budget "cuts", Minneapolis spending has NOT GONE DOWN. How do you explain
this?
Peter writes: I think this all comes down to priorities, mine being liberal. I personally don't have a problem paying for public infrastructure like the convention center, the airport, our roads, bridges, schools, museums, hospitals and Universities. I value decent city services in Minneapolis. I can actually talk to a person here, in some suburbs all I get is an answering machine and a 30 day wait. Minneapolis and St. Paul together are the economic engine for the entire state. We need that infrastructure in place to keep our cities healthy and to keep the regional economy healthy. That infrastructure isn't cheap. Gut the Minneapolis or St. Paul budget, and you gut our regional economy in addition to destroying many of our greatest civic achievements and our quality of life. I think that mindset is the equivalent of policy vandalism. It seems short sighted and wasteful.
The wingnut reaction to cut government to zero is a mistake in my opinion. If we want to live in a world class city, we have to pay for government services and infrastructure that will make us world class. This isn't to say that everything is perfect here, these are tough times for cities, we need to work on a few things, we need to be more efficient, no doubt about that. But in principle I think we should lean towards paying for things that will improve our city and keep our past investments intact. I think if we do that our quality of life will improve and along with it our economic situation. If we disinvest in the city, I believe the opposite will happen. This isn't rocket science, it is very basic cause and effect. We need honest, effective, forward thinking and healthy government if we want a progressive situation. I think we have some of that here.
Peter Vevang Holland
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