Pax-salon Mailing List: Salon and the Stadium

[patty (pattypax]

Dear People,   This is something the Salon has taken up to work on--- 
no new stadium.  This is a letter from Rep. Mindy Greiling of  
Roseville.   The email of Ady Wickstrom is in this and i do hope you  
contact her to let her know of your interest in being on a list to be  
informed if a petition drive is needed.
The next salon of Tuesday will be sent out soon and it, too, will be  
on the stadium issue.

Thanks,

patty

Begin forwarded message:

> (State Rep. Mindy Greiling, E-Update, October 27, 2011)
>
> Dear Friends and Neighbors,
>
> I have spent much of my time this fall talking about the current  
> state of Minnesota’s education funding system. From Roseville to  
> rural Minnesota, residents have heard a range of numbers from  
> legislators from both parties. To correct the misinformation,  
> clarify the confusion and provide context and historical  
> perspective, I have been asked to address school funding levels and  
> how they relate to the quality of education students are receiving  
> in our schools.
>
> Minnesota has historically been a quality of life state, meaning we  
> fund our priorities. The rosy picture of “The Good Life in  
> Minnesota,” featured on TIME magazine’s August 13, 1973 is now out  
> of focus. Minnesotans recognize the value of strong schools, an  
> educated workforce and their direct link to a strong and prosperous  
> state. We only need to look at the numbers to see how education  
> funding, supposedly a priority, has been held flat for far too long.  
> In fact, the state has not seen a real increase of the education  
> formula since 1984.
>
> The state has used public schools as a piggy bank. After the 2011  
> legislative session, we now owe schools $4,168 per student. These  
> are the real numbers, not skewed through a partisan lens.
>
> I am not alone in thinking about the misplaced priorities of those  
> legislators whose only justification for raising taxes is to fund a  
> new Vikings stadium. $650 million could do wonders for our students  
> and our economy if targeted in the right direction. A shiny new  
> stadium would be fun but it wouldn’t teach our kids to read.
>
> Metrodome
> I have heard from many constituents who have contacted me concerned  
> about the process of the Vikings stadium debate. Like many of you, I  
> want to keep the Vikings in Minnesota. Last Friday, I joined a  
> bipartisan group of Ramsey County legislators in proposing a deal to  
> sell the Metrodome to the Minnesota Vikings. This stadium solution  
> would be economically prudent, saving taxpayers money as well as the  
> Vikings.
>
> I certainly hope other proposals such as expanding gambling are non- 
> starters. The social costs and societal impact on all Minnesotans  
> are too high and are not justified for a public revenue source.
>
> Proposed Increase of the Ramsey County Sales Tax
> The proposal to increase Ramsey County’s sales tax by 0.5% to fund a  
> county share of the proposed Vikings stadium in Arden Hills is  
> controversial. At the very least, Ramsey County residents should be  
> able to vote on the issue. Proposals by legislators from other  
> regions of Minnesota, to tax us while preserving a statewide asset,  
> are off base.
>
> Context is helpful in looking at the large investment role the  
> Vikings are asking Minnesotans to make. The $650 million subsidy  
> from Minnesota taxpayers would be the largest taxpayer subsidy for  
> any sports team ever.
>
> I encourage you to support a referendum on public financing from a  
> Ramsey County sales tax. To sign a petition enforcing this state  
> law, contact Shoreview City Council member Ady Wickstrom at: ady [at] adywickstrom.com 
> . She is preparing a petition and collecting names of registered  
> Ramsey County voters who may wish to sign on.
>
> As always, I encourage you to contact me with your ideas and  
> suggestions. You can reach me at 651-296-5387 andrep.mindy.greiling [at] house.mn 
> .
>
> Sincerely,
> Mindy

We want YOU to be a whistle blower