This was a major issue for the church-based/issue-based coalition ISAIAH. If memory serves me correctly, Pawlenty supported the legislation. It certainly should be revived.
Bruce Leier from the edge of Frogtown > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On > Behalf Of Terrell Brown > Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 9:30 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [TCMetro] Comprehensive local planning > > > A couple of weeks ago [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > The Met Council is appointed by the governor, and traditionally has > > been very > > partisan. This last group was ideologically diverse and I hope the > > next one > > will be as well. In addition to looking at the health of the whole > > region when > > making sewer/water/systems decisions, the council has to act as > > ambassador to > > serve all the municipalities and prevent and assuage these sorts of > > intracable > > differences. > > [TB] There was an attempt a few years back to make the Met Council an > elected body. It passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the Governor > (Carlson as I recall). > > Now I understand why the Governor wouldn't be interested in losing some > nice appointed positions. I do, however, think that its an issue that > should be brought back. > > The Met Councils duties have changed. They are not "just" a planning > agency, they operate the bus system, the sewer system. Electing them > would make it less likely that the entire council would turn over at > the same time, there would be some continuity (granted the staff > doesn't entirely change). > > An elected council might lead the way in merging some of the redundant > functions we have in the metro area. Do we really need nearly 200 > municipalities? Some of that combining would be more acceptable if the > regional agency was elected rather than appointed. > > > > Terrell Brown > Loring Park/Minneapolis > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus.yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ > Twin Cities Metropolitan Issues Forum > http://www.e-democracy.org/tcmetro > Rules: Sign posts with real name. You may not post more than twice a day. _______________________________________________ Twin Cities Metropolitan Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/tcmetro Rules: Sign posts with real name. You may not post more than twice a day.
