May 23, 2008
Condominium sales slow..Minneapolis Council to allow more time for development
Oh great, lock the barn after the horses have gotten loose. The current zone code requires work to begin on projects within a year of being approved. I’m assuming there was a good reason for that to begin with. Now the city council is considering extending that to allow the projects more time due to lack luster sales. Hello City Council! You allowed too many of these projects start to begin with! Where was the out cry for all of the condominium development in the first place? This isn’t city planning, it is city reengineering. Most of the rest of us have watched as condo project after condo project emerged in the city over the last few years and wondered how are all of these going to get filled. In areas of the city where there just doesn’t seem to be any call for a new condo, and then “pop” there goes another one. Now there is a down turn in the sales of condos and the city talks about changing the code. I think it’s just bad city planning.
May 21, 2008
Minneapolis Public Schools are going to a pay for service program
As part of a trial program Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is going to start charging at Hale school for all day Kindergarten (ADK) at a rate of $3,000 per kid.
This is on top of the per kid charge on the taxpayers’ property taxes at a rate that is either as high if not higher than a lot of private schools showing better results.
The Minneapolis Shadow supports the idea of ADK, but it should be for all kids at no additional charge. What about looking to cut out programs to pay for ADK. Maybe look at getting rid of the “Welcoming Schools” program for example? How much is that going to cost balanced against the benefits! Bullying, if that is really what this is about, is a discipline issue that requires administrative action not a curriculum program. There are plenty of areas of waste, fraud, and abuse that can get cut in order to make room for something worthwhile.
Stick that is your referendum pipe and smoke it MPS!
This is on top of the per kid charge on the taxpayers’ property taxes at a rate that is either as high if not higher than a lot of private schools showing better results.
The Minneapolis Shadow supports the idea of ADK, but it should be for all kids at no additional charge. What about looking to cut out programs to pay for ADK. Maybe look at getting rid of the “Welcoming Schools” program for example? How much is that going to cost balanced against the benefits! Bullying, if that is really what this is about, is a discipline issue that requires administrative action not a curriculum program. There are plenty of areas of waste, fraud, and abuse that can get cut in order to make room for something worthwhile.
Stick that is your referendum pipe and smoke it MPS!
May 20, 2008
Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (NRP) survives..sort of..kind of..maybe..not
If there was ever a definition for the term “cluster F—k” this is it. No matter which of the proposed options that the state “elected” took on this issue it was going to end up the wrong thing to do. Instead of a program that lends itself to waste, fraud, abuse, and government “hackery”; you now have a pot of gold handed to a governmental body that has proven itself very irresponsible and unable to make seriously tough decisions – The Minneapolis “Silly” Council.
Not only did the council use the citizen’s hard earned income to buyout the Target Center, not they are going to use this extended money to buyoff that loan and I bet you there will be a garden growing on the roof soon. Just what the cash strapped citizens required right now; grass, trees, and lovely blooming things high on top of the house of one of the worst NBA teams in the league. The city officials are even quoted as saying they want the money for other projects and help the city finances. Throwing good money after bad again!
We could have a much better system of governmental funding if the city council was more responsible. Instead of this state government capturing of special zone area tax dollars and reissuing the money back to the city; the city could just collect the tax revenue and pay for essentials. Maybe fund such things as much needed police protection, and better education without referendums. Maybe they could fix the potholed streets, provide water and sewer service without having to raise taxes. Gee whiz just think if the city properly funded it’s responsibilities it might even start to make money. In that case it could self fund bike paths, enhance the parks, replace trees, create great world class shopping experiences downtown, and even provide different transit options all on it’s own. What a concept! But, alas, our “silly” council can’t be trusted to spend the hard earned taxpayer money wisely enough to achieve such great things. They don’t have the ability to aspire to anything other than the next election and serving only small minorities of the population. However, they are given the pot of gold anyway because the state “elected” aren’t any better. How sad!
Not only did the council use the citizen’s hard earned income to buyout the Target Center, not they are going to use this extended money to buyoff that loan and I bet you there will be a garden growing on the roof soon. Just what the cash strapped citizens required right now; grass, trees, and lovely blooming things high on top of the house of one of the worst NBA teams in the league. The city officials are even quoted as saying they want the money for other projects and help the city finances. Throwing good money after bad again!
We could have a much better system of governmental funding if the city council was more responsible. Instead of this state government capturing of special zone area tax dollars and reissuing the money back to the city; the city could just collect the tax revenue and pay for essentials. Maybe fund such things as much needed police protection, and better education without referendums. Maybe they could fix the potholed streets, provide water and sewer service without having to raise taxes. Gee whiz just think if the city properly funded it’s responsibilities it might even start to make money. In that case it could self fund bike paths, enhance the parks, replace trees, create great world class shopping experiences downtown, and even provide different transit options all on it’s own. What a concept! But, alas, our “silly” council can’t be trusted to spend the hard earned taxpayer money wisely enough to achieve such great things. They don’t have the ability to aspire to anything other than the next election and serving only small minorities of the population. However, they are given the pot of gold anyway because the state “elected” aren’t any better. How sad!
May 19, 2008
Where has all the leadership gone? We need a real debate on the issues!
Here comes the general rant regarding the Minneapolis Shadow’s favorite subject that is an equal opportunity slap in the face, Leadership.
Where is the number one personality trait that all elected, or would be elected, people should have, leadership? There is none! Everyone is so busy covering their backsides talking about issues that really are on the fringe on the greater concerns, or they are totally mute. I really don’t care about Al’s taxes, Barrack’s wife, Hilary’s delegate count, or John and his green house gas. We have terrorists out to kill us, gas supply problems, education system down the crapper, taxes going up sky high, real jobs that need to be generated, crime needs to be curbed, and a cost of living that keeps speeding upwards toward the clouds. A new bike shop on the greenway, roof top gardens, bike paths along parkways, or a dump truck full of rhetorical horse manure isn’t going to solve anything.
We need real leaders with ideas on how to solve issues and people who aren’t afraid to debate those ideas.
We need people who can dig into the real issues of how to really simulate the economy with real tangible growth.
We need people who can open the discussion on education reform and get kids really learning again and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.
We need people that can focus on ridding the crime that infests the city and make it a priority.
We need people that can offer solutions on long lasting tax reform.The list goes on and on. What do we want, leadership! When do you want it, NOW!
Where is the number one personality trait that all elected, or would be elected, people should have, leadership? There is none! Everyone is so busy covering their backsides talking about issues that really are on the fringe on the greater concerns, or they are totally mute. I really don’t care about Al’s taxes, Barrack’s wife, Hilary’s delegate count, or John and his green house gas. We have terrorists out to kill us, gas supply problems, education system down the crapper, taxes going up sky high, real jobs that need to be generated, crime needs to be curbed, and a cost of living that keeps speeding upwards toward the clouds. A new bike shop on the greenway, roof top gardens, bike paths along parkways, or a dump truck full of rhetorical horse manure isn’t going to solve anything.
We need real leaders with ideas on how to solve issues and people who aren’t afraid to debate those ideas.
We need people who can dig into the real issues of how to really simulate the economy with real tangible growth.
We need people who can open the discussion on education reform and get kids really learning again and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.
We need people that can focus on ridding the crime that infests the city and make it a priority.
We need people that can offer solutions on long lasting tax reform.The list goes on and on. What do we want, leadership! When do you want it, NOW!
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