There have been cities for about 5000 years. I believe that the norm in every one of them is that the elite few win almost always. To them go the power, taxes, projects, land, franchises, tax breaks, privileges, goodies. They do little to earn them.
With startup packets of money, and clever song and dance routines, they manipulate the city government into giving them all these things, worth much more than the money they seed with. It's a good deal for them. It's a good deal for the officials, because they get the seed money, and the land etc they give for it isn't theirs. Its ours. We the public are the continually shafted, robbed, short-changed, lied to, disregarded. It's our personal and communal wealth that's being stolen, by officials, and given to the rich. That is the main source of their wealth. Theft, direct and indirect, legal and illegal. They live high on the arrogant hog, at our expense. We on the other hand, could we retain our personal and communal wealth, could have much better more fulfilling lives. Imagine free college tuition, universal comprehensive health insurance, free public transportation, more parks and libraries, better schools, more leisure time, more small businesses and co-ops, longer paid vacations (many in Europe get 6 weeks). And so on. Which option do city governments almost always choose? Stripmining the people so the elite can eat caviar, own horses and yachts, command any service imaginable. This is what happened under the past team of Belton, Cherryhomes, Campbell et al. It's what happened in St Paul under the past team of Norm Coleman and the majority of the 7-member (mostly DFL by the way) city council. Read the history of any other city, any time. Say New York City, 1870. Or pick any other. We like to imagine that our city, now, is pretty OK, the nice exception to the rule. Everyone likes to imagine that, for their own city now, but it's almost never true. Politicians make promises, eg vs stadiums, then once elected, guess what? Say one thing, do the other. Say the popular thing, do the elite thing. As old as cities. My aim is not to say, you can't fight City Hall. It is to say, we must fight City Hall. Always and forever. Eternal vigilance is the price of good government. There are always, always, always, powers working to corrupt it for their benefit and our expense. We can never rest. We snooze, we lose. The outrageous election referred to here is just one more example of what we have to fight. All of it usual, all of it wrong. --David Shove Roseville On Wed, 17 Dec 2003, John Erwin wrote: > Dear List Readers, > > As an elected official I can not believe what happened at the Park Board > meeting this evening. Although this action reflects badly on the > institution of the Park Board, I am compelled to let the public know. The > majority of the Board committed what I consider to be a gross abuse of power > that all citizens of this city should be outraged at. In fact, those > citizens who were there were outraged. Bob Gregor, former Minneapolis > Alderman, was there and said it was the most outrageous behavior he has > seen! > > Five of the nine Commissioners elected an interim Superintendent who had not > even applied for the job, even though we had several semifinalists (4) who > were exceptional and had expressed an interest in continuing our interview > process. These Commissioners circumvented our process and pulled a > candidate 'out-of-the-hat' after discussing this among themselves without > involving 4 of the 9 Commissioners on the Board. Their actions exhibit > exactly what disillusion citizens about politicians, were unprofessional to > say the least, were disrespectful to those citizens that the un-consulted > Commissioners represent, and did the institution of the Minneapolis Park and > Recreation Board great harm. > > We were given a 2-page resume with little or no information after the motion > to appoint this person was made at the meeting! I don't even know if the > new Superintendent meets the minimum requirements that we identified as > necessary! Although the candidate has a degree, I don't know in what!! No > interview! I have never even met this person and I was supposed to vote on > him tonight to run our Park System! > > What I do know is that we have had formal complaints to the Park Board about > the behavior of this individual, and that he is a friend of several > Commissioners who voted for him. Outrageous! What about the great > candidates who we and the search firm already identified as exceptional from > all over this country that had great ideas on how to take this system to the > next step? What a difference some of them could have made. It would have > been appropriate to interview the candidate!!!!! > > Some of you know that I am a professor at the University of Minnesota and > became involved with the Park Board to make a sincere difference with the > parks in Minneapolis. I can tell you with certainty that the actions of > these Commissioners hurt our Park system and is getting in the way of the > management of that system. It pains me to write this letter at all, but > someone has to say something! > > Please take note of the Commissioners who voted to circumvent the process > with disregard for the citizens of this great city and the institution of > the Minneapolis Park and Recreation System: Bob Fine (Southwest), Marie > Hauser (South), Walt Dziedzic (Northest), Jon Olson (North), and Carl Kummer > (Southest). > > Also note those Commissioners who have a regard for our Parks, the integrity > of the system, who have respect for those citizens they represent, and who > tried to select the best possible Superintendent: Vivian Mason (west), > Annie Young (City-wide), Rochelle Berry Graves (City-wide), and myself > (City-wide). > > > Call Commissioners directly or call the Park Board main office at 230-6400 > and ask for their number. Their e-mail addresses and numbers can also be > found at www.minneapolisparks.org. Express your concern! Write editorials! > This is our park system and we need to take it back! Above all, remember > who was there for all of you next election cycle and who was not! > > Sincerely, > John Erwin > City-Wide Park Commissioner > > > > 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 > 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
