Of course, I'm biased because I'm a co-chair of Scott Benson's campaign.
But the Strib's endorsement of John Casserly in the 11th ward strikes me as yet another instance of the Star Tribune editorial board applying their main criterion for Minneapolis candidates to the exclusion of all other considerations: if you like spending money on big downtown projects (read: Stadium and Target store), we like you. Because of this, they ignore very real differences in background and experience, saying "each [candidate] points to relevant community and volunteer work. Both vow to work on airport noise reduction, a major ward issue." Obviously, airport issues are important to 11th ward voters. As a founding board member of ROAR, Scott has years of experience working on airport issues. In addition to advocating for the full sound abatement program promised to south Minneapolis residents in 1996, he led efforts in the summer of 2000 that required the Metropolitan Airports Commission to use environmentally responsible methods while constructing tunnels under the airport. Without the countless hours Scott spent pouring over statutes and MAC documents and working with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, it's possible that the MAC's construction methods would have impacted water levels in Lake Nokomis. John Casserly, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer to airport issues. His earliest public involvement dates back to this summer's controversy over extending sound mitigation to the 60 dnl. Scott has proven experience: his "relevant community and volunteer work" includes working with community groups providing services to seniors, and serving as the chair of his neighborhood board and the DFL chair of the 5th Congressional district. The editorial also claims that Casserly is better connected at the State Legislature, however, Scott is enthusiastically supported by many Minnesota legislators, including Casserly's former legislative employer, Jean Wagenius. The Star Tribune also manages to ignore the fact that Scott received the DFL endorsement by an overwhelming margin, and went on to get 60 percent of his neighbors' votes in the primary. In their endorsement, the Star Tribune says that Casserly "articulates well the importance of a healthy downtown in ensuring the overall city's vitality." There is no doubt that a vital downtown is important to Minneapolis, and the region. But as Scott points out, we've been on a spending spree downtown for the last decade, while ignoring the basic services a city should provide its residents: roads, housing and service-delivery. What help the city can provide in tougher financial times should go to revitalize blighted areas and brown fields, not to provide more handouts for big business and sports franchises. Scott Benson's neighbors in the 11th ward know this, and their votes reflect it. Sara Strzok Ward 11 Benson campaign co-chair ROAR chair friend o' Scott's __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make a great connection at Yahoo! Personals. http://personals.yahoo.com _______________________________________ 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
