Well, I agree and disagree with Dyna's sentiment. I believe that the best candidate for Ward 3 will represent both the Northside and Northeast side precincts. I don't care which side of the river they are from, but I want them to care about both sides.
I can't speak for all Northeasters, but I know that when I moved to Minneapolis from the burbs, I wanted a diverse community. A community with people of different backgrounds, interests, tastes, and styles. Friends from Minneapolis steered me towards Dinkytown, Uptown, and Northeast. After looking at the neighborhoods, I chose Northeast. I have a couple disappointments relating to bus service and, other than a few clusters, lack of as many local businesses as the other areas, but as a whole, I love the neighborhood and am glad I chose it. One thing Dyna may be overlooking is that Northeast has me and others like me. We may not be a majority, but from my recollection, we've had a pretty good turnout for candidates who run based on social justice and equality, sustainable economy and other traits commonly found among Greens and some others. In this election, I want a candidate who will be serious about improving relationships between the community and the police. A candidate who is serious about reducing crime and it's impact on our city. A candidate who will work to make sure that living wage jobs are available to those who want them. A candidate who will refuse corporate and abusive non-profit subsidies. A candidate who will work to make sure that the small locally owned businesses can survive and prosper. In the last city council election, there was a candidate from the North Side who believes in all these things. I met him at a Sheridan picnic summer before last and I met him again the other evening. His name is Shane Price and I believe he will work for a better North and a better Northeast by working for a better Minneapolis that is safe and just for every citizen. I believe he will work for that whether or not he is elected, but in office he will accomplish much more. I was only moved into Ward 3 due to the "gerrymander", so I can't vote in this election, but nonetheless, I am now a member of Ward 3 and will be working in Northeast to let people know who Shane Price is and what he believes in. I may not be able to vote for him, but in or out of office, he works hard for me. Dyna, you and others who want more people on the City Council who know and feel the concerns of the disadvantaged neighborhoods citywide should do your utmost for the next 2 1/2 months to canvas North Minneapolis and let our neighbors on the West side of the river know that if they want more understanding in the city council, they'd better get to the polls and vote during this special election. What ever ward you live in, spend some time between now and February getting out the vote in Ward 3. Northsiders shouldn't vote for a candidate just because they are their neighbor. They should vote for them because they want the best for their neighborhoods and for the city as a whole. They should vote for them because they have a vision of a hopeful future and solid ideas of how to get there from here. And if they disagree with my assessment of who the best candidate is, they still should get out and vote. If they do not, they will continue to be ignored. The people affected by the redistricting need to be aware that they are losing a potentially strong voting block. Maybe Northeasters are "scared" of getting a North side candidate. That's all the more reason to elect a good one NOW and let my neighbors know that any fears they may have are unfounded. This city is connected, and if part of our city is suffering, we all feel it whether we realize it or not. While Sheridan and other "Nordeast" neighborhoods may be somewhat more affluent and established, when Jordan, Phillips, and elsewhere suffer, we suffer as well. When developers rip the city off in downtown and elsewhere, we get ripped off too. This city is a complex organism. It doesn't matter how healthy the part I live in is, if another part of Minneapolis has a cancer, it must be healed or sooner or later it will affect my area as well. Containment is ultimately not possible. I want our city council to have another member with a positive view of the future. A council member with the vision of a city where the police and community work together to keep the streets safe. The vision of a city that is economically sustainable and makes sound decisions with a perspective not measured by election cycles, but by decades. A candidate with an understanding of the social and economic troubles we currently face and the determination to work to fix those problems and build a better tomorrow. I believe that candidate will be Shane Price. - Jason Goray, Sheridan, NE --- dyna <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> [TB] The suggestion that a person should not seek >> a council seat because they live in a certain >> neighborhood is frightening. What other >> neighborhoods should we exclude? Kingfield? East >> Isles? Marcy Holmes? > > I agree... for as long as I can remember the > unwritten rule was that no one from the "other > Minneapolis" here in Hawthorne or Jordan, etc. was > qualified to serve on the council.Just to make sure > no uppity citizens of these 'hoods get elected, a > few precincts from these west of the river wards > were kluged in with the more upmarket Nordeast. The > new redistricting is even worse, taking 3 wards from > the Northside 'hood, a couple from the university > student neigborhoods that don't vote much, and > plopping in the middle of the Gerrymander a chunk of > the more affluent and established Nordeast > precincts that will call the political shots. I have > to hand some grudging admiration to the skillful > designer of this (maybe) legal Gerrymander. This > district will stay dominated by Nordeasters unless > the Northsiders and U of M students form a coalition > and manage some incredible voter turnout. ... > The Northside end of the 3rd has been frequently > ignored by candidates- with a huge block of votes > guaranteed from their Nordeast base, they can > readily ignore us. That's the way it's was during > the Biernat years, and that's why I'm demanding an > end to this political redlining of the 'hood. ... > Yes, why wasn't Hawthorne redistricted into the > 5th- we have more common interests with them than > the Nordeast? ... > Sadly, people who don't live here tend to represent > us poorly. After the riot on 26th back in August we > suddenly had Council Member Biernat's attention. He > and a bunch of other pols flocked to the 'hood for a > few days. Haven't seen much of them here in the > 'hood since things quieted down. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus � Powerful. Affordable. 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