I applaud Paul Ostrow's efforts to eliminate city boards that certify (or refuse to certify) construction trades workers to work in the city. There is no reason these trades people shouldn't be allowed to take an objective test and/or meet other objective skills-based requirements to demonstrate competence. This issue may be the silver lining of the Biernat cloud currently floating over City Hall. Several years ago the city settled a suit brought by non-union gasfitters and HVAC workers that were being denied city licenses by union-controlled city licensing boards. Such restrictions only serve to raise costs for consumers by reducing the pool of qualified workers. According to today's STrib article, Mpls. and St. Paul are the only cities in the state that require such local certification of trades workers.
I urge all members of the City Council to support this effort to reduce unnecessary regulations in our city. The Council's efforts will begin with the Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee (PS&RS). List members may contact PS&RS Committee members and your own CM to encourage their support in eliminating these city licensing boards and reducing costs for consumers in Minneapolis. Committee members include: Joe Biernat, chair; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dan Niziolek; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sandy Colvin Roy; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Barbara Johnson; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Paul Zerby; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dean Zimmermann; [EMAIL PROTECTED] A pertinent question-- Should Biernat participate in the discussion? What do you think? Full story in STrib regarding Ostrow seeking changes in city's licensing boards: http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/2245111.html Michael Hohmann Linden Hills _______________________________________ 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
