Cheryl Luger wrote:
Library Board is covered (until after the primary), Park Board is being covered...now, any VOLUNTEERS to host the board of estimate and taxation race? Since the COUNCIL and MAYOR have appointees on the board, perhaps, they would be willing to SHARE some of THEIR debate/forum time with the candidates for this board?
I can say as a candidate for the Board of Estimate that I would welcome a Board of Estimate candidate debate.
I've attended a number of candidate forums. Most of the discussion has come down to money. There isn't enough money to keep the libraries open more than three days a week, to restore all the 185 cops that have been cut, to keep the parks open as much as kids need them, to improve the snow plowing, and to do other things that citizens need.
And even though there isn't enough money to do these basic things, the average citizen is being hit with whopping increases in their taxes. There is real pain in the pocketbook, especially for those folks who are being gentrified out of their communities, small businesses, folks on fixed incomes, folks buying their first houses, and even just the general citizen. People don't get why their taxes are going up and their services are going down, understandably so.
When I go to these other candidate forums, I have to hold myself back from leaping up and giving citizens the basics of how we got into this mess. Our tax system is one of the most complex in the country and most people who are passionate about needing more cops or more hours of library service or better snow plowing need to understand that their real concern isn't with libraries or cops or parks but it is with the revenue system that funds these services. And that is what the Board of Estimate does: we focus on the overall revenue picture of the City and what levels of taxation should be provided for these necessary services.
So, having said all this, are there people out there who are passionate about police or parks or libraries or snow plowing or any of the other services that are funded with our taxes who would be willing to organize a candidate forum? There are seven candidates running for this office offering a wide set of perspectives and experience which could dramatically impact the funding for police or parks or libraries and citizens who are passionate about these issues should have the opportunity to question them. Anyone? Anyone?
Carol Becker Longfellow Candidate for the Board of Estimate and Taxation Go Geeks! 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
