Steve said: We will continue to have public housing issues, murders on the Northside, a bad infrastructure, crappy education, a regressive business climate, and so on and so on ... if we don't start electing people to office that will focus on the problems and focus on solid solutions."
I say: I wasn't aware there were problems with public housing. In fact, the public housing hi-rises in and around my neighborhood (10 of them) are run very well. We experience very little problems with crime in them that isn't handled adequately and directly by public housing management itself in conjunction with the police. Cora McCorvey has been in charge for many years now and from what I can see should continue to run the ship or should I say ships for a long time to come. I think our public housing authority has won many awards for it's management practices. Perhaps you are confusing public housing with "supportive" or "service related" housing that is run by private non-profits or maybe you meant "affordable housing" which again is run by either private non-profits or by private rental property owners. On the issue of electing candidates who will fix the problems, do you have a slate of names? Furthermore, what do they identify as the problems? and what do they think are the solutions? As you can tell by the posters on this list, people have passions for different issues. While one person may see something as a solution, the next may see that as a problem. I wonder how many voters know what kind of knowledge and background is is really required to run the city. How many voters asked their candidates of choice if they know how to read and understand a financial spreadsheet? or, how well they understood how the property tax base is established for the city? How many have ever worked in a budgeting process? How many candidates out there know what the debt load is for the city or even what debt service is before they are elected? I can't recall anyone asking me that when I was a candidate and I don't recall anyone else asking any other candidate that question. When a candidate promises to plow the streets in 24 hours in an effort to win a vote, does anyone ask him or her how much that will cost and what their plan is for implementing that? When they promise to reduce airport noise, give city hall a breathe of fresh air, end proverty and homelessness and make the sunshine all day does anyone ask how? and at what cost? No, most voters just suck up the quick sound bite and that drives their voting decisions. When I was a candidate for city council, I received advice from a political marketing expert that I had an average of 7 seconds to get my message in front of the voter before my literature went into the garbage. Not much time to show your qualifications. Maybe we should turn elections into a reality T.V. show. The "Amazing Campaign Race" You have to compete in two loppets, five bike races, be in 3 parades, ski down Wirth hill and pick between three competing developments. The winner gets to be in city hall for 4 years and create 4 new departments. O.K. I digressed a little. Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead 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
