Dennis Your question of priorities is a good one, but misses the issue of money. The inspections department is charging enough to cover the costs of what they are supposed to be doing. Its our city council and Mayor that take the money collected by inspections and puts it in the general fund. Then the council and Mayor give Inspections a budget to do their job. The difference between the amount collected and the budget for Inspections stays in the general fund for other things. So, yes the council and Mayor need to properly fund the Inspections department, and the money is there to do that. What it would mean is that the council and Mayor would have to find other sources of money to make up the difference in some other program. Ron Leurquin Nokomis East
-----Original Message----- From: Dennis Plante [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 4:31 PM To: Leurquin, Ronald; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Mpls] what housing inspectors do Moving the discussion forward. In my opinion, it really isn't a matter of whether or not the City is staffed properly to conduct the necessary inspections. It's more a question of where priorities (for the City) lay. In the free enterprise system, the cost of doing business (if equal with your competition) is the cost of doing business period..... As a general contractor, I pass along a permit fee for work I do in Minneapolis, just as I do in the other metro cities. It's an assurance on the customer's part that the work I do is in fact, sound. In short, the City is saving uneducated customers from themselves. If the fees associated with either inspecting a rental property, or work down by a contractor to a homeowners' property, doesn't adequately cover the costs associated with performing the service, then maybe the City needs to address the issue. I have never been able to entirely understand, or accept, how it is we allow rental property owners to obtain a "provisional" (no inspection required) rental license that lasts forever, as long as the owner continues to pay the licensing fees and no one else (living in the neighborhood) calls attention to the property for violations. In most instances, it's not a matter of ignorance on the part of the landlord. They're fully aware of the process. It's simply a matter of dollars and cents. Why go to the trouble and cost associated of bringing your property "up to code", when you don't have to? In all honesty, if I chose rental property (in the City) as an investment vehicle, I sure wouldn't. Dennis Plante Jordan _________________________________________________________________ High-speed Internet access as low as $29.95/month (depending on the local service providers in your area). Click here. https://broadband.msn.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
