Lisa McDonald, you are absolutely correct. "Most council members would rather control resources then let neighborhoods have control." You are also correct about the other folks at the table. I am not aware of any agreement by the joint powers board.
I have been an on-again off-again supporter of Lisa, but she sure nailed this one. So I am ON-AGAIN. I am sure in the future we will be fighting on some small issue but Lisa McDonald's positions against "concentration" issues, and "empowering neighborhoods", means she is certainly on the correct side on the major issues. So Lisa what ward would you like to run in, and how can we start your campaign? Minneapolis needs a Council Member who is willing to fight for NRP and Neighborhood "Empowerment". It is a real good base for a race. It sure worked last time! Having been a Council Member when NRP was set up, you can certainly contribute more than some of the present council. Heck, you might have the whole City's activists supporting you, so maybe look higher. One of the reasons the Council and Mayor are taking the hits is that they are the ones taking the shots at NRP. They are also the "ONES" who promised to protect full funding for NRP. What happened? Probably lies happened, but they made a verbal contract with the voters and they need to pay up. They may use the excuse that they were stupid to have made the social contract, but they made it so live with it. Being "stupid" about campaign promises is hardly reason to support them in the future. The Neighborhoods need to take a very close look at the Council Members who are "NOT their friends" and start looking at alternate candidates NOW. It is almost impossible to unseat an incumbent if you start the year of the election. We should all look closely at the race in the 3rd Ward and then begin to recruit candidates who will represent the neighborhood residents and who can win. Let's start with sitting council people who ARE our friends and work from there. -------------------------------------------------------------- Another issue: Being a resident of an "Impacted Neighborhood" I am a supporter of better policing, and more officers on the street in "Impacted Neighborhoods". This being said, where is Barrett Lane the great "fiscal conservative" coming from when, (rumor has it), he wants to continue the 3.5% pay raise for Police even if it means laying off street cops? Mr. Lane needs to realize that "Impacted Neighborhoods" need MORE street cops, NOT LESS. Mr. Lane probably looks out his window and says, "Oh we have plenty of police, and there are no drug dealers on my corner or rapes in my neighborhood". Barrett, use a little "Fiscal Restraint" and spend the dollars where they will do the most good. What trade went on to induce that switch, from a fiscal conservative to a spend more and lay people off politician. Barrett did you become a republican? If you are going to spend more money Barrett, spend it on the things that give the best results. Spend it on street cops who can make a difference. If you want to cut something, cut the dead wood at the top and give "Impacted Neighborhoods" the police protection that you are required by law to provide. Remember Barrett, "negotiations" means you are still talking. Until the contract is signed you are still negotiating. The neighborhoods demand that they have adequate police protection, (what your family gets), so doing any "Negotiating" means not laying off street cops, even if the union wants to negotiate those layoffs. If there is some bad information or rumor being passed along here, Council Member Lane should present us with his real position on this issue. Lisa Goodman certainly attempted to present his position, (along with hers), on the budget and NRP. Jim Graham, Ventura Village TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ 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
