Readers Write (Jan. 28): Wolves, jobs, Obama, basilica, Vikings, pension, skyways

According to news reports, wolf management was needed in Minnesota because of wolves trespassing on farms and in yards where pets were seemingly unattended ("DNR would let wolf hunters kill 400," Jan. 26). Now it appears that the whole argument has switched to the "hunt" and the "beauty of the pelt," which serves the interest of the hunter. I'm dismayed by this development.

MARY MADECO-SMITH, LITTLE FALLS, MINN.

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Stephen Young and Ward Brehm are offering us a creative solution at a time when job creation is critical to rebuilding the economic welfare of our city ("How to make capitalism work once more," Jan. 26).

The proposal that we create "a new kind of investment manager" is right on target. This requires people to step up who embody the spirit of servant leadership.

This means putting the long-term good of others ahead of our own tendencies to become self-serving and committing to live principled lives in the way we invest and offer leadership in managing organizations.

It has the potential to benefit many.

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In the State of the Union address, President Obama brought up the idea of finding out what chemicals drilling companies shoot into the ground during their drilling operations. Republicans' response to this has been, frankly, obscene.

They've argued that these chemical mixes are trade secrets, which apparently exempts them from any oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has been reviewing its decision, but its continued inability to know what is actually in the chemicals cripples this effort.

It reminds me of when E.coli-laced hamburgers from Jack in the Box began killing people in 1993. Instead of defending the vulnerable people who were dying and becoming sick, Republicans argued that we cannot inspect factories or study their processes because the recipes are trade secrets.

Every one of us needs to call our legislators and tell them they need to stop this.

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Steve Berg's commentary about Basilica of St. Mary rector John Bauer's opposition to a Vikings stadium on Linden Avenue was nothing more than another stab at the Catholic Church ("Best stadium site gets snubbed," Jan. 26).

Think about it. Many people in Ramsey County didn't want the stadium in their back yard, either. Just because people object to the stadium at Berg's favored location doesn't mean their reasons are insignificant.

MARGE MILLER, COON RAPIDS

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JIM BRERETON, GOLDEN VALLEY

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A stadium site on the downtown's west side makes the most sense because the infrastructure is already there: parking, train lines both current and future, freeway access. Whether it is at the Farmers Market site or the Linden Avenue site, the stadium belongs in that area. The basilica survived the building of Interstate 94 and the Lowry Hill tunnel. It will survive the building of the Vikings stadium.

MARK SUNDBERG, RAMSEY

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The state did not just give away these pension promises to employees. Rather, the promises resulted from intense negotiations between the state and employee unions. The unions agreed to lower wages in exchange for the current pension benefits.

To now cut pensions is to ignore the promise that was made: "We'll pay you less in exchange for a better pension." The state needs to honor that promise.

If it wishes to cut pension benefits, it needs to send checks to each employee for the pay cuts to which they agreed to get the promised benefit.

DOUG BERDIE, MINNEAPOLIS

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The bridges and walkways of Venice keep Venetians from drowning. Minneapolis skyways keep us from freezing. Venetians can hop gondolas. We'd have to call a cab. Our company hosted people from Charlotte recently on some of the coldest days this winter.

They were horrified at the thought of leaving the comfort of the skyways to walk a half block to a restaurant. I didn't blame them.

Does anyone really enjoy leaning into a blustery winter gale as it whips through our downtown canyons?