Mr. Bernstein seems to think that there are somehow two sets of people out there; those who pay local property taxes (and a host of state fees and income taxes that go into the general fund) that go toward public education, and those who would pay higher county sales taxes that would go toward a new stadium. But what if you belong to both groups? What if you are the one who is responsible for funding public schools AND are also being asked to pay for a stadium? I suspect many listmembers fall into this category. If Mr. Bernstein thinks that levying $28 million a year from those who buy things in Hennepin County will have absolutely no impact on the appetite of Hennepin County residents to increase funding for education, I believe he is being naive. And if Mr. Bernstein thinks the public has no reason to negatively contrast; A) a $353 million allocation of tax money to a private business owned by a billionaire with; B) a refusal to allocate enough tax money for public education simply to make up for past cuts and keep up with inflation; then I have trouble believing his proclaimed support for public education. One of the lead negotiators for Hennepin County in this process, Dave Lawless, told me that the stadium deal "will be making new law. So you can pretty much do anything." Presumably, that would include finding a way to cut the county's public schools in on that increased sales tax revenue. In other words, if you're serious about wanting to fund public education as much as you want to fund a ballpark, you can make the apples and oranges into apples and apples. Then listen to the howls from folks who have put together this deal without your input. I wonder how McLaughlin and Rybak would respond to this question of expanding the scope of the sales tax increase, if asked at the convention.
Britt Robson Lyndale ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Bernstein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Connie Beckers'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Karen Cooper'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 2:33 PM Subject: RE: [Mpls] help for MPS > Lets not mix the apples and oranges here. This is not an either/or > choice between a stadium and public schools! > > A new baseball new stadium - or staying in the old one - will have zero > impact on the problems faced by public school and teachers today! > > School districts are funded by a combination sources including a state > aid funding formula, local property taxes, and some federal dollars for > specific programs. Many school districts also obtain moneys through > local referenda or bonding initiatives. > > I wholeheartedly agree that the public schools are under funded and that > it is an outrage that teachers have to spend their own dollars for basic > classroom supplies! But that is a whole different issue than the > decision to build or not build a new baseball stadium - the two issues > are not entangled in any way! > > As for salaries, professional athletes have remarkable skills that the > rest of us do not have and they are fortunate in that the public is > willing to pay them to see them play. Not any different than musicians, > comedians, actors, or other entertainers. The question is not one of > relative value, it is hard to single out teachers as more deserving than > for example the orderly at the nursing home, the person who picks up > your garbage, or dozens of other occupations that are necessary and > underpaid and underappreciated. > > I am as pro teacher as any on The Issues List! Their contribution are > oftentimes unrecognized until later in life. It is a great privilege for > me as a 50+ year old to have had the opportunity in the past few years > of being able to thank some of my teachers for their patience and > persistence and that what I could not appreciate at 15, I am deeply > appreciative so many years later! > > I think it is very unfair and wrong to assert that anything is "crooked" > about the decision to proceed (if the Legislature and Governor > approve)with a countywide sales tax increase to partially fund > construction of a new baseball stadium. Obviously a lot of people are > unhappy with that decision even though many others believe it is the > right decision. One can certainly attack or criticize the decision or > the process ,but no one ought to accuse the commissioners or others who > support the decision of being "crooked" unless there is some evidence to > back up such grave accusations! > > Jim Bernstein > Fulton > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Connie Beckers > Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 10:41 AM > To: Karen Cooper; [email protected] > Subject: RE: [Mpls] help for MPS > > Let's give the schools our tax money and let the Twins have a fund > raiser > for the stadium, huh?!? Let them collect phone books and newspapers and > pop > cans for a penny apiece. Let them peddle candy door-to-door or sell > magazine > subscriptions or save soup can labels. > > I know of a teacher at North High who, upon learning of additional > program > cuts and teacher losses at her school, called and invited each and every > commissioner to spend a day there before voting. Not one responded. > > No one can deny that our schools are in trouble; it's the contributing > factors that seem to be in dispute. But the fact is, it's about money -- > programs are being cut, teachers are being realigned to save money, > materials are being paid for by the teachers themselves in some cases. > > This same teacher at North also suggests that if the stadium gets built > on > the backs of taxpayers, the players' salaries should be capped at what a > teacher in our public school system makes. Consider the contributions to > our > future from a school teacher vs. a pro athlete. Hmmmmmmmmmmm .... didn't > take long did it? Teachers are in charge of educating our young people > with > little or no parent involvement these days. Classrooms are more crowded > than > our prison cells. Teachers often pay for materials from their own meager > salaries. Athletes do ..... what? I know of one personally who > volunteers at > an elementary school several days a week and others who contribute to > their > communities in many ways. But by and large, they're only impacting a few > with an interest in sports while some of the less than stellar role > models > are teaching our young people other less than desirable traits. > > The priorities of our governmental leaders are misdirected and they can > do a > lot more damage before the next election. It doesn't really feel like a > government for and by the people anymore, does it? It's more about who's > got > the deepest pockets. The thing with the stadium is so obviously crooked > .... > I'm just amazed that our county board thinks we're all so stupid that we > can't see it, too. > > ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ > ~ ~ > ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ > Connie Beckers > THE GODDESS OF GLASS > > > > > 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 > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.9 - Release Date: 5/12/2005 > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.9 - Release Date: 5/12/2005 > > > > 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
