In a message dated 4/23/02 5:07:59 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< Press Advisory – April 23, 2002 COUNCILMEMBERS CHALLENGE LOCAL REDISTRICTING PLAN>> Thank you to Dean, Natalie, Cam, Eric and others for taking the initiative in challenging this plan. I see no justification for "packing" low income people of color (a mobile, disenfranchised population that is notoriously difficult to get to the polls) into one Ward, and pitting them against a Ward made up of wealthy downtown residents. This is a setup for the entrenched political stronghold to protect its interests. I'd like to take Cam Gordon's remarks a step further -- “Ultimately, what we need in Minneapolis is a government that is based on grassroots democracy, which means that we should all be able to equally participate in the way we are governed” -- and suggest that the Ward system is not working for Minneapolis, and that it's time to move to a representation system based on diverse political affinities rather than geography and population. In 1999 a coalition of election reform advocates petitioned to place a charter amendment on the ballot that would elect seven of our City Council members at large (and retain six geographic reps, from areas corresponding to the six Park Districts -- this is known as a mixed member proportional system, I believe.) This would have been far more empowering for "communities of interest" than the winner-take-all Ward system that has turned into such a shell game. And if we are sincerely concerned about fair representation for all the diverse people in Minneapolis, we should start looking at some form of public funding for city campaigns. I urge the Council to reject the Minneapolis Redistricting Commission's plan. -- Holle Brian Candidate for State Representative, District 62B (612) 822-6593 _______________________________________ 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
