Letters to the editor, Feb. 29, 2008

VETO OVERRIDE

Repeat of 1776?

Once again, there was a tax levied without a referendum. The 0.025-cent increase in the metro-area sales tax is reminiscent of the tax increase that was levied on Hennepin County for the new Twins ballpark.

There was a time in our country's history when colonists went to war with Great Britain over taxation without representation.

JON MCCOLLUM, PLYMOUTH

To all those who think the gas tax will cost us no more than $4 a week, please consider how most products travel -- by road. This tax will trickle down into most products and services. Suppliers now have an opportunity to raise their current delivery charge because of the tax. Don't fool yourselves, it will cost you more for the few it will benefit.

JOE KOHAUT, BURNSVILLE

I applaud the actions taken by House Republican Leader Marty Seifert, who disciplined the six "maverick" Republicans who broke ranks to override the governor's veto of the transportation funding bill.

It's about time they learn that if they're going to vote like Democrats, then maybe they should consider switching parties.

I don't believe in litmus tests on abortion, but I do think Republicans should be united on taxes.

DAVID VERPLANK, BLAINE

Shame on you, Rep. Seifert and the Republican leadership, for punishing legislators courageous enough to vote their convictions on the transportation bill. We give lip service to "crossing party lines" and "breaking the gridlock." These Republican House members did just that.

I hope the voters have the foresight to support these legislators and to throw the bullies in the Republican leadership out.

ROGER PURDY, ST. PAUL

Minnesota's Republican Party leaders' retaliation against those who voted for the transportation bill shows the flip side of Minnesota Nice: Minnesota Nasty, complete with a governor who didn't get his way.

We expect it from teenagers; it's disgusting from leaders. We will remember in November.

CHERIE A. BOEN, WADENA, MINN.

MCCAIN'S STRATEGY

Use hatchet men

We now have a pretty good idea how John McCain's presidential campaign will operate. Some troglodyte will smear Sen. Barack Obama, implying he is Muslim or an Al-Qaida sympathizer, and McCain will apologize.

Both messages achieve the same effect, labeling Obama as a dangerous outsider. Start keeping score now and see how many times they do it.

McCain will repudiate his people all the way to the White House.

MIKE FINLEY, ST. PAUL

EXPERTS AT MINIMUM WAGE

Risking a science glut

The clamor about America's youth falling behind in education is increasing. Critics cite that other countries are passing the United States in the number of college graduates -- especially in science, math and engineering -- as a cause for great concern. They promote a longer school year, tougher "back-to-basics" courses, merit-based pay for teachers, more testing and other education-centered ideas. All these not-so-new ideas have shown little evidence of improving the quality of education throughout history. Blame has consistently been placed on the shoulders of educators as the root cause.

I would like to point out that, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, only about three in 10 jobs require a postsecondary certification of some sort. With this in mind, if we push our youth to obtain a college education, how do we expect to compensate them for this endeavor? It seems there is not enough room in our society to grow these scientists, engineers and mathematicians. Are we asking 70 percent of our youth to burden themselves with college debt only to join the ranks of the minimum-wage labor force? It seems we have more to consider than how our children's test scores compare to those of their counterparts in India.

JESSICA LEY, HAM LAKE

MINNEAPOLIS PENSION

Pitting widow vs. widow

As an active member of the Minneapolis Police Relief Association, I would like to respond to the Feb. 25 Star Tribune editorial, "Minneapolis needs fix for pension problem."

The editorial, with much assistance from the city of Minneapolis, tries to pit widows against widows who receive pension benefits from the MPRA. The Star Tribune's editorial insinuates that MPRA widows are ripping off citizens of Minneapolis and other widows in particular. This is far from the truth.

The MPRA widows and their police officer husbands served the city faithfully for 25 years or more, with the promise of a good pension at the end of their years of service. The problem is not the MPRA widows -- the problem, as usual, is the city's fiscal mismanagement of its pension obligations. The city is trying to operate no differently from Northwest Airlines or Enron. Reap the benefits of people's labor and then, when it comes time to pay, just walk away.

The city actually does have a lot of control over the costs of the MPRA pension. The benefit increase paid to each retiree each year is tied to the raise each active officer receives. Simply put, if the city wants to keep the pension payout down, keep the pay raises for active officers down. In fact, over the last three years, this is exactly what the city has done. Active officer's pay increases have averaged under 2 percent per year, less than the cost of living! If the pension amount was tied to the cost of living, as the editorial suggests, the MPRA widows would have actually received a bigger pension increase.

The question the editorial should have asked and that should be asked is: Where does the city's annual $1.3 billion budget really go?

MIKE SAURO, EDEN PRAIRIE