Gov. Mark Dayton proposes a $75 million capital fund for black businesses, a plan that shares an outline with a "United Black Legislative Agenda" rolled out on Wednesday at the State Capitol ("$75M is proposed for black start-ups," April 7). Though well-intended, it changes no fundamentals. People wonder why we can't attract new business to the area. As a resident of north Minneapolis for 14 years, the main deterrent I see is the gun violence and the fact that anybody who tries to open a business has drug dealers piggyback on the traffic these businesses create. Along with ruining a store's ambience, this drug-dealing also ruins residential neighborhoods. One day I witnessed a former neighbor selling pot from a car parked out front all day long. About 9 that evening, the dealing erupted in gunfire as the participants were held up for their cash. This is the kind of terrorizing activity that makes everyone want to abandon the neighborhood.

If we want to see real change, we need to make pot legal. I propose a special economic development plan whereby pot is legalized in north Minneapolis for one year, and afterward there is a review of the results. Pot is ubiquitous right now, so nothing is going to change in that regard. It's here to stay regardless of any feel-good prohibition. Fighting pot just turns our neighborhoods into war zones.

Unlike Dayton's throw-money-at-it proposal, my idea provides structural change to our legal system that paves the way for real and positive change. Why are we waiting for the inevitable on this wise thing to do?

James Roettger, Minneapolis

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The "United Black Legislative Agenda" seeking to help blacks combat economic disparities in the state is discriminatory. Why provide these funds only to blacks? Do not people of other races suffer from low income and lack of opportunity?

Our government — whether through the state, counties, cities or public schools — already provides millions in social services and opportunities to all Minnesotans, including blacks. I suggest that black community leaders work with their young people to stay in school. The high school dropout rate among blacks is still too high. Too many black children score significantly below the median in testing. I suggest that black community leaders work with black youths to become role models for their peers. The percentage of black men incarcerated in this country far exceeds any other race.

I suggest black leaders start their efforts at home before asking taxpayers for more funding.

Steve Holupchinski, North St. Paul
JAMAR CLARK CASE

Witness recollections may vary, but that doesn't mean no truth

So, witnesses at the Jamar Clark shooting disagree (Readers Write, April 7)? Of course they do. None of us sees an event exactly the same way. The question is: How much do they agree? I used to do an experiment in my high school psychology classes. I would arrange with a known, fairly rebellious student to be more than tardy to class, with no pass. We would have a verbal altercation that the class thought was real. When I finally sent the tardy student to his/her seat, I would tell students to take out pen and paper and, without talking, write down everything they had just witnessed. The difference among those 30 or so witnesses was amazing, but buried within those statements were kernels of truth. It should have been Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman's job to find the kernels of truth.

Lonni Skrentner, Edina
HEALTH CARE RECORDS

By sharing their notes, doctors improve the quality of care

Yes, indeed! Sharing medical notes with patients stirs healthy talk and helps build collaboration and trust between doctors and patients ("Medical notes stir healthy talk," April 7). After all, the patient is the crucial expert, chief stakeholder, collaborator and ultimate decisionmaker in his or her medical care. That's why I gave all of my patients in my psychiatry/addictions practice copies of my (legibly) handwritten clinical notes after every psychiatric visit. Immediate feedback included corrections, comments and questions that greatly improved the quality of medical care.

Dr. Lee H. Beecher, Maple Grove

The writer is president of the Minnesota Physician-Patient Alliance.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Not to be sarcastic (well, maybe), but funding is a matter of framing

I've got it! As a retired nurse, I've watched and listened to the efforts to secure funding for improving mental health services in our state, and I think I've got the solution! A mental health stadium! There are no obvious spending limits for stadiums. Let's apply the principles governing stadiums to mental health and take care of this disaster.

Laure Campbell, Falcon Heights
STATE EMPLOYEE TRAVEL

By cherry-picking destinations, Dayton is being purely political

Gov. Mark Dayton has banned travel to Mississippi and North Carolina because he doesn't like new laws they passed regarding the denial of services to gay and transgender people, as reported by stories on April 3 and April 7. This seems like a pretty immature way to run a state.

It is OK to travel to Colorado and Oregon, where pot is legal even though it is illegal based on federal law? It is OK to travel to sanctuary cities like San Francisco that don't enforce federal laws regarding illegal immigrants, which in one case led to the killing of an innocent tourist? Oh, and some form of prostitution is legal in Nevada, so that goes on the banned list, too, unless Dayton is in favor of pot, prostitution and murder. The governor does feel it is OK for state employees to travel to these locations, but he is putting his foot down and banning travel to states where private businesses are allowed to exercise their religious beliefs. This seems a bit inconsistent to me.

This is not about whether the governor, nor any of us, agrees with the laws in North Carolina or Mississippi; it is about the absurdity of running a state based on other states' and cities' laws. What happens if there is vital training being provided in one of these states that could save lives in Minnesota or save millions of dollars? We just won't send anyone? My guess is that we would hire a consultant to do it at five times the price of a state employee, and then Dayton could say that no state employees traveled to those places. Will we now hire staff to review all laws outside of Minnesota to make travel decisions? Come on, grow up, Gov. Dayton.

Scott Landes, Bloomington

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Why should any state employee be traveling to other states on taxpayers' dollars? In this era of superconnectivity, it's totally unnecessary.

Chuck Wolf, Long Prairie, Minn.

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I'm fed up with these states that are throwing all kinds of laws to roadblock the law of the land. I'm talking about universal health care, civil rights and gay rights. I think it's payback time — let's stop infrastructure money to these states and any other federal funds. All citizens are not only members of a state but also citizens of the national government. It's time to protect us from these inconsiderate and mindless politicians.

Francis Taranto, Minneapolis