I'm cautious about Mayor Rybak's North Side plan, as the details about how it will work are not yet released. My direct question to advocates and others is 'how will it specifically address poverty?' I understand the housing angle, but to whom will the renovated and constructed housing be available?
Those questions aside, consider the schizophrenic nature of the state in supporting (MHFA) then punishing (House Republicans) North Minneapolis as well as other poor areas of the state--particularly St. Paul's East Side and the Phillips/Corcoran/Powderhorn neighborhoods. In the two primary North Minneapolis zip codes, approximately 9,582 families received MFIP during the month of December 2003. By rough estimates (though backed by specific state data), about a quarter to a third of these families also received a federal housing subsidy, such as Section 8. If the legislature and Governor ultimately enact an additional $150 per month tax (on top of the existing $50 penalty or tax) on these MFIP families, it will ultimately mean about $400,000 PER MONTH being taken away from families in North Minneapolis. That's $400,000 less per month available to community members and local businesses. Or roughly $4.8 million each year being taken out of the pockets of the community. Is that a fair share of the tax burden for anyone? So, we plow $40 million into the community for construction and rehab, while at the same time severely diminishing the incomes of the people living there. What giveth? I understand the city and state are trying to do their part on one hand, but with punitive legislation on the other hand, it's likely going to be a mixed bag of success and a tragic bag of failure. If you don't want the poorest residents of Minneapolis to be socked with a $200 per month tax bill, sign on to our petition at www.project504.org/action.htm. It's not too late. Gregory Luce Project 504 Residing in St. Paul 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
