I write to express several concerns I have with the Phillips Partnership. I certainly don�t object to for-profit corporations giving back to the communities in which they are located. In fact, I believe that Phillips Partnership member Abbott Northwestern hospital in particular has a duty to generously give to the Phillips neighborhood due to the heavy burden their operations place on the neighborhood. Abbott is a 24 hour facility that has a constant stream of loud ambulance traffic, low flying helicopters, semi trucks, etc. The facility generates hundreds of thousand of vehicle trips per year. If it wasn�t serving a high public purpose, the facility would likely be a legal �nuisance� due to its negative impact on the surrounding community. In short, the hospital is one of several causes of the disinvestment in Phillips.
Here is what I STRONGLY object to. I object to the very idea of a public-private partnership acting as a quasi-governmental agency. And that�s what the Phillips Partnership does. Our Mayor and one County Commissioner have entered into a formal partnership with corporate CEOs for the express purpose of making government decisions, particularly those related to the $150 million I-35W expansion project. County Commissioners and the Mayor, for example, regularly co-sign letters on Phillips Partnership letterhead. For example, Mayor Rybak, our County Commissioners, and Wells Fargo CEO Jim Campbell recently co-signed a letter to transportation commissioner Tinklenburg requesting $100 million in taxpayer funds for the I-35W access project. What�s wrong with this, you ask? The �members� of the Partnership were and are not elected by the people. All of its meetings are not publicized and open to the public. Its files are not accessible via the data practices act. It is free to engage in cronyism and sole source contracting. It effectively hands over the reigns of public power to corporations and their agents. This is particularly problematic given the fact that the project manager for the I-35W project and the legal counsel for the Phillips Partnership work for a law firm that also represents the corporate entities that are members of the Phillips Partnership. I elected Rep. Karen Clark and Sen. Linda Berglin to represent me before my state government, not the members of the Phillips Partnership and their agents. These members of the Partnership are free to lobby our elected leaders. And our elected leaders are free to buy into the lobbying efforts. But I strongly object to the formal partnership that has been created�especially if suburban republicans end up having more influence over state decisions than my locally elected leaders. I also strongly object to the I-35W PAC process. First, Phillips Partnership lobbyist have lined up $150 million in taxpayer funds to build the project before the �citizen� committee has finished its work, and before community open houses. Second, the advisory committee is not representative�Rep. Clark and Sen. Berglin are not even on the committee!!! Yet Abbott, Wells Fargo, Childrens Hospital, even St. Mary�s University all have seats on the PAC. Third, the Project Manager � whose firm also represents corporate members of the Phillips Partnership -- sets the agendas, control the transportation consultants, etc. The process is simply not fair and democratic. I disagree with supporters of the Access Project, but I accept their views. But the end does not justify improper means�this process stinks and should never be repeated. As a result, I urge Mayor Rybak to resign from the Phillips Partnership. Further, I encourage other elected leaders to take back ownership of important public decisions such as the I-35W expansion project. The Phillips Partnership and the I-35W PAC are not legitimate public decision making bodies. Dave Harstad Whittier __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________ 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
