T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan www.mplsobserver.com Vol. 2, No. 22 January 13, 2003
To subscribe ($12/yr.) just hit "reply" and we'll set you up. Thanks. ********************************************************** THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER: * Stupid Budget Tricks * Airport Noise vs. Lead Poisoning? * City's Anti-Terrorism Plan an Open Book * MCDA's Vanishing Act * Legislators Seek to Trump City's Benefits Law * Fourth Precinct Cop Wins International Award Plus: Remembering Mark Hopp, counting crows, courting labor, and lamenting the death of conservatism. ********************************************************** STUPID BUDGET TRICKS The Pawlenty administration has invited the best thinking of Minnesotans to help him and the legislature figure out how to solve the state's $4.5 billion budget deficit. But if the rants from last week's suggestion box are representative of our state's capacity for critical thinking, the new governor may have to look elsewhere for inspiration. Among the constructive tips conveyed to the Department of Finance's Web site (http://www.finance.state.mn.us/suggestions.html) were predictable right-wing blathering about the revenue-enhancing potential of state-run casinos and the evils of light rail, unions, school teachers, cushy prisons, and wasteful bureaucracy. Dozens of thoughtful citizens called for running the government like a business (presumably not Enron) and balancing the state's checkbook at the kitchen table, like every frugal family must do. Beyond the talk-radio rhetoric, though, emerged a precious collection of budget-enhancing epiphanies that will no doubt humor Pawlenty and his crew as they face the daunting chore of coloring the red ink black without raising taxes. Some of the more noteworthy: * "English is the national language. I do not want my tax dollars to go to accomidate (sic) every language there is out there." * "Eliminate any newsletters that are currently being published by any state agency." * "Toll booths at Iowa and Wisconsin border." * "At [the] very least allow Bars (sic) to remain open until 3:00 a.m. or later." * "Why not authorize the use of the heart symbol [on vanity plates]? I would think that the amount of vanity plates would increase greatly. Also, you could increase the number of characters to 8." * "Another very easy place to save money is to throw nothing away. Some states are selling their 'junk' on eBay." Given the quality of these and most of the other suggestions, we might add another good way to save money: Shut down the Web site that's collecting this drivel. GROUP LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CAMPAIGN Is lead poisoning of children in North Minneapolis a less important issue than airport noise on the South side? According to a North side activist group, government's answer during the past decade has been a resounding, "Yes!" AND, NO, YOU CAN'T USE THE COPIER City officials are revamping their disaster plan to deal with post-9/11 terrorist fears, but there seems to be a little problem with confidentiality. MCDA DISAPPEARING, CRITICS SAY Already facing imminent consolidation and certain budget cuts, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA), according to some neighborhood leaders, has virtually disappeared from the neighborhood development scene. ********************************************************** The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. �2003 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription. Editor: Craig Cox Deputy Assistant Senior Executive Editor: Sharon Parker Contributing writers: Chris Dodge, Leo Mezzrow Equine consultant and coffee shop correspondent: Nora Cox Perspective: Martin Cox Thanks to: Catherine Christian ******************************************************* Fight media consolidation! Support the independent press! Pick up your neighborhood newspaper! ******************************************************* _______________________________________ 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
