Readers write for Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

GURBAN'S CONTRACT

A decision supported by Park Board

The real power grab going on at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has nothing to do with the operation of the board or who is superintendent.

It has become increasingly clear in recent days the Star Tribune Editorial Board opposes anyone advocating an independent park system.

In its criticism of the effort of some on the Park Board to renew the contract of Jon Gurban as superintendent at its Nov. 4 meeting, the Editorial Board does not tell readers:

• Six of nine commissioners support the one-year extension of Gurban's contract, not just myself and Mary Merrill Anderson.

• Only two wanted to wait for January, with six months left on the contract.

• Commissioners agree the superintendent is running the system well, even with financial restraints.

• It takes a year to conduct a search, including hiring a firm.

• Minneapolis hosts the National Recreation/Park Conference (with 8,000 professionals expected) next October, which could be an opportunity to find a new commissioner if the board chooses to replace Gurban.

• Many staff attended the meeting and supported an extension.

Retaining a strong administrator of the park system is just sound business judgment. Not to do so is simply an attempt to use an election to grab political power at the expense of this respected institution.

BOB FINE, MINNEAPOLIS;

COMMISSIONER, MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD

minneapolis park board

Vote Merrill Anderson, Jecha and Forney

Your failure to endorse Mary Merrill Anderson for reelection to the Park Board stands out as a monumental oversight and snub to perhaps the most inspiring and the most qualified candidate in the entire field of 25.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Mary worked her way up through the park system to become the first and only woman and the first and only African-American to become superintendent of Parks, leading the preeminent park system in the country.

Mary also is known for collaborating with the city's mayors, City Councils, the Hennepin County Board and nonprofits, as well as the state Legislature, to achieve outstanding results; she builds coalitions and finds solutions.

Mary Merrill Anderson has always made our children her first priority. Since she was elected, youth sports team participation is up 30 percent throughout the city, the crime rate is down, and the parks are helping. The park system weathered a tough budget cycle but still kept all 49 recreation centers open. The Park Board completed its first comprehensive plan in 40 years and adopted its first sustainability plan toward a greener park system -- that's a record to be proud of!

Contrary to your assertions, it was members of the City Council who early this year started a "war" on the Park Board by calling for its abolition. Mary stood up for the parks, along with every single member of the Park Board.

We strongly urge every Minneapolitan to rank Mary Merrill Anderson as their first choice for at-large park commissioner next Tuesday.

SHARON SAYLES BELTON, MINNEAPOLIS; FORMER MAYOR, AND Joe Selvaggio, Minneapolis; founder, Project Pride in Living

•••

In endorsing another candidate (Brad Bourn) for District 6 Park Board commissioner, the Star Tribune called me "hesitant" when, in the Editorial Board meeting, I was adamant that District 6 property taxpayers can no longer support ever-increasing taxes (mine have risen well over 200 percent). This has become a major issue in our neighborhoods.

I did, however, point out that the City Council and mayor are planning to double our taxes again over the next several years to pay for nonpark-related liabilities and that I, as commissioner, would fight for our parks' fair share of that money.

STEVE JECHA, MINNEAPOLIS

•••

Your paper missed the opportunity to endorse Meg Forney for District 6 Park Board commissioner. You could not find a person more dedicated to our parks. She served as chair of People for Parks, cochaired fundraising for the Lake Harriet Bandstand, was chair of the Committee on Urban Environment, has been actively involved in the Midtown Greenway and other park projects, and has served lake area community organizations for 30 years.

I hope voters will reward Forney's many years of service and recognize her as the dedicated experienced, knowledgeable leader we need for the parks.

LINDA LAVINE, MINNEAPOLIS

ESTIMATE AND TAXATION

Becker is a champion of transparency

In stating your rationale for not endorsing Carol Becker for another term on the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), you contend that Becker has failed to bring more transparency to the board. Now, the Star Tribune Editorial Board may have a difference of opinion with Becker given her assertion that an independent BET serves a vital role in protecting Minneapolis taxpayers and the referendum calling for its elimination should be defeated, but it cannot seriously claim that Becker has not promoted transparency.

As a member of the former Minneapolis Library Board, I know firsthand that Becker was among the first to bring into the light of day City Hall's inequitable budgetary allocations that disparately impacted the library system to the brink of extinction. She also predicted that the elimination of the Library Board would be followed by attempts to eliminate the Park Board and BET.

Becker was not only a familiar face at meetings of the Library Board, City Council, public hearings and neighborhood associations, but she was the only elected member of BET to appear. Each time, armed with spreadsheets and supporting data, her message was the same -- here's how the process works, here's when and where the decisions will be made (including those of BET), and here's how the public can make a difference. I don't know how much more transparent she could have been.

ALAN HOOKER, MINNEAPOLIS

IRV IN ST. PAUL

A complication or tool to empower voters?

I have two questions for former Mayors Don Fraser and George Latimer ("The case for instant-runoff voting is clear," Oct. 30), who propose replacing our simple election process with something more complicated and little understood.

First, our recent experience is that thousands of Minnesotans are unable to fill in the oval next to the name of their candidate, leaving officials to divine "voter intent." What standard will guide officials in determining rank preferences?

Second, while you presume that a few voters act "against certain candidates," the overwhelming majority of Minnesotans are informed and make their selections in good conscience. How does advancing a cynical voting process improve elections for the millions of people who participate purposefully in our democracy?

Instant-runoff voting is about empowering fringe parties, not people. The case against instant-runoff voting couldn't be more clear.

KYLE CHRISTENSEN, FARMINGTON

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As community leaders, we believe that we should do anything we can to encourage greater voter participation in communities of color and the underrepresented.

That's why we support instant-runoff voting (IRV) in St. Paul.

Opening up the political process encourages the greatest and most diverse number of voters making decisions that will affect their lives, schools and neighborhoods. This is exactly what IRV does -- by eliminating underrepresentative primaries and giving voters more choices in a single, decisive November election.

We believe that allowing voters more choices is neither confusing nor intimidating. In fact, we believe just the opposite. More choices encourage participation and involvement, and IRV boosts opportunities for candidates representing communities of color.

With IRV we saw the election of the first African-American mayor of Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1974. In San Francisco, IRV has helped elect the most diverse City Council in its history, and voter participation has gone up significantly there, most notably in communities of color, where participation has increased more than 300 percent in some neighborhoods.

STATE REP. Carlos Mariani, St. Paul, and Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter, St. Paul