At 10:13 AM 3/20/02 -0600, you wrote: >"Progressive" legislators are selling out on the stadium issue right and >left. It's finally emerging why that is: Labor. > >The Building Trades and Hotel & Restaurant Employees are coming down hard on >these folks - not so much the corporate community with whom the unions are >in league on this (and most economic development these days). > >St. Paul's Andy Dawkins and Sandy Pappas are among the "progressive" >legislative leaders pushing on this, sounding like shills for the Chamber of >Commerce when it's the union leadership pushing, as always, the "jobs" >button, that well-worn excuse for lousy public policy almost every time - >especially as regards environmental conflicts and corporate welfare matters. > >Minneapolis DFLers are the same, I'd be willing to bet. Check it out. > >Andy Driscoll >Saint Paul I wouldn't be surprised at that one. I had called Senator Linda Berglin's office to tell her my opinion on this one. She mentioned that she voted against a stadium bill when it came up last year, but she thought this was a good opportunity to get housing and noise abatement paid for by a rental car tax -- as well as the stadiums. She also said this was how other states paid for stadiums. I told her just because other states did dumb things, doesn't mean that we should. Berglin also mentioned that there would be a referendum if this should happen in Hennepin County. I asked her how many times to voters need to say NO before legislators listen?
Sandy aka "Spendy" Pappas is a stalking horse for labor -- always has been, always will be -- so her vote on this one doesn't surprise me at all. Also, let's not forget County Commissioner McLaughlin and Mayor Rybak's role in this. As far as I understand, CM Robert Lilligren has not reversed his position on the stadium -- so let's give him a hand on that score. And again, both Gail Dorfman and Penny Steele deserve credit for voting no on this rediculous Hennepin County plan. 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
