Dear Friends; The Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce did not sit out the fall 2000 Minneapolis Schools referendum on class size. Rather they were among the formal supporters /endorsers of the referendum.
The Minneapolis schools referendum committee sought and won the support of the then Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce (now Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce after merging with Bloomington.) Mr. Jenning's leadership was key in securing the formal endorsement of the Minneapolis Chamber and coordinating financial support for the referedum effort from GMCC members. This in marked contrast to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce which urged its membership to oppose or remain neutral to school referenda this fall. Admittedly, raising taxes is a tough sell to business interests whose main goal is to cut taxes. In this case, the Minneapolis Chamber, led by Mr. Jennings, chose to balance the competing interest in short-term tax cuts (or at least no increase) with a longer-term interest in an educated and work-ready work force. Mr. Jenning's leadership tilted the balance at the Minneapolis Chamber in favor of the long-term view. The Chamber's support was a significant vote of confidence in the leaderhsip and direction of the Minneapolis Public Schools. This support was built on a previous foundation of cooperation. The Chamber lent conditional support to the 1996 referendum. The conditions related to establishing a framework to hold the district accountable for student performance and school finances. This led to the development of "Measuring Up" a report on Minneapolis school performance issued by the Minneapolis Foundation, the Chamber and the Minneapolis Schools. The report looks at school performance across a number of performance measures. The report is available on line at http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/about/report_2001/index.shtml The Minneapolis Chamber has also been a strong partner in supporting programs that help students bridge the gap between school and employment with the GMCC membership The Minneapolis Chamber opposed the 1990 referendum. In short the relationship has grown and changed over the years: from opposition to strong support. We see the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce and its membership as a valuable partner in our work to ensure that all students learn. Jim Grathwol MPS Lobbyist _______________________________________ 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
