In the debate about the De La Salle project, De supporters keep talking
about De La Salle's contributions to the City. I sincerely want to know
what these are.
De La Salle has talked about alumni, like John Derus and Louis DeMars,
having served the public politically. Mr. Derus was a city alderman and
Hennepin County Commissioner. Mr. DeMars was a city alderman, and for
many years, president of the City Council. Both have testified in favor
of the De La Salle proposal. And both, IMHO, have contributed greatly
to Minneapolis as it is today.
But Roosevelt and North High graduated students who went on to become
governors. Marshall U High graduated a man who was a congressman and
mayor.
Without researching a long list, I believe every city high school can
document prestigious alumni in the fields of politics, education,
business, medicine, etc. Every city high school can claim hundreds of
graduates who went into skilled crafts or the arts or the media. Every
high school has a list of those who went into the military - including
those who died in service. The lists of these revered alumni are
probably longer at public high schools than De La Salle simply because
the public schools were bigger. I believe all city public and private
high schools can point to successful alumni - this is not testimony as
to what De La Salle has given the City.
Some will point out that De La Salle made a contribution simply by
staying on Nicollet Island. Well, dozens of public schools have stayed
in there locations so as to serve local children. In some cases, an
antiquated building was closed and a new school building was built. But
these schools remain to serve city children. Of all the school sites in
Minneapolis, De La Salle, a private non-profit corporation, has seen
more appreciation of land values than any other school site I can think
of. We, the taxpayers, have contributed something like $100 million to
redevelop the central Minneapolis riverfront. (Imagine spending that
much on West Broadway or Nicollet south of downtown .) De La Salle is
owned by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the De La Salle
property has appreciated to many millions! So, De La Salle hung in
there during the low economic periods and now they are rewarded with
their incredible valuable private property (and an exemption from income
tax as De La Salle is a non-profit.)
De La Salle is rewarded for it's staying power by the tremendous
appreciation of its land value. This has happened to folks all over the
City as land values have risen. Some sell and take their profits.
Others, including seniors on fixed incomes, stay and struggle with
increased property taxes. (I know an 86 year old who spent something
like $9,000 to build a house in South Minneapolis after WWII. She and
her husband did most of the work. Today, property taxes for three years
exceed what she paid for her house. Her social security benefits only
go up 3% a year but property taxes, her main housing cost, go up 15%-20%
a year.) This is not a problem for De for De La Salle pays no property
taxes.
So, what has De La Salle done for the City or the Park Board in the past
10-25 years? Not the alumni. I live in Powderhorn and I am not aware
of De having undertaken any projects here. I could be wrong. So, set
me straight. How does De La Salle contribute to the City?
Shawne FitzGerald
Powderhorn
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