I have not had the time to fully digest Lisa Goodman's post, but the response below demonstrates why elected officials find it so damn difficult to do anything about the budget crisis. I'm all for looking at paring back executive staff raises but what's that going to actually do, save $250,000 to $300,000 a year? When we have a $11 MILLION per year gap? You can force all senior staff and electeds to work for a dollar and we will still have a huge budget mess on our hands.
If you are truly serious about dealing with this gap then put some serious proposals on the table. Let's face it, it's going to take some combination of increased tax revenues and cuts in services that people want and depend on. Either way it's going to hurt, I don't care how much you want to pay your council person. And please I shudder to think the mess we would be in if we put all City Council votes to the neighborhoods. Believe me having 13 captains and a mayor is enough thank you. Dean E. Carlson East Harriet, Ward 10 ----- Original Message ----- From: "JIM GRAHAM" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Goodman, Lisa R" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "Gardner, Douglas K" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Sheehy, Lee E" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Lutz, Chuck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Born, Patrick P" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Omdal, Tammy A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Moir, John" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "rt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [Mpls] Goodman, Lane, Benson Commentary NRP Resolution Straight Talk About Sharing The Pain. > Straight Talk About Sharing The Pain. > > Since Lisa Goodman, Barret Lane, and Scott Benson wish to "SHARE THE PAIN" I > have a proposal for them. How about turning back the pay raise you folks > voted for YOURSELF this past year? In addition how about voting to cut > Council Member and Senior Staff salaries by 10%. This cut would only be in > effect until you get a handle on the budget. It would show a little "Good > Faith", if you know what I mean. It would allow you the privilege of > "Sharing The Pain". > > How about a referendum needing a 66% vote at the City election for a pay > raise for Council Members? It just is bad business for "employees" to be > deciding when they will get a raise. If the Citizens of the City believe > the CM's are doing a good job the citizens will probably vote for a raise. > If not, then no raise. Just like the real world for everyone except CEO's > for Corporations like ENRON. Such a referendum would not have much of a > chance right now. (Yeah, I think the Enron Executives should "share a little > pain" with the companies employees and shareholders also.) > > Part of the problem with cutting NRP has been that it was the first thing > cut, not Council pay raises! The portions going to neighborhoods is now the > portion being talked about being cut the most? How about that set aside > money from NRP that these folks have some discretion over? > > Perhaps the Council Members could correct me if I am wrong with my > understanding of NRP. Is it true NRP is not a City Program, it is a State > mandated program set up by State of Minnesota Statute? Is it true the first > 20 million dollars of net TIF and Common Projects Pool is supposed to go to > NRP? Is it true that this net amount would be more than 11 million dollars > this coming year? > > What is the position of the Council Members who oppose you folks? There are > nine other Council Members and another who will join the Council in a month. > They also MUST have a thought on this. > > I personally can not believe Paul Zerby, Robert Lillegren, Natalie > Johnson-Lee, Dean Zimmerman, Gary Schiff, Barb Johnson, Paul Ostrow, and Dan > Niziolek would go along on this issue. With their emphasis on Neighborhoods > and communities, and their commitments to support NRP, I just cannot believe > they would go along. If I am wrong, about one of this Council or the Mayor, > would that person please post something? Please, so we are not under an > illusion about where you stand? Until someone else fesses up, I am going to > assume this is the position of only these three. > > Is there any consequence to the fact that these three CM's represent the > fertile crescent of Minneapolis? Minnehaha Creek to Kenwood. Sounds like > an area that needs a lot of Revitalization? No wait a minute, I remember > they're being a whole lot of neighborhoods from those three folk's area that > also are up in arms about the attempt to kill NRP. What do list members from > these three Council Members neighborhoods say about the issue? > > Also since we are talking about involving Neighborhoods in other > "empowering" activities, besides deciding where money goes, such as > "Planning Decisions". How about if you give neighborhoods the decision > making capabilities and perhaps require a 9-4, or better, vote from the City > Council to overturn it? Rather than the neighborhoods being only advisory > in nature. An advisory committee made up of resident cronies, (like I have > heard suggested), is a joke and fraud. > > Just my thoughts on this post, I hope others will join in. > > Jim Graham, > Ventura Village, Minneapolis > > >>>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 > > > > _______________________________________ > > 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
