I deeply resent the characterization of MCDA employees as greedy. In my 20+ years at the MCDA I can attest that there are no windfalls to be found there and no one looking for them. What you will find there are dedicated people spending their professional lives - and pieces of their personal lives - to improve this community. They've done that through good and bad leadership and bad and good policy direction.
Jack Kryst King Field ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; . . . The best lack all convictions, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity." ~ W. B. Yeats -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Victoria Heller Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 11:59 AM To: Mpls Forum Subject: [Mpls] Minneapolis had plenty of financial resources - but they were squandered Jim Graham wrote: "So please do not tell me about resources. It is the City leaders duty and obligation to provide whatever resources are necessary to solve the problem. If they have to raise taxes then they just have to raise taxes. State law actually says that Minneapolis City Officials failing to enforce State and Federal Laws shall constitute a gross misdemeanor, and if found guilty of so doing the offender may never again hold elected office in the State of Minnesota. If this law were to be actually enforced, Brian and Joe would not be the only ones out of office." Vicky comments: Minneapolis HAD vast resources, but the money was flushed down the toilet by inept Councilmembers, greedy MCDA staffers, and clever real estate developers. The MCDA has gone through over $500 million dollars in the past ten years: For What? Our City debts exceed $1.5 billion: For What? Our annual payments for debt service alone are over $130 million: For What? Each time you hear "There's not enough money" - just remember that Minneapolis HAD more than enough money: It was simply wasted. Each time a senior citizen has to give up his or her home because the property taxes are too high, remember the $37 million we gave to Brookfield Development. Each time a young couple finds it too expensive to buy a house, remember the $20 million we gave to the Radisson Hotel. Each time a family finds itself in foreclosure, remember the $63 million we gave to Target. And so on, and so on, and so on. The forthcoming lie is: "The taxpayers in Minneapolis are unwilling to fund blah, blah, blah." The truth is: The taxpayers in Minneapolis are incredibly generous. The problem is that the City government spends and borrows with no restraint - because our leaders would rather be popular than do the right thing. Vicky Heller Cedar-Riverside and North Oaks _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
