Letters: 475

Pride in Pictures Cover:
So I go find a dozen copies to bring home for keeping (and giving to family), and I sit down to look through the whole magazine – each and every picture, every event. By the time I’m finished, I’m crying. Moved to tears by joy. Our community is BEAUTIFUL, and you all did a wonderful job of capturing it. It was like looking through the best family reunion photo album EVER.

Tawnya “Sweetpea” Konobeck
Minneapolis
via Facebook

 

Minneapolis Energy:
One of the hottest issues this summer, Minneapolis Energy Options, is coming to a head with a city council vote on August 15th. I am very concerned about the the wisdom of a ballot initiative, and of municipalization. I support more renewables and energy conservation, but I will not be responsible for driving 2,000 jobs of out of Minneapolis for a project that could cost billions of dollars the city does not have.

Should this reckless ballot initiative–pushed by Councilwoman Hodges and others– fail, the city will lose any leverage they currently hold with Xcel Energy to fight for a shorter contract with more options for local and sustainable power.

This ballot initiative takes city funding away from more immediate projects the city desperately needs to attend to, like expanding transit options, road and infrastructure improvement, and creating jobs. The city attorney said clearly in the public hearing that a vote in favor of a ballot initiative is not about options, it’s to authorize municipalization. Minneapolis deserves better and I hope common sense prevails at the city council.

Mark Andrew 
Candidate for Minneapolis Mayor