Copyright 2000 Star Tribune
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN)
May 25, 2000, Thursday, Metro Edition
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 24A
LENGTH: 1086 words
HEADLINE:
Letters from readers
BODY:
Two steps forward, one
back
Regarding your May 21 editorial
concerning the two new presidents for the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities system: Hooray for MnSCU and Chancellor Morrie Anderson on the
appointment of presidents for Metro State and St. Cloud State. Hooray for
breaking the color barrier at the highest level on university campuses. This
good news should be brought to the taxpaying public.
But the taxpaying public should also know
another MnSCU campus, Anoka-Hennepin Technical College, lost a president the day
after this happy news. Yes, the same Anoka-Hennepin slated for closure by MnSCU
has been given a second chance by securing bonding money for building repairs.
Thanks to the support of the Anoka business community, students and area
legislators, Anoka-Hennepin will continue to be a quality technical college.
President Cliff Korkowski gave a thankful
commencement speech to the spring graduates and their families on May 17. The
next day Korkowski was released from his duties at the college by Chancellor
Anderson. It seems the chancellor felt Korkowski could have "controlled" the
save Anoka-Hennepin Technical College effort put together by the Anoka
community. Hooray for the new presidents Dr. Bradshaw and Dr. Saigo! Hooray for
our outgoing president Dr. Korkowski for his courage under MnSCU fire!
.
_ Jay Boyle, Robbinsdale, Anoka-Hennepin
faculty member.
.
Sabo's uncaring CARA vote
I was deeply disappointed that U.S. Rep.
Martin Sabo voted against the single most important investment Congress has ever
considered for wildlife, open spaces and recreation.
The Conservation and Reinvestment
Act (CARA) passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 315 to
102 on May 11. As the only member of Minnesota's congressional delegation to
vote against it, Sabo sent a clear message to the citizens of the state and
specifically his district: He doesn't care for enhancing parks, managing
wildlife and restoring degraded natural areas with no new cost to taxpayers. One
of the best things about CARA is that is will be paid from existing revenues
from offshore drilling.
While Sabo's
district (most of Hennepin County) isn't exactly overflowing with wildlife, it
is home to some valuable tracts of land that need to be preserved. CARA will
help the state to save valuable land and preserve wildlife. It will also help in
maintaining and improving Minnesota's parks, many of which are located in Sabo's
district.
I hope that Sens. Paul Wellstone
and Rod Grams take advantage of this amazing opportunity, voting for landmark
conservation legislation this year that will help our wildlife
areas for many years to come.
.
_
Ron C. Hustvedt Jr., St. Paul.
.
Reasonable proportions
Remember this: The
Guthrie Theater has received $3 million of a
$75 million project. That's a meager 4 percent. If the Vikings
want the same treatment on a $400 million stadium, that would
mean $16 million of state money, not the $160
million figure that keeps getting tossed into the equation. Maybe we could at
least swallow a more reasonable 4 percent figure a little easier.
But the notion of equal funding is moot
anyway. If citizens say they would like to fund the arts, I don't see how that
means they are therefore obligated to fund a stadium. I believe the people of
Minnesota have made their preferences very clear.
.
_ Glenn Freeman, Minneapolis.
.
Unfair to the affluent?
I feel
indebted to Michael Wigley, and so should all voters, for his forthright
comments quoted in the May 19 Star Tribune about the failure of his political
contributions to buy the complete submission of House Speaker Steve Sviggum.
According to Wigley, this is not the way the system has worked in the past, and
if it is the beginning of a trend, there is no telling where it could end. The
prospect of politicians exhibiting a smidgin of independence despite
shovels-full of cash laid before them is too horrible to contemplate.
I thank Wigley for making it unmistakably
clear that his branch of the GOP and its allies consider a level playing field
to be unfair to the affluent, and that no matter how stupendous one's net worth
is, there is no end to greed.
.
_
John Yuccas, Longville, Minn.
.
'CCO provided the kick
Noel Holston has written two articles
criticizing WCCO-TV, Channel 4, for "sensationalism" in its report on computer
pornography at the Minneapolis Public Library (Star Tribune, May 6 and May 20).
If it was "sensationalism," it seems that's what was needed to get the Library
Board moving. I believe this was one of WCCO's most valuable investigations and
I want to thank the station for it.
.
_ Joan Udden, New Hope.
.
Rude drivers
Last Saturday I attended a machine-gun
demo at a rifle range in Princeton, Minn. Everyone there was polite, courteous
and friendly. I wish I could say the same for the traffic on Hwy. 169, or any
traffic for that matter.
Your paper
advocates more gun control as a means of controlling violence in society. Guns
aren't the problem where I live _ it's the traffic. Why not advocate retesting
drivers every four years? People are not stopping at stop signs, not using turn
signals, not merging properly. I could go on and on.
.
_ Jim Klatt, Medina.
.
The
bottom line at the pump
Here we go again
with the high gas prices. Let us remember that we chose to drive the number of
miles we drive, we chose where we live relative to our place of work and we
chose the vehicles we drive.
If you drive
30 miles or more to work, drive a sport-utility vehicle or large pickup or have
long-distance traveling plans, you have no right to complain. Gas is still
cheap. Even at its current price, it is far cheaper than it could be.
.
_ Ben Reppe, Woodbury.
.
Can't see through SUVs
Your May 22
letter writers worry about collisions with SUVs but miss their greater
threat. I used to be able to see several cars ahead through
vehicles in front of me. I used to be able to back out of parking spaces seeing
traffic through adjacent vehicles. No more.
SUVs are too numerous and too opaque. Even
if they have windows, the windows are black. This isn't a matter of "I want to
be heavier so I'll survive a crash." This opacity benefits no one and hinders
most. It's pure and selfish thoughtlessness.
.
_ John Kaplan, St. Paul.
LOAD-DATE: May 25, 2000
