TOM HORNER ENDORSED

The Star Tribune's endorsement of Tom Horner for governor was well-reasoned and articulate. I fear, however, that it was also very threatening to the progress the newspaper wants for our state. The analysis is not likely to alter GOP endorsee Tom Emmer's support, but it could well help create a more-even division within the remainder of the electorate.

It takes little imagination to envision Emmer winning with 35 percent as a result. If this happens, the will of the majority of voters in Minnesota will again be frustrated, and the transformation of Minnesota from "miracle" to "mediocrity" will continue.

Without instant-runoff voting, supporting third-party candidates is a very risky course of action, and I am most disappointed that the Star Tribune has advised it, regardless of Horner's obvious appeal and strengths.

For those who want to ensure change, DFL endorsee Mark Dayton is the far safer choice.

STEVEN R. GOLDSMITH, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

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The Star Tribune was right-on in its endorsement of Horner. Now if the tax-the-tip guy, Tom Emmer, really cared about Minnesota, he would withdraw from the election and ask his supporters to vote for Horner. That would seal the fate of Mark Dayton.

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Horner is a good man with some good ideas, but as an independent governor he would be left to Jesse Ventura's fate. After one year in office, legislators of both parties lost their fear of Ventura and joined to override and ignore his proposals. He became an ineffective island unto himself.

STAN DONNELLY, Wayzata

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Minnesota taxpayers pay too much, and often for the wrong things. More importantly, the state's tax system fails to meet the needs of today, which is obvious when we see schools with overcrowded classrooms (some retreating to a four-day week) and communities cutting basic services like police and fire protection.

Horner, the Independence Party candidate for governor, is willing to risk telling Minnesota voters what they need to hear, not what they want to hear, about our $5.8 billion state deficit. Horner is the only candidate to embrace the 21st Century Tax Reform Commission's vision to position Minnesota for economic growth in the emerging global economy.

Horner recommends lowering the sales tax rate and broadening the base -- a proposal that would particularly favor young families by reducing taxes on major purchases such as appliances and furniture.

We would argue the perfect tax is one that has no exemptions -- everyone is treated the same. There are currently 84 exemptions to the sales tax. Eliminating some of these exemptions should be coupled with reforms to make business taxes inexpensive to administer, friendly to economic growth and competitive.

Bold yet thoughtful reform will generate jobs, encourage economic growth, and help create wealth for Minnesota workers, businesses and investors.

GEORGE PILLSBURY, FORMER REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR, WAYZATA;

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Horner has been a lifelong Republican, working in the shadows to change policy. He saw this year as an opportune time to run the middle "independent" lane, hoping his cloak of invisibility could turn him into the new, fresh alternative. Instead, his hiding behind "client and data confidentiality" has earned him mistrust in independent circles.

Can a lifelong, inner-circle Republican leopard really change his spots?

CYNTHIA SJODIN, FRIDLEY

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If either Dayton or Emmer is our next governor, it will mean gridlock at the Capitol, and very little will be accomplished. Dayton is too far left and Emmer is too far right, and both are career politicians. Horner is a successful businessman who would understand what is needed to get Minnesota back on track financially.

ROD HANSON, LINO Lakes

The age-old definition of insanity is "doing things over and over again the same way, but expecting different results." As Gopher football fans, we'd have to be insane to think that Tim Brewster could have taken us to the Rose Bowl ("Brewster's out, and search is on," Oct. 18).

And we'd also have to be insane to think that Athletic Director Joel Maturi's hiring process and criteria to replace Brewster will produce a different result.

MICHAEL MARCHAND, HAM LAKE

The common denominator responsible for the Athletic Department's mediocrity at the University of Minnesota is Maturi. The Board of Regents and university president are ultimately responsible for their failure to provide a winning athletic director who can hire winning coaches. The state, its fans and student-athletes deserve first-class leadership to complement the U's first-class facilities.

TOM LINSTROTH, MINNEAPOLIS

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What's wrong with this picture? Someone gets fired for poor performance and walks off with $775,000 to console himself. Yes, I am sure the U is only meeting a contract in doing this, but why allow the ludicrous cult of football to set the terms of such a contract in the first place?

For several years, the U has been cutting back on staff and services for students, but there is this kind of money to throw at a failed football coach? Yes, some alumni donate money because of football, but how many more, including myself, are deterred from donating because the U is squandering money on noneducational expenses that don't pass the smell test?

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On Sunday night, I read two stories online.

The first was the Star Tribune's endorsement of Tom Horner for governor. There were 176 comments.

The second was the U's firing of Tim Brewster. It had 532 comments.

And we Minnesotans are always quick to say that we are so much more sophisticated than those hayseeds from Nebraska. I think not.