Ruminator: I agree with Andy Driscoll. I value independent bookstores and try to do my browsing at chainstores but my buying at independent stores. Long live the independent bookstore. One of St Paul's great amenities with the loss of Odegaard and the store that used to be at 2nd and 6th in downtown (whose name escapes me even though I went there many times). *** Local aids. It is ridiculous to suggest that a "rich" city like Minneapolis should be sending money to smaller towns. You are only "rich" if your taxable wealth far exceeds your needs. But business has whined about "high taxes" for a long time while generating tremendous drains on the city. The result is lots of costs but no pockets to take the money from. And, of course, a constant din of "do it our way or we'll leave". That's the point of view that Pawlenty and his GOP brethren represent in St Paul. Pawlenty got 44 percent of the 79 percent of the electorate in the last election. Most people didn't find his ideas persuasive. But he, of course, is acting as if he got a groundswell of support. What he GOT was the lion's share of suburbanites and business. The LOVE to come make money in Minneapolis, but they don't care if they scorch the earth while they're at it.
The ancient dead cities of the world were ruled by just such people. This blind attitude may be the death of Minneapolis. And then they can see what kind of life their suburb really offers. -------------- Jim Mork--Cooper "War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our Country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out." Gen. William T. Sherman (1864) Letter to the Mayor of Atlanta. Get your free Web-based E-mail at http://www.startribune.com/stribmail 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
