WHITTIER, STEVENS SQUARE, LORING HEIGHTS, VENTURA VILLAGE, and PHILLIPS WEST
Sustainability, conservation, and economy in Minneapolis government

January 10, 2009 seems to be about the day I decided to run for City Council.  That was the date I wrote a document describing “What I want from my government”.  It is still on the back of my brochures and on this website as the home page.  I am proud to say that it has hardly changed at all.

Had I been changing it would suggest that I was tailoring my message.  That has not been the case.

At someone’s doorstep last summer I was told, “I always appreciated Paul Wellstone not so much because I agreed with him, but because I always new exactly where he stood on an issue”

I hope I am living up to that standard.  This website is an in-depth review of my philosophies, Everyone who looks at it will be able to find something they disagree with.  However, now you know what I am about.

I don’t know what I will do, politically speaking, if I lose the election.  I may just concentrate on being a very good Refrigeration and Maintenance Mechanic, or I may take up a specific cause.  I think it might be good someday Minneapolis were to have a Part-time City Council.

But, win or lose, it has been interesting!

I want to win because we in Minneapolis simply have not been well served by our City Government.
HOME
 

ENVIRONMENT:  Increasing scarcity of natural resources is a reality.  Conservation must be our most important strategy.  Alternative energy sources alone may never meet the energy demands of tommorrow.

 
THE MINNEAPOLIS BUDGET:  Current financial problems are not only solely the result of reductions in State aid, exorbitant health care cost, or excessive retirement obligations, but the collective result of many errors in judgment, lack of foresight, and ordinary mistakes!  It appears the only difficult but necessary next step is further reductions in spending by government at all levels. 
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:  Neighborhood groups are the preeminent workings of a grass-roots democracy, a place where City staff and residents can reach common ground.  Precautions must be taken to prevent insider advantages and monetary abuses.
 

PUBLIC SAFETY:  Minneapolis has many outstanding Police Officers. We must not second guess the men and women who serve the City well.  Sometimes a lack of appropriate supervision and training, sometimes weak interpersonal skills, and sometimes institutional problems, the payouts, costs of litigation, and court rulings for abuse of authority, misconduct, and brutality must stop.

 
PARK BOARD:  An independent Park Board has served the City well for 125 years.  I see no reason to discontinue the practice of independent citizen board governance! 
CITY COUNCIL:  Minneapolis is said to have a strong council/weak mayor form of government.  It appears to me we have a weak council/weak mayor.  Either City Council must do better or be diminished! 
THE CITY CHARTER AND ORDINANCES:  The City Council must quit debating issues the Mayor and a City Manager could determine using the Charter and all the Ordinances and look at policy matters 
INSPECTION, ZONING AND PLANNING, PUBLIC WORKS:  These City Departments must be accountable and responsive to the Public‘s requests and the orders of the City Council!   
LIGHT RAIL: The benefits of inner-city light rail are really questionable .  It works great for those it serves, but light rail really does not serve a significant portion of the metropolitian population on a daily basis.  Inner city neighborhoods do not need or want mass transit in their neighborhood!  I prefer trains, but buses will have to do.   
HIGH DENSITY HOUSING:  In the end, up-zoning changes neighborhoods.  The standard of living that high density housing is, is probably ­­­not the vision the residents of those buildings envisioned themselves in.  New residential construction cannot preceed job creation.
Jobs first, then housing!
 
 
I LOVE THIS COUNTRY MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND EXACTLY FOR THIS REASON, I INSIST ON THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE HER. 
 
 James Baldwin 
 
 
 
SOME DISAGREEMENTS IN POLITICS ARE PERSONAL, SOME ARE PARTISAN, AND SOME GO TO THE HEART OF THE MEANING OF A CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY.
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