Jason Stone writes: > When Commissioner Erwin recently highlighted the amount of money > reallocated to deal with Dutch > Elm Disease, I noted the absence of the dollar figure that was needed to > adequately deal with the > crisis. $2.6 million/year appears to be the answer.
After reading the Skyway news article Jason posts(http://www.skywaynews.net/articles/2005/01/26/news/news11.txt), it appears that the total amount needed to deal with the crisis is $11.2 million (the $2.6 million is in addition to the existing $8.6 million forestry budget.) This is GREAT! I applaud the forestry department if they can get the explosion of Dutch elm disease under control with only $11.2 million. This will be a great example of doing more with less. If you look at the historic budgets, in 1979 the city spent $6.7 million removing 6,751 diseased elms (and other trees I suspect) (source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD3765.html). When I use the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank inflation calculator (http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/) the $6.7 million in 1979, in 2004, would be equal to $17.5 million. A savings to taxpayers of over $6 million for the removal of 40% more trees. Congratulation City Forestry Department! Keep up the good work! Randall Cutting Seward REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
