Readers write for Feb. 19, 2010

The proposed elimination of the State Arts Board (Star Tribune, Feb. 17) reveals Gov. Tim Pawlenty's ignorance about the arts.

We are all small businesses. We actors, designers, writers, musicians, painters, potters and the like are small-business enterprises.

We file a Schedule C with our federal tax return, and most have a federal and state tax ID number. We operate like any small business with an inventory, and we pay a lot of taxes.

For every dollar invested in the arts in Minnesota, $11 of revenue is generated. Supporting the arts through the State Arts Board is lucrative and supports small businesses. Artists have revitalized many decaying neighborhoods, spinning off more businesses and higher property values.

Some might say we should not get government subsidies and survive within a free-market environment. My response is: Fine -- then no government money for businesses and sports teams.

I am personally inviting Gov. Tim Pawlenty and others who doubt our impact to this year's Art-A-Whirl in northeast Minneapolis. There, he can visit hundreds of small businesses, meet the owners and broaden his understanding of small-business enterprises.

LAURA E. MIGLIORINO,

How hypocritical can you get? The governor castigates federal spending, then relies on it to balance his proposed budget rather than ask the taxpayers of Minnesota to pay for essential services -- which we are willing to do! Talk about biting the hand that you expect to feed you.

TIM BRAUSEN, ST. LOUIS PARK

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Once again, a couple of lefties are lambasting Gov. Tim Pawlenty about a difficult decision he has made regarding the spending of $89 million for an expansion of the facility for sex offenders at Moose Lake ("No budging on budget for locking up sex offenders," Feb. 18). Yet their criticism comes with no alternative answer.

Eric Janus, a dean at William Mitchell Law School, thinks more should be spent on prevention, police work to close cases, research and less-costly supervision. Could he possibly be more vague?

It may not be the best decision, but at least Gov. Pawlenty is making one. I would really like to know if Janus or Bunn would be so vague with their alternatives if a house full of sex offenders moved next door to them, their children or their grandchildren.

PAT MORIARTY,

SAVAGE

While I certainly enjoyed the Feb. 16 headline "Pawlenty, DFL butt heads," it did occur to me that such commentary is usually found on the editorial pages.

MARY HANSON, WAYZATA

MARY GEBHART AND Peter Newby, Minneapolis

It seems that once again StarTribune.com is in the business of spoiling the Olympic results for readers.

It would not be the least bit difficult to print a "latest results" headline for those who want to know immediately, but would save the excitement for the rest of us who would rather wait until the events are aired on TV to find out the winners. This is especially important for highly anticipated events such as Lindsey Vonn's ski race, the results of which I unfortunately learned before I had the chance to watch.

I will not make the mistake of reading the paper online again until the Olympics are over.

SARAH TILL, RICHFIELD

He suggests the voters are angry with the two major parties. He's right. We are.

What Repya apparently doesn't understand is that many of us voters are angry with all party political parties that bash the opposition rather than offer meaningful solutions.