Letters to the editor for Wednesday, Feb. 27

How grimly ironic! The federal government is sending out tax rebates to stimulate the economy and ease the recession, but before the checks are even in the mail, our local government has decided to steal our rebates by raising our taxes with the help of a few Republican turncoats.

The price of gasoline isn't high enough already, so our legislators are going to make it even more expensive. This nation is facing the worst recession in decades. The cost of food and energy is skyrocketing, and people are losing jobs and their homes in record numbers. Bankruptcies are setting records, people can't afford health care or medication, and lawmakers raise our taxes to build a ballpark for a private enterprise and fix a few bridges.

Simple economics dictate that when finances are maxed out or stressed, one should cut back on spending. Not so with our local legislators -- they do just the opposite and spend more of our money.

RICHARD MEIXNER, CHANHASSEN

No King Tim Gov. Tim Pawlenty has just been reminded that Minnesota has a democratic form of government, not a monarchy. When 70 percent of the Senate and 69 percent of the House approved the transportation bill and overrode his veto, they were representing their constituents. It's high time.

LAUREL OLSON, HUTCHINSON, MINN.

The real outrages I want to thank the Legislature for overturning the governor's veto and finally passing a transportation bill.

I have heard some refer to a popular outrage over the bill. My outrage is that it took Minnesota so long to do this. My outrage is that a bridge went down in August. My outrage is that Minnesota has lost its edge as one of the most progressive states in the country.

NANCY DILLON, BROOKLYN CENTER

Picking up the tab Monday certainly was a sad day for outstate Minnesota. Those of us in the rural area will be picking up a huge part of the tab for pet projects of the urban legislators.

Sadly, this is not the end of it. DFL legislators have tasted blood now, and their appetite for tax increases is insatiable. They have been emboldened by weak-kneed Republicans and certainly will try for more.

This is a blow for Gov. Pawlenty, to be sure. Yet in the end, he will be vindicated when this is proven to be a grievous overkill perpetrated on the taxpayers of Minnesota.

A win/win Gov. Pawlenty must be grinning from ear to ear. The state will get the money that everyone (including himself) knows it badly needs for transportation -- without asking future generations to pick up the tab -- while at the same time he "burnishes his conservative credentials" by not supporting the tax increase.

ROBERT W. CARLSON, PLYMOUTH

Maybe now that four children have died, the problem of illegal aliens in Minnesota will finally be dealt with.

But I suspect the politicians will figure out more ways to delay, rationalize and find excuses not to, instead of doing their jobs.

ALAN PERLMAN, GOLDEN VALLEY

Who is really being divisive here? Surely, the death of four children should be sufficient cause to raise these questions without being called names by Coleman.

DAN EITTREIM, MINNEAPOLIS

Here we go again, a pledge of no new taxes by John McCain and the right wing. The only problem is we will spend our economy into bankruptcy. Well, there is a good plan.

JOHN ZEMKE, BAXTER, MINN.

What an ugly, ageist headline: "There will be blah / Oscar telecast seemed positively geriatric" (Source, Feb. 25). I thought the program was one of the best in recent years. Or is it necessary for people to make asses of themselves to entertain us?

Thank you for printing the quote from the Fallon Advertising excutive regarding one-time employee and future Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner Diablo Cody's lack of creativity ("Minnesotans remember the Oscar winners when ... ," Feb. 25).

It made me smile to think talent isn't always recognized by the mavens who hold the keys to employment in creative fields. Bravo, Diablo Cody. You have given new life to the would-be writer in all of us.

COLLEEN BURNS DURDA, EDEN PRAIRIE

I hope the views of the reader who wrote about Fidel Castro ("Years of solid leadership," Feb. 22) can be written off to youthful idealism.

During Castro's reign, there were summary executions of hundreds of low-level Batista bureaucrats after the Cuban revolution. Castro also reneged on promises of free elections, chased the country's skilled workers out of the country and threw anyone who criticized him in prison.