Hey Gary!
Thanks for the suggestion (GD: "Maybe a ballgame at an open-air baseball stadium would freshen your outlook, if not your cant."). I, personally, really enjoy outdoor baseball - and most outdoor activities in general. In fact, I was lobbing around the 'ol stitch and glove just this last Wednesday morning with my significant other. I have fond memories of growing up in St. Paul (Hamline University neighborhood) near Midway Stadium, and catching a few outdoor Saints' ball games with my family. I also make it a point to attend a few Twins' home games throughout the year - and even our office here @ Pulse gives away tickets to employees and some of our better customers. But just because we enjoy baseball - specifically outdoor baseball - does not mean that supporting a referendum on this tax increase, albeit a relatively "small" one, is not a valid position on this issue.
In the spirit of fairness and mutual responsibility, I would support a new ballpark for the Twins on these grounds:
There is a community ownership component to the Twins (it is proposed that citizens pay 2/3 of the cost - why not have the public own stock in the Twins and therefore the investments - such as stadiums - made in them?)
OR: This tax is spread out at least metro-wide (preferably state-wide), since folks from not just the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs will be enjoying the added quality of life the proposed new stadium would provide.
AND/OR: a combination of these two - INCLUDING the retractable roof component (this is Minnesota, after all) if we are primarily paying for it.
OR: Polad Inc. pay for the entire effort- roof or no roof.
Now, you are entitled to think this position is in "the lower depths," but in reality this is about economic fairness and mutual (public-private) responsibility. So, "Let's play ball and let's play fair!"
Aaron Neumann Sheridan Neighborhood, NE
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Ed Felien writes:
"The newest proposal by the county proposes to spend sales tax revenue to build the stadium. This means the most regressive tax (the one that disproportionately taxes poor people) will be used to subsidize a local billionaireâs playground for his millionaire boys in pajamas."
'his millionaire boys in pajamas' Are we talking Sam and RT?
Moreover, I had believed that this style of literary tripe had expired along with Maxim Gorky. (Journalism posted here should be subject to critique.)
Mr. Felien, Mr. Neuman, I think you both can afford to ascend from the lower depths. Maybe a ballgame at an open-air baseball stadium would freshen your outlook, if not your cant.
Hubert Humphrey said, 'Life is to be enjoyed, not endured.' Let's play ball!
Gary Dombouy Whittier
-----Original Message----- From: Pulse of the Twin Cities <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: mpls forum <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 18:41:00 -0500 Subject: [Mpls] Hey Peter! Hey RT! We get to vote on it!
Check Your Pulse! ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Commentary: Hey Peter! Hey RT! We get to vote on it! by Ed Felien On two occasions the voters of Minneapolis have amended their City Charter to say they want a vote on any expenditure of money used to build a sports stadium. In the past, city officials have found ways around this embarrassing demand of the people. Theyâve set up Metropolitan Sports Commissions, etc. The newest proposal by the county proposes to spend sales tax revenue to build the stadium. This means the most regressive tax (the one that disproportionately taxes poor people) will be used to subsidize a local billionaireâs playground for his millionaire boys in pajamas. http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=1802 ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Aaron Neumann Ad Exec., Webmaster, Writer Pulse of the Twin Cities 3200 Chicago Ave. South Minneapolis, MN, 55407 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.pulsetc.com "Your Locally Grown Alternative Newspaper" 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
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
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
