Readers Write for Thursday, Feb. 11

I applaud the Star Tribune Editorial Board for supporting land-use planning that would reduce sprawl ("Decentralization dulls metro's edge," Feb. 8). As you state, this task is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Council. But it is not true, as you also claim, that the Met Council has been "powerless to stop the steady and destructive decentralization of the metro region."

As Myron Orfield, professor in the University of Minnesota Law School, has shown, Minnesota's Metropolitan Council has more statutory authority, more power, to limit sprawl than any other metropolitan planning organization in the country. This includes Portland's regional planning organization, the Metro. Yet Portland has contained sprawl. Why have we lagged behind?

According to Orfield, one reason is that members to our Met Council are appointed by the governor. The council's makeup changes radically each time the governorship changes parties. By contrast, the Metro is more stable because it is an elected body. Its philosophy changes only gradually over time. Those concerned about sprawl in our metro area should support an elected Met Council.

ARTHUR E. WALZER, ST. PAUL

As someone who has voted many times for Republican candidates, I'm finding that they appear out of touch and are standing on the sidelines in the current economic state we find ourselves in.

I'm going to school to retrain myself in a different occupation, and my COBRA health insurance and unemployment are due to run out this summer -- I don't need someone to continually remind me we've lost millions of jobs and to sit on the sidelines and simply criticize and block every attempt by the current administration to get things moving.

The gridlock is inexcusable. For the first time ever, I am seriously considering independent candidates in the future. The Republican Party has lost me!

Regarding "Five myths about job creation" by James Manyika and Byron Auguste (Opinion Exchange, Feb. 9), perhaps it's time to look at a shorter workweek with a proportionate reduction of compensation in order to absorb the 10 percent unemployed. That way we all suffer the economy a small amount but get back to normal employment and eliminate the extreme financial hardship of a small group of people.

ALLAN JENKINS, PLYMOUTH

A group of small-business owners puts up a billboard supporting the past administration and trying to get a dig in on the current one (Star Tribune, Feb. 10). How interesting.

If they were really interested in getting their message out, they would want people to know who they are. Then, people could respond to the billboard buyers, or, if offended, choose to avoid them or their business. If they truly believe in their message, why would they "want to stay anonymous"?

Billboards can be bought, true; but I believe it displays cowardice to take a shot at our president like these folks did, and choose to remain anonymous. I would even go as far to suggest these "small-business owners" comprise a group of pusillanimous people. And I am not afraid to sign my name to that.

Now that a long-serving, reputable member of Congress has passed due to health care inadequacies, is it possible that the remaining members of Congress can finally see health care as a human rights issue and not a partisan one?

JAY A. DANIELS, MINNEAPOLIS

We applaud the vision of Bernadeia Johnson, the new superintendent for the Minneapolis School District, to make "every child college-ready."

Minnesota needs more high school graduates to become college graduates for the state to maintain its high quality of life and competitive edge.

Some people may not understand that Minnesota's 25 public two-year colleges provide education and training for many occupations that didn't require formal postsecondary education decades ago. In today's world, more and more of these occupations require some college study. It might be a one-year certificate or diploma program, or a two-year associate degree. But it's still college.

For students who choose technical fields at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, they may not necessarily study Shakespeare.

However, is there anything wrong with a skilled technician who understands the global marketplace and can communicate effectively with customers?

LINDA BAER, SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS, MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, ST. PAUL

Regarding the Feb. 5 article "Putting a cap on the taps": Please, Three Rivers Park District officials, instead of going after the O'Briens of Maple Grove for collecting sap on their former land, try tapping some common sense.

Obviously Don and Elaine O'Brien are doing what they understood to be part of the deal when they sold their land to the district 30 years ago. Your actions will certainly make landowners leery when approached to work with public entities to build future parks and trail systems.