I have to agree with Peter. Vicki attempts to bring accountability to the politicians of Minneapolis. She highlights where hundreds of millions of dollars have been miss-appropriated both to "for profit" corporations losing money and non-profits who seem to make a whole lot of it. (Both the "losing" and the "making" seems to be "Our" public dollars.) But because Vicki has been successful in her own right, and because she lives in a "gated" community, she is attacked. Many of the liberals who attack Vicki should perhaps remember that that great bastion of liberality Walter Mondale also lived in the same circumstance. The difference between the two is that Vicki actually cares enough about Minneapolis to continue "personal" involvement with the City.
Something that also seems to be overlooked, by those attacking Vicki for having money, is that Vicki demands that the City's money not be squandered and given away to developer friends of politicians, but that it be wisely invested so as to make a better City for everyone. She has advocated for better policing and investments in real redevelopment for Minneapolis. She points out the boondoggles of subsidizing $250, 000 to $500,000 dollar townhouses on the river when people are homeless. She points out the boondoggle of subsidizing Non-Profits $100,000 per unit (or more) to build "affordable housing" multi-unit apartments that are then rented for more per month than small landlords rent apartments for. She points out when the politicians stretch the truth about who and how much they are "subsidizing". Remember when the City said it was not subsidizing the Guthrie but was selling $40.00 a foot land to them for $6.00. Vicki just demanded that the politicians be honest. (Man how could she be so unfair to them) Vicki rightfully has seemed to advocate for conserving resources so as to be able to address real people's needs and not just the wishes of wealthy profiteering developers and so called "Non"-profiteers. I do not remember Vicki opposing neighborhood development programs that actually make wise investments into neighborhoods and communities. All I recall is her demanding that the money be wisely invested and not just squandered away by politicians to their developer buddies. Though appearing to be a Republican, I do recall she has supported politicians from the Green Party and even some Democrats. Dean Zimmerman and RT Rybak are two that come to mind. My questions are: Exactly why would liberals who are interested in "supposedly" helping little people and communities find cause to complain about a woman who demands that resources not be given to "Fat Cats"? A woman who demands that those resources be saved to address real needs and invested wisely for everyone's good? Is the source of the complaints that she sounds like a Republican when she demands fiscal responsibility? Or that she can live in her suburban home cheaper than living along the Creek, the River, or in Lynden Hills? "Why is it the Mongols of this world always tell us they're defending us against the Mongols?" Vicki has, as Peter so eloquently puts, anger at the unfairness of the people of Minneapolis' money being unfairly given to the fat cats and kept from the common man who needs opportunity to succeed. Opportunities that can not be realized when all the resources are given away "or sold" as political favors. Where would the City's budget be today if the several hundred million dollars had not been squandered on wealthy corporations and non-profiteers? There would definitely be enough to have adequate policing and keep the streets clean as well as lower taxes a bit. Where would the City's budget be if it did not have to make the debt relief payments the City acquired by giving those hundreds of millions away? Hell a lot of the poor people are mad about that too, and a whole lot more should be! So thank you Vicki for bringing an accounting, bean counting, mentality to the "List" and Minneapolis. The fat cats are getting rich on the City's bacon while the poor people are given beans. Vicki, thanks for holding them to at least some "accounting" for their sins. This Democrat also appreciates her! Jim Graham, Ventura Village >"There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies and revolution into minds." TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ 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
