Minnesota Republicans have taken aim at R.T. Rybak in a mailing arriving this week that charges that the politically ambitious Minneapolis mayor is turning his back on his hometown's problems.
The mailing to the homes of an undisclosed number of people considered likely voters features a large photo of the governor's mansion in St. Paul. It reads: "While R.T. Rybak campaigns to move into this house ... He's turned his back on your house!"
The mailing comes while Rybak is simultaneously seeking a third term as mayor and laying the groundwork for a bid he has said he's likely to make for governor in 2010. The Republican theme is that while Rybak travels the state, foreclosures, unemployment and rising property taxes fester in Minneapolis.
It also takes a dig at Rybak for not appearing at voter forums with other mayoral candidates, although Rybak did finally appear at a Lyndale Neighborhood Association forum with several opponents Monday night.
The mailing also suggests that the R.T. in Rybak's name stands for Raise Taxes. Rybak has presided over a series of 8 percent annual increases in the city levy and is asking the City Council for an 11.3 percent hike in the property levy next year. But DFL Chairman Brian Melendez rejoined that those tax hikes were caused by Gov. Tim Pawlenty's cuts in state aid that cities need to fund police and fire protection and roads.
"If the state's not going to pick up the tab, the city's going to have to pay the bill," Melendez said. "The only thing that Republicans can find to criticize him for are things that are the result of Pawlenty's policies."
The mailing is labeled as an independent party expenditure. Republican-endorsed mayoral hopeful John Kolstad, who said he hadn't seen the mailer, said after a reporter read it to him that he agreed with its criticisms of Rybak.
The risk for Republicans is that Pawlenty also is taking steps that candidates often follow before pursuing a presidential bid. But state Republican Chairman Tony Sutton said there's a difference because Pawlenty isn't seeking reelection as Rybak is.
