STATE-OWNED PROPERTY

Get it on tax rolls

Someone once said, "If we see things only as they are we may never see what might have been!"

As our legislators in St. Paul discuss funding of transportation and whether to tax, borrow or bond for needed projects, one has come up with an alternative proposal.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha, proposes selling state-owned properties, providing money available without going to the overburdened taxpayer one more time.

Minnesota is the sixth-largest landowner in the nation, nearly 1.5 million acres of which are forest lands. Drazkowski's bill would not put wildlife management areas, state parks or trails on market, only surplus forest areas. The state could acquire funds from a sale plus gain by not having to manage this property.

Thinking outside the box, refreshing!

CATHERINE HUISMAN, RED WING, MINN.

FROM THE FRONT LINES

Whither Minnesota?

In your Feb. 10 Opinion Exchange section, four intelligent, knowledgeable leaders of grantmaking foundations (Sandra Vargas, Kate Woldford, Peter Hutchinson and Carleen Rhodes) advised Minnesotans that there was a need for affordable health care for everybody (85,000 children without health care) and that too many kids are living in poverty (more than 152,000). They also said that addressing those challenges, and increasing investment in education to ensure that students graduate from high school to secure an educated and self-supporting workforce in Minnesota, were all necessary to this state's future.

Our legislators, both state and national, have tried to pass legislation to the effect. Both our governor and our president have vetoed these bills. What does that tell us?

GRACE K. WIGGEN, COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

SUPERDELEGATES

Democracy at work

Superdelegates are hardly subverting democracy, as a Feb. 12 letter writer suggests. People active in the DFL Party, such as superdelegates, have a better understanding of what it takes to move the party ahead. It is about determining the best strategy for winning the general election. It is not about the emotions of the moment.

Winning requires consideration beyond the borders of Minnesota. Which states are expected to vote Democratic in the general election? Who will play better to the center against John McCain? Those who really believe in the party's fundamental principles will see the wisdom in this and not take it as a personal affront. Consider that Mitt Romney won on the Republican side, and now that party will determine its best strategy without him.

It is not "of the people" if less than 4.5 percent of registered voters voted for Barack Obama (212,079 DFL votes, 3,114,268 registered voters and 66 percent of that for Obama). With numbers that low and a race so close, it makes sense to have party workers do what they think is best to win back a Democratic White House. The general election is the path to change. Don't blow it by bickering, threatening and taking it personally. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are together on policy principles. They are most powerful as a team.

BARBARA HEERS, FARIBAULT, MINN.

The last groundswell Your paper is doing the general public a disservice when it orchestrates an attack on the system of superdelegates without giving the history of their creation. Party leaders and elected officials had been the mainstay of convention delegates. They were our leaders and that came with the territory. This upset the new blood in the party. They wanted to be heard. They challenged them for delegate seats.

Party leaders and key elected officials found themselves on the outside. This didn't seem right. From personal experience I also found it impossible to compete with them head to head in a popularity contest. They have a far larger proven base than an average joe. We also needed their experience and leadership within the party. The compromise was the superdelegate.

ROBERT A. SWART, MANKATO, MINN.

DEMOND'S DEATH

Will society change?

The painful death of Demond Green is almost beyond comprehension. And beyond the ghastly death a little 4-year-old suffered, horrible damage must have been done to the children who witnessed the vicious attack.

Surely we can find a way to protect our vulnerable children. Without question, it should be a priority.

RETTA LECKEY, FERGUS FALLS, MINN.

POETRY AND PROMISES

A tiny detail: Who pays?

To Jack Uldrich's comments on political glittering generalities ("Obama needs to move beyond the rhetoric," Feb. 10), I would add: As well intentioned as these proposals may be, who gets the privilege to pay for health insurance for all Americans, childhood education for all under 5 and efforts to cap carbon dioxide emissions?

The poorest among us do not earn enough to contribute income tax. The rich can afford to hire tax specialists for sheltering income. It is the middle class who will pay, pay, pay and their children and their children and their children. What would it take to get our political candidates to offer practical suggestions for implementing their sound-bite platitudes?

JAMES SCHACHER, BLAINE