The Army and other Cities took them everyone! Sounds like Peter, Paul and Mary. When will they ever learn?
Sorry David, Minneapolis did not hire on the bubble and get caught by the State and Federal Budget cuts. What Minneapolis did was cut actual numbers of Police Officers, by sliding in the Clintonistas. Unfortunately Minneapolis has recently given very little priority to public safety because it had essentially contained crime in "Containment Zones" located in poor and minority communities. Since the public safety issues did not affect their white liberal "good neighborhood residents, Minneapolis was willing to shut an eye and talk about how good things were. Local libraries and Police are drastically cut while we finance feel good fluff. Seems like questionable policy to me. As I have said on this list on several past occasions the ONLY absolute responsibility of the City of Minneapolis politicians is to provide for public safety. Everything else is just trimmings. Sure the trimmings make people feel good, but they are only the dressing of the turkey. Unfortunately the politicians have been so busy stuffing that they are not paying attention to fifty pounds of "dressing" they are stuffing into a three pound chicken. When will they ever learn? While Vicki's post is generally on the mark her inclusion of NRP was a mistake. A great deal of NRP actually goes to police and public safety. The Franklin Avenue Safety Center is an example. Ventura Village NRP dollars went to create that facility that has had an incredible impact on the surrounding neighborhood. NRP dollars are not "Supposed" to be used to replace dollars that should be part of normal business and responsibility of the City, but what are neighborhoods to do when the number one thing affecting revitalization is public safety that is not being provided for? I am sure neighborhoods would rather spend their few dollars on housing, but what are they to do when the number one housing issue is Public Safety. Just in case some doubting Thomas is out there, this is not idle speculation, it was the number one priority of Ventura Village residents responding to a housing needs survey conducted in Ventura Village. I am sure it is also the number one priority in Phillips, Hawthorne, Jordan, and probably the West Bank. Funny how crime is probably the number one housing priority in the impacted neighborhoods where crime and drug dealing is "Contained". Remember when Public Housing was originally created one of the justifications was to provide "Safe" housing for poor people. So even the Federal Government recognizes that "Safety" is one of the highest priorities for adequate housing. Our City Fathers and Mothers may have forgotten that. Hopefully the Minneapolis overseers are working to change the way the pension program is managed. The City taxpayers must presently make up shortfalls in the fund when they occur. Even when the City has no say in how it is managed. It has been said that a couple of really bad investment and management moves have cost that fund (and ultimately taxpayers) huge amounts of money. Of course given the City's "management" of some of its finances I am not sure they would not have done worse. As for as cuts to libraries and parks are concerned, we are not just asking that service be cut we are asking that the dollars be spent more wisely so services can remain or improve while spending fewer dollars. That building in Loring Park and the Wrought Iron Fencing along the River are good examples of this. We are told fences around crime ridden inner-city parks are too expensive yet they put up a wrought Iron fence along the sidewalk on the side of the river? They build edifices to what in Loring Park? Sure residents support libraries, and especially local libraries. Not quite the same as the glass monument being erected downtown. The old Sears building would have made a wonderful library that could have housed the MPLS Library in a corner with wonderful shops and restaurants around it and plenty of parking to boot. The City already owned the building. But that would have been not nearly as "monumental" to one's ego. I wonder if those referendums would have been so easily passed today with huge tax increases facing Minneapolis residents who do NOT get adequate police service. I was certainly less than thrilled after being a victim (with a police officer confirming and reporting on it) when the next day a police official informed me that, "Minneapolis no longer investigates or pursues hit and run drivers". When I heard on TV news that due to manpower shortages the Minneapolis Police Department does not even respond to a whole range of other calls and crimes (something that has been occurring in poor neighborhoods for years) I certainly felt like going downtown to a new library, or a walk along the river, or visiting that building in Loring Park. I felt like immediately visiting Target downtown, or Saks, or one of the other monuments to some politician or other. You know to places where I could see my tax dollars being "Well Used". So Vicki, don't get rid of the only means some neighborhoods have to get "some" police protection. NRP is a drop in the bucket to what the City is spending (wasting on welfare for the rich) on some of these monuments. Sort of reminds me of the homeowner making architectural plans for an elaborate deck and gazebo in the back yard while the house is burning down. Minneapolis politicians need to take care of priorities. Public Safety and law enforcement is the only responsibility of City Officials that is mandated by law. My advice for Minneapolis Politicians is the same as I gave to my children. Take care of your responsibilities before you play feel good games with your friends! David says, "Criticism is deserved, but we as citizens need to be as solution-oriented as we ask our leaders to be. I appreciate Vicki stepping up to the plate: she'd get rid of NRP, CPED, the park and library board. What are other people's plans?" David, go back and check the archives. I, and other list members, have repeatedly given both warnings about, and constructive advice for, meeting these present crises in Minneapolis Policing. Even Vicki, like many others has been stepping up to the plate with plans for sometime. Not that I agree with ALL the plans, but there have been "plans". What exactly would make someone believe the Mayor and City Council are now ready to look at those "plans"? When will they ever learn? Well next post we will maybe start those suggestions and see if they make any difference. Jim Graham, Ventura Village >"Advances are made by those with at least a touch of irrational confidence in what they can do." 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. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ 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
