I had expected Mr. Luce to come back on list, particularly on this issue. I had also expected Mr. Luce to bring up the voting issue at Ventura Village and possibly to offer false information. I sadly see my expectations were correct.
Mr. Luce offers information about what Bob Miller said. Funny, Ventura Village has the entire correspondence with Bob Miller, and we can't find that. We also have the NRP Newsletter that advises neighborhoods about the voting rules I described. Perhaps readers again should call the source, Robert Miller's phone number is 673-5141. As I previously stated we also have the sign-in sheets, which clearly show attempted voter fraud. Ventura Village had been warned before hand that there was a good chance of attempted voter fraud occurring. Mr. Luce seems to be upset because Ventura Village successfully used the 6th Ward DFL Convention procedure as a model for how to validate and insure legitimate voters. It is to be hoped that Mr. Luce was not part of some conspiracy to engage in voter fraud that night. With his being part of the State Bar and knowledgeable in the law, I would suspect (and hope), that he was merely attending the meeting and not part of such a conspiracy. At the meeting Mr. Luce did give an interpretation of the existing law that was contrary to what he should have known was the actual law. The State Legislature was in the process of attempting to amend the State legislation regarding the matter, at exactly that time. After this attempt at obvious fraud and with the recent Central Neighborhood event in mind, the Bills supporters, including Bob Miller, dropped their support, and that portion of the Bill died. If Robert Miller did not know what the existing Law was then why would he be supporting changing it? Would NRP's Bob Miller advice Ventura Village to break State law? I do not think so. Again readers are invited to call NRP's Bob Miller or Barb Lickness to verify the truth of my statements. I like people to independently verify who is blowing smoke and who is telling the truth. Something is definitely wrong with Mr. Luce's argument. The change in Ventura Village by-laws to limit voting to ALL RESIDENTS and property owners also has a curious inception. Neighborhood residents were explaining to Bob Miller that the Ventura Village and Phillips Neighborhood had a sad history of disreputable lawyers, businesses and social service agencies attempting to take over the neighborhood organization. Bob Miller said that Ventura Village only has to allow resident participation. Anyone else the residents allow to vote is strictly up to the residents. He wondered why Ventura Village didn't just change by-laws if this was a concern. Ventura Village took Bob Miller's excellent advice and changed its by-laws to protect residents from further predatory practices. Ventura Village is forever indebted to Bob Miller for his support and advice during those troubling times. Mr. Luce seems to objects to actual residents controlling their own neighborhood. Curious? Mr. Luce postures like he supports people being empowered, yet seemingly he objects when residents reserve voting rights to themselves. He seems to be objecting to neighborhoods limiting the power of outsiders seeking to take advantage of poor neighborhoods? Could it be because he now has less ability to take advantage of that neighborhood? Mr. Luce has fortunately revealed his true motivation with his suggestion of a North Phillips Neighborhood Association. Mr. Luce has been trying to beat this dead horse for sometime. Perhaps Mr. Luce would like to have a neighborhood association he controlled and which would give him access to their NRP dollars? Sorry Mr. Luce, it just will not work. I know Luce resents the fact that no one will vote for his proposals. I am sure it is embarrassing when Luce's proposals only get two or three votes and forty or fifty residents vote against them. Greg should stop whining, he has company. The same thing has occured to me, when I have made lame motions. In fact I was out-voted 30 to 1 the other night. It was embarrassing to have my friends and wife vote against me, but that's life in a democracy. Why Luce believes residents would vote differently if he started another "organization" is beyond me. Could it be he intends to exclude residents from voting? The neighborhood residents and many outsiders fully expect that at sometime there will be an attempt to again takeover the Ventura Village Neighborhood Organization. Much like what happened to Central Neighborhood. We also expect that some City Council Member, mad at Ventura Village challenging the City's violation of the City's own ordinances and due process, will be supportive of such an effort. That is why it is so important for "Impacted Neighborhoods" to form a mutual self-defense pact or coalition, to protect themselves from such actions. The "List" is also a very good defense mechanism that did not exist the last time such a takeover was successfully perpetrated. Hopefully the bright light of public opinion would be focused enough to prevent such crimes in the future. Could others please comment on non-profit lawyers attempting to start their own neighborhood organizations? City Council Members are also invited to comment on the proposition of non-profits starting their own neighborhood organizations in lieu of resident "Citizen Participation". Jim Graham, Ventura Village - Some people care enough about a neighborhood to actually live in it. >>>The rarest of gems, with the greatest clarity, and with the greatest brilliance, is not the diamond. The rarest of all gems is the truth. Yet as scarce as truth is, the supply has always far exceeded any demand for it. In fact it may well be the lest desirable commodity in the Universe. Ask any politician. (Or lawyer)<<< _______________________________________ 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
