This afternoon the State Legislature is deciding the fate of the Planetarium, which has been a feature of the Minneapolis Public Library for 50 years. The Senate has proposed granting $12 million to the Planetarium this year, with additional funding in 2004. This would allow us to build a significantly expanded, state-of-the-art Planetarium within the new Minneapolis Central Library. The House has not proposed any support whatsoever. Without major State funding, there will be NO planetarium.
Please take TEN MINUTES as soon as you can to do the following three things: *1. E-mail or call the Senate members of the Bonding Conference Committee THANKING them for their support of the Planetarium, and encouraging them to not back down from their offer of $12 million of funding in 2002 with additional support in 2004. These are the Senators: Senator Keith Langseth (Moorhead area/District 9), 651-296-3205; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Senator Deanna Wiener (Eagan, Mendota Heights/38), 651-297-8073; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Senator Don Samuelson (Brainerd area/12), 651-296-4875; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Senator Cal Larson (Fergus Falls area/10), 651-296-5655; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Senator Dick Cohen (St. Paul/64), 651-296-5931; [EMAIL PROTECTED] *2. E-mail or call your representatives, reminding them how important this issue is to you. To find your representatives, visit www2.pioneerplanet.com/precinct/. *3. Contact your friends/family/colleagues who live beyond the Metro Area and beg them to e-mail/call the House members of the Bonding Conference Committee -- they need to hear from non-Minneapolis residents. THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO. In contacting the House Representatives, we should tell them that the Planetarium is an invaluable educational resource for the entire state, and a unique opportunity to engage children with science. We need to support this project at the $12 million level -- with additional funding in 2004 -- to keep Minnesota's students reaching for the stars. These are the Representatives: Rep. Jim Knoblach (St. Cloud/16B), 651-296-6316; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rep. Dave Bishop (Rochester/30B), 651-296-0573; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rep. Dan McElroy (Burnsville/36B), 651-296-4212; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rep. Tom Osthoff (St. Paul/66A), 651-296-4224; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rep. James Clark (New Ulm/23A), 651-296-9303; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Decisions are being negotiated right now. There is no time to waste. A few minutes of your time may be worth millions of dollars (and billions and billions of stars). If you have any questions -- or ideas on generating messages -- please call me at 612.630.6172. Thanks -- this will all be over very, very soon. For more details about the new planetarium, visit www.mplanetarium.org. Colin Hamilton Executive Director Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library 612/630-6172 612/630-6180 (fax) _______________________________________ 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
