Minneapolis Observer: Focus On The Issues At The Park Board
Let's Focus on the Issues at the Park Board By Liz Wielinski
(June 24) In The Minneapolis Observer, Park Superintendent Jon Gurban is quoted saying "It should help focus things not on personalities, but on the issues,". The problem with this statement is that Jason Stone and other truly reform minded candidates have been talking about the issues and the Big 5 incumbents come up short. Commissioner Kummer chose to align with the Dziedzic/Fine machine as did Marie Hauser and Jon Olson. The fact that they supported bad projects with huge cost overruns, and land give aways are just the issues that should be brought to the public's attention. During the next few months while the campaign season starts going into overdrive you will see the majority on the current board try to get through projects like DeLaSalle before they lose the 5 votes that their "reciprocal agreement" scheme needs. No doubt Crown Hydro's attorneys are drafting their "reciprocal agreement" to bring before the board prior to the end of the year.
The list I am looking forward to seeing is the Superintendent's proposed budget cuts for 2006. What will take the hit this year? Will they want to shut off the fountains? Oops, already did that and private parties are now paying those bills. Maybe they could cut back on office space. Nope, need those off-site places to put the three new $90,000/year district managers. Cut the advertising and PR budget. So sorry, need a new PR consultant at $65,000 - $70,000 to clean up after the Superintendent. I guess they could just go back to the wading pools, grass cutting, porta-pottie, and park supervisor dollars.
I, for one, have to say that I agree with Superintendent Gurban (is that ice I hear forming in the nether-world?) that yes LET'S FOCUS ON THE ISSUES.