There is another college professor of sociology in the race this year-- Dave Berger. Dave is endorsed by the Green Party.
Visit Dave's website. I think you'll be pleased at what you see. http://votedaveberger.home.comcast.net/ David Strand Loring Park > Bruce Shoemaker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > As our city primary election draws closer I have > been wondering about > something strange regarding one of our more obscure > municipal races, > that for the Board of Estimate and Taxation. For the > first time in many > years, there will be a primary for these two seats > as seven candidates > have filed to run. Four will proceed to the general > election. One of > the candidates, incumbent Gordon Nelson, has served > on the Board since > 1974. Dr. Nelson is a retired Augsburg College > professor of > sociology/urban studies, an aide to Martin Sabo, and > a long-time loyal > DFL activist and supporter. > > Despite thirty plus years of service on the Board, > the DFL failed to > endorse Dr. Nelson for this election. Why? In many > cities such > positions are either appointed or the work is done > by civil servants. > Much of the work involves "due diligence" -- > examining and analyzing the > details of whether our city budget are sound and > sensible. It seems > like the type of position in which experience should > count for a lot. > There should be a good reason for dumping somebody > with this much > experience. I fail to see what the reason is in this > case. Did the DFL > convention attendees think the two candidates who > did get endorsed have > some different vision for how the Board of Estimate > and Taxation should > be run? In what way? Did the DFL delegates have some > dissatisfaction > with Dr. Nelson's work on the board that justified > denying him the > endorsement? Somehow I doubt it. I'm guessing it had > more to do with > political connections and who was more out-and-about > in activist circles > than it did with any real analysis about who is > actually most qualified > for the job. > > When I had Dr. Nelson as a professor at Augsburg I > found him to have a > deep commitment to the city of Minneapolis and an > exceptional ability to > analyze issues and problems. I still remember his > descriptions of the > construction of I-35W through Northeast Minneapolis > and how it destroyed > the sense of community in ethnic enclaves like the > Beltrami > neighborhood. While he has retired from Augsburg, he > is still active in > many pursuits, still works in Martin Sabo's office > and still coaches a > softball team at Nokomis Park on which I > occasionally manage to make an > appearance at first base. He's still as sharp as > ever. As a homeowner > and property taxpayer in the city of Minneapolis, I > would like to see > him keeping his experienced eye on our finances for > another term. > > Bruce Shoemaker > Holland neighborhood > > 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 > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > 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 > ____________________________________________________ Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs 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
