Readers Write for Monday, June 8

We, the members of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association, are compelled to respond to the recent statement by Rabbi Manis Friedman about how Israel should relate to its Arab neighbors ("St. Paul rabbi's comments set off storm of protest," June 3).

Those remarks, as printed, do not in any way reflect our religious beliefs and values. Rather, as religious leaders, we strongly endorse the values of the pursuit of peace and the sanctity of life. While Rabbi Friedman has the right to speak as an individual, we profoundly disagree with his words and distance ourselves from them.

We also believe in the Jewish principle of dan l'kaf zechut, giving someone the benefit of the doubt, and hope that he will clarify his remarks very soon.

A number of us have reached out to Muslims with whom we have established deep relationships. Together with our Muslim friends we wish for peace and partnership in the Middle East and here in the United States.

RABBI Aaron Brusso and Rabbi David Locketz, Minnetonka,

for the Minnesota Rabbinical Association

On June 3 the Star Tribune editors offered up the idea that in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's final 19 months he had a chance to be a consensus builder.

CHRIS MCDONALD, ST. PAUL

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Gov. Pawlenty's announcement that he will not run for a third term is wonderful news for the DFL and Independent parties. It gives them a full two years to plan how to lose the next election to the Republican candidate and make sure Minnesota's most important problems will be ignored, much less solved. We've done it before. We can do it again!

FRED E. HAHN, GOLDEN VALLEY

A letter from June 3 asked, "Why should one citizen pay for local services that another city would like to provide?"

JILL MEYER, MINNEAPOLIS

So, Dan Ness is the "Republican" mayor of Alexandria? His June 1 Opinion Exchange article concerning Local Government Aid (LGA) would appear to disprove that claim.

As a local elected official, I had to blanch at his assertion that residents of Minnesota cities and towns are "entitled" to local airports, parks, libraries and, presumably, all kinds of other amenities. All those things have nothing to do with the basic function of government -- roads, public safety and the like. That is what LGA was designed to equalize -- basic public services throughout the state, not amenities that people always want but never wish to pay for. Take local pools, for example. There isn't a local pool in the state that is self-sufficient. Yet, when push comes to shove, no local government will close the pool to save money. That's too difficult politically.

Ness also seems to forget the prime reasons why city budgets are in the red -- employee salaries and benefits. Whether extorted by the hand of a union or whether a city council is overpaying for staff (does a city administrator of a small town really have to be paid six figures?), the fact is that city payrolls and benefits have gotten grossly out-of-whack. The so-called "difficult decisions" local leaders have to make are nothing of the kind -- they simply give out more and more when they have less and less. Mayor Ness should know that, but he apparently doesn't.

MICHAEL CORBIN, FARIBAULT, MINN.

At last a Republican who gets it! Public libraries and parks are there for the disadvantaged as well as the wealthy, are vital to our quality of life and are worth much more than Gov. Tim Pawlenty's sneers.

DAVID HEIBERG, MINNEAPOLIS

I do not condone the killing of Dr. George Tiller. Having said that, I also think that the suddenness of his murder, his not being able to do anything to stop it, and the decision of another human to take Tiller's life from him -- is what a fetus goes through during an abortion. Both are wrong.