And an "Amen", and "well said". I, too, urge
everyone to vote FOR the local sales tax. As for the amendment, we
do NEED that apportionment.
The word "tax" has so much negativity. Is
there not a better word for the process by which we collect monies for those
benefits which we cannot
individually provide?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:31
PM
Subject: Re: [Winona]
Transportation
[Winona Online Democracy]
Dear Linda:
Thank you for your response. The fact is
that every transportation district in the State of Minnesota will get it's
formulated allotment. That will mean significant increases within our
district and county for highway improvements. Yes the Metro will get
it's share, but we will not in any way be excluded. Actually, out state
is appropriated more total transportation dollars because we have more total
road miles.
Also, I have been working with an organization
called "Midwest High Speed Rail Association" out of Chicago. They are
supporting and promoting the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative for passenger
rail expansion. Minnesota is a part of this Regional Midwest Rail
Initiative. This will help us to retain Amtrak or another innovative
passenger rail service. I have been very vocal to keep passenger
services alive for Winona and our local economy. Can you just imagine
how many more cars we would have in Winona if all of our college students from
Chicago for example could no longer use the Amtrak service? This is a
real plus for the Universities and our community.
May I remind the folks who don't live in Winona
that you also use our infrastructure and services
and therefore share equally in the responsibility to support those
services that you are using, like our roads etc.. By the same
token, I go to Minneapolis and St. Paul several times a year and use
their highways and roads, thus I should not feel begrudging of the
improvements they make. I hate being stalled in traffic just on
visits, I can't imagine having to deal with it on a daily basis.
Leone
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:00
PM
Subject: Re: [Winona]
Transportation
[Winona Online Democracy]
I do not think it is right that those of us
who live near Winona and do almost all our shopping in Winona are not
allowed to vote on this tax increase.
I respect your opinion but I am not allowed
to vote on the Winona sales tax and I am voting NO on the State
Amendment. St. Paul will see new roads and improvements if it passes
tomorrow but I doubt Winona county will see a dime.
Linda Fort
[Winona Online Democracy]
VOTE YES FOR TRANSPORTATION
I was disappointed at John Edstroms editorial on the ½ cent sales tax!
Without this dedicated tax, we will be strapped and stalled for years on
making needed safety improvements in the City of Winona. This sales tax
unlike the other 6.5% sales tax we pay into will STAY completely in
Winona. The list of projects are like your wish list for home
improvements. The priorities are set by the most outstanding needs over
the period of time, and by the Citys abilities to find MATCHING FEDERAL,
STATE and PRIVATE GRANTS! They want our dollars to go as far as possible
on as many projects as we can do with the limited amount of money that we
can collect. That is what I call good conservative government. I served on
three comprehensive planning task forces for the City this past year and
can assure you that the City does want to do what the citizens are asking
for to improve our City.
If we do not pass this tax, your property taxes may be the next
alternative or risk a lower bond rating because some of these projects
must be done at some point to protect our citizens, therefore we may need
to bond for them. Our dikes protect us from the Mississippi River. Without
good pumps our City could once again flood like New Orleans! Does anyone
remember the 1965 flood? The CP railroad will see an average growth of
about 1 to 2 additional trains per year projected for their increase
growth in world trade without any DM&E expansion, which incidentally I
do not feel will add that many more trains because of alternate routes.
Remember the CP Railroad is a Canadian Railroad wanting to do more
business with Mexico. We need to wake up to the fact that we are in a
WORLD GLOBAL economy and Winona is just one little part of this bigger
world. The fact is, without the REQUIRED matching funds for road and
overpass improvements, we will be short changed in all federal and state
available funds for transportation. So our federal and state taxes that we
pay into the system will go to other communities that are smart enough to
raise and budget matching money for infrastructure improvements.
Negative attitudes in this city are killing our progress. We may envy
Rochester, but they have a city sales tax to take advantage of the federal
and state transportation dollars. I hope this community understands how
the system works and just what this ½ cent tax will do for Winona.
People who want to purchase clothing are not going to rush off to La
Crosse because of this ½ cent sales tax because Wisconsin has sales tax on
clothing and Minnesota does not! That is one reason you see
Penneys, K-Mart, Maggies, Wall-Mart, Target etc. full of Wisconsin license
plates in Winona. Actually, some small businesses have benefited from the
additional traffic into the city created by Wall-Mart and Menards, etc..
While they are here they stop to eat, pick up other specialty things not
offered in the big boxes. Incidentally, there was a desire for more retail
when the last ½ cent tax was levied and the rest of the land is being
developed for industrial development. We-No-Nah Canoe, Inc. is just one
example and others are making plans when the infrastructure is
completed.
VOTE YES FOR TRANSPORTATION! Also Vote Yes for the State Amendment. All
of those dollars collected were intended for transportation and at one
time Minnesota had some of the best roads in the nation. Now we are at
least twenty years behind with bridges that are needing to be constantly
repaired and routinely checked because they are nearing condemnation
status. We as voters now have the opportunity to take leadership for our
future. Do not let the bickering special interest groups fight over half
of our transportation taxes collected. Yes the 40% for transit can be used
in Winona! We have a bus service to maintain and we could add bus shelters
at more designated stops to keep riders out of the rain and cold winds. We
most likely would be able to use the money for overpasses or underpasses
at railroad crossings since Amtrak is a passenger transit service
through the city of Winona. In addition, currently we are in a very
precarious situation with having no other access to the northern part of
the City of Winona off of Hwy. 61 from the west bound lane coming from La
Crosse other than the Hwy. 61/43 Mankato Avenue intersection, unless you
want to count going through Fleet Farms private property appropriate
access. If that Hwy. 61/43 intersection were disabled (example - truck
hazardous spill), we would not be able to get fire and emergency vehicles
or Hwy. 61 traffic into or around this intersection. We may actually be in
violation of the States fire safety and evacuation codes. Now with the
new middle school on the south side of Hwy. 61, we need to be even more
concerned about the safety of children and the growing population to the
south of Hwy. 61.
VOTE YES FOR TRANSPORTATION AMENDMENT AND THE ½ CENT SALES TAX
Leone J. Mauszycki
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_______________________________________________
This message was
posted to Winona Online Democracy
All messages must be signed by the
senders actual name.
No commercial solicitations are allowed on this
list.
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visit
http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona
Any problems or
suggestions can be directed to
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
If you
want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page
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