freedom, as > >the greeks defined it is participation in power, that is something Shane > >has already inspired in the people of the third ward. EY: There's a number of folks who supported Valdis Rosenthal who will never vote for Joe Biernat. I agree -- if Price has gotten past his past crime, served his time, and wants to contribute -- and has a record, he should be given a chance. There are others who might have similar records who have an easier time hiding such records. Meanwhile David Fey writes on SSB: Of course the Mayor did not create the affordable housing shortage. The issue is what she has done (and not done) to respond to the growing crisis. As Vice Chair of the task force that she and the City Council appointed to advise them on this issue, I have been stunned and somewhat mystified by the Mayor's failure to respond. I would have thought this was a perfect opportunity for leadership on her part. Instead we have seen finger pointing (the suburbs should do more) and status-quo spending (at about $10 million per year), all of which sends the message that the city is already doing enough on this issue. Her campaign identifies affordable housing as a priority, but the details of her proposals (work with other mayors; spend $10 million per year) sound like more of the same. It will be up to the voters to decide if this is enough. ------------------------ EY: That's what I've seen alot from the Mayor -- this finger pointing, and not much willingness to take personal responsibility. She also keeps on talking about what the Feds and state should be doing -- and very little about what she as Mayor of the city can do. Also she has a piece of literature that has pictures of some of those loft condos on the river -- which she is touting as "affordable" -- affordable to who -- not to me -- and I don't consider myself low income. So my question to Carol Becker and other SSB supporters -- and to the Mayor herself -- why should I support the Mayor? Why does she deserve another term? Eva Eva Young Central _______________________________________ 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
