This article about RT moving to cut a funding program for affordable housing is really revealing. As advocates point out in the article, affordable housing was really a centerpeice of RT's campaign. Yet he has no problem conveniently disposing of a large source of funding. Again (in the pattern of his approach to police abuse, anti-war position, and the homeless), RT is progressive in rhetoric and reactionary in his actions. Obviously the progressives lose again with RT.
The end of the article also has a revealing exchange reflecting the fallout of RT's class warfare on behalf of his rich neighbors in Linden Hills. In response to Gary Schiff noting "the issue as a battle between the poorer inner city neighborhoods and richer outlying areas," Linden Hills council member Barrett Lane, "a usually calm City Council member, was angered by Schiff's comments. "This isn't about politics. This is about keeping the lights on," Lane said. "If we fail to do our duty here . . . then we will fail the poorest people in the city because the rich people will leave."" This seems to be quite the classic warped conservative rhetoric that somehow the poor need the rich. How does this have anything to do with reality? One thing we definitely see is where RT's true loyalty lies. Jordan Kushner Golden Valley, work downtown, 14 years in central city Minneapolis neighborhoods ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shawn Lewis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 7:25 PM Subject: [Mpls] Advocates irked over proposed development levy elimination > Advocates irked over proposed development levy elimination > Rochelle Olson > Star Tribune > > Published Jan. 31, 2003 > > > Affordable housing forces dug in Thursday > against Mayor R.T. Rybak's plan to phase > out a property-tax levy dedicated to > community development and affordable housing. > > Collections for the fund would total > $4 million this year, but drop to > $2 million in 2004 and fall to zero in > 2005, under the plan Rybak and council > leaders are pushing. > > Eliminating the levy will be considered > as part of a proposal to cut $55 million > from the city budget within the next five > years. The plan came out of a city group > charged with developing a long-term > financial strategy. > > http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3625044.html > > Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood > -- > _______________________________________________ > Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com > http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup > > Meet Singles > http://corp.mail.com/lavalife > > > 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 > 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
