Alas, it was found that, even selling off as much as it did, there was still a huge Mpls public debt. So the City Council swallowed hard and sold themselves into slavery. We owe them a great debt (not thank god in money!) and wish them well.
Unimpeachable sources declare that they have been sent to the Valley of the Dolls. For their rescue, a new organization has been formed, Escape >From the Valley of the Dolls (EFVD). At last some excitement in local government! --David Shove Roseville On Thu, 1 Apr 2004, Gregory D. Luce wrote: > Hey, don't mean to rain on everyone's happy fiscal parade (I'm told the > mayor is already rummied at Lyon's Pub), but a group of disgruntled > residents just filed a case in federal court seeking an injunction > against the sale of these local treasures. The group, Stop Our > Politicians from Selling (SOPS), filed suit this afternoon and the case > is set to be heard on an emergency basis before US District Court Judge > Michael Davis tomorrow morning. > > SOPS is the lead plaintiff, but apparently there is interest from other > newly formed Minneapolis-based groups, including PARSE (People Against > the Ridiculous Sale of Edifices), MILMALCS (Minneapolis Issues List > Members Against the Loss of the Cherry & Spoon), and GOPHERDUNG (Grits > and Oats People Hoofing to End the Removal & Disbanding of > Underappreciated Nascent Greatness) > > While I understand the agenda of SOPS, PARSE and MILMACS, I'm told > GOPHERDUNG is not a legitimate group but really made up of former Sayles > Belton supporters. Not sure about that, however. We'll see how this > thing shakes out. > > Gregory Luce > Ventura Village > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Dean Zimmermann > Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2004 1:31 PM > To: Mpls. Issues List > Subject: [Mpls] Minneapolis Solves Its Budget Problems > > April 1, 2004 > > After a long debate today at the Minneapolis City Council's Committee of > the > Whole, the Council voted to solve its budget problems by selling four > pieces of > surplus property. The Council voted 9 to 4 to rid the city of the > following > eyesores: > > a.. Stone Arch Bridge > b.. Father of Waters Statue in the rotunda of City Hall > c.. "Cherry & Spoon" at the Sculpture Garden > d.. The clock from the tower on top of City Hall > The City of London, England has been working for years to get their > hands on the > clock, as it is one foot larger than their famous Big Ben. Although > London is > offering $64,250,000 for Minneapolis' City Hall clock, it is not clear > if they > intend to replace Big Ben or simply destroy the City Hall clock. Either > way, it > solves London's problem of not having the biggest clock and it solves > Minneapolis' need for some quick money to help solve its cash flow > problems. > > As far as the "Cherry & Spoon," many Council members stated they were > "glad to > be rid of that ugly thing" and that "General Mills is more than welcome > to it." > General Mills plans to move it to their headquarters in the western > suburbs and > use it to promote their new breakfast cereal Cherryos. That deal pulled > in a > whopping $159,000,000. > > People have been complaining for years about the Father of Waters statue > that > "just gets in the way'" for events held in the rotunda. The City of New > Orleans > was anxious to get their hands on this beautiful statue that was > originally > created for them some 87 years ago. What many people don't know is that > although New Orleans commissioned the statue, when it came time for > delivery, > the city was broke and Minneapolis was able to pick up the statue very > cheaply. > So, for just $82,000,000 the City of New Orleans is now able to get this > beautiful piece of art to its rightful place. > > Although it is costing New York City some $876,000,000 for the Stone > Arch > Bridge, they are finding that it is much cheaper than the $1,500,000,000 > that > would be needed to replace the Brooklyn Bridge with a conventional > suspension > bridge. The Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum have been lobbying > to get > the Stone Arch Bridge out of there because it blocks the view of St > Anthony > Falls from their facilities. > > Mayor RT Rybak has threatened to veto the action, but there seems to be > enough > support to override the veto. > > Dean Zimmermann > Minneapolis City Council Member/Ward 6 > 612-673-2206, Office > 612-724-3888, Home > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Peace/Shalom/Salaam > > 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 > 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
