Victoria Heller posted: <snip> "It's important for everyone to remember that the function of city government is: streets, sewers, public safety, parks." and <snip> "Hennepin County is responsible for social services."
This argument seems highly disingenous. I think the only people who can make that determination are the people who live in the city. The city is the closest and therefore most repsonsive part of government to the social, cultural, environmental, and economic concerns of it's residents. If the residents of the Minneapolis decide that there is an issue that needs to be addressed in our community, we need not have our local government just sit on it's hands. The city SHOULD in my opinion advocate for the concerns of residents in it's relationship with other levels of government. In addition, there are times when a concern is better and more immediately addressed on the local level. Most innovations in public policy occur or begin on the local level in communities that take the iniative to tackle their own concerns by passing local ordinances, creating programs and initiatives, or bringing other public and private parties into the discussion to create solutions. History tells us that just about every innovation in government from civil rights laws to support for the arts, public education to housing assistance for the poor, began as local initiatives. I think of the US Supreme Court ruling that threw out the anti-gay initiative in the state of Colorado that would have forbid localities from including sexual orientation in their local nondiscrimination ordinances. The Court recognized that to deny people the right to advocate for their concerns at the local level was to deny people the right to eventually have their concern or position addressed at the state or federal level. After all "all politics are local!" Victoria Heller is entitled to her opinion but as a resident of Minneapolis I feel that I want a city that has the value added benefit of being an innovator in meeting it's residents needs and concerns. The most desireable communities in which to live are again and again found to be those that innovate and address their own communities concerns. For Victoria Heller, this should mean more rental income from her properties and increasing resale value as the community is an increasingly desireable place to live. For me, it means a better day to day life and surroundings in the community where I choose to make my home(in addition to tax free capital gains after 2+ years residence in an owned property). Then again, if Ms. Heller wants to own property in a decling community(for a tax write-off?) she can always sell the property she owns here and buy elsewhere! David Strand Loring Park MINNEAPOLIS __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ _______________________________________ 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
