Fellow Minneapolitans:
[In the interest of full disclosure, my husband is Minneapolis City
Council Member/Ward 6 Dean Zimmermann, a Green Party of MN member.]
While this bill looks like "good" democracy on the surface, it is
clearly aimed at stultifying grassroots democracy gains in Minneapolis by a
political party other than state Rep. Kahn's. Thus Kahn's introduction of
this legislation in the MN House, once again, and Linda Higgins' sponsorship
in the Senate, is disingenuous in the least and down right antagonistic to
true grassroots politics in reality. It is mean-spirited; likely to fail in
getting out of whichever Senate committee it is sent to, just as it failed
last year.
Do not be hoodwinked into thinking that this particular piece of
legislation represents "good" democracy. If the enactment date for this
legislation was timed to the next municipal election cycle I could be
persuaded to believe that Rep. Kahn had only the best of intentions for the
citizens of Minneapolis, our local commonweal. But it is not. What Rep. Kahn
and Sen. Higgins in essence wish to accomplish is an overturning of the 2001
municipal election results with an election mandated to take place this
year, 2003.
Not only is this legislation patently partisan, but it will cost our
fair city a great deal of money to run a special election this year -- at a
time when our city is strapped for money to cover even its basic needs. I
have left a voicmail message with Suzanne Griffin, Director of Elections for
Minneapolis, requesting a dollar figure on what such a special election
would cost. As soon as I hear from Ms. Griffin I will share this
information.
It is a given that there will be some in the MN House with a lot of time
on their hands. I suppose we might as well brace ourselves for more mischief
such as this for the next two years . . . perhaps even longer. Is it any
wonder why other legislators from around the state snicker at the political
goings-on in Minneapolis? This sort of legislation, harassing and decidedly
partisan, is exactly what gives Minneapolis a black eye in the state
legislature and predisposes suburban and greater MN legislators to discount
other Minneapolis-related legislation.
Jenny Heiser
Minneapolis/East Phillips
Green Party of MN member/activist
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