Letters to the Editor - Oct. 24, 2010

Well-known opponent of the Red Plan writes in

One cost the proponents of the long-range facilities plan (“Red Plan”) never mention is the loss of teachers. Dozens of teachers were lost this year alone that would not have been lost under Plan B.

They also claim big efficiency savings from the Red Plan, but those savings will go the same way Johnson Controls’ claims of efficiency savings went with the city’s steam plant.

No performance clause exists in the contract this school district was foolish enough to sign with Johnson Controls that would hold the giant corporation up to its claims.

The public also never got a chance to see the cost estimates put together for Plan B by the highly respected architectural firm ATS&R versus the cost estimates put together by Johnson Controls — so very few people in this town have any idea how badly they’ve been ripped off by this corporate scam.

The school board chairman was one of the original authors of Plan B, but he is now the superintendent’s hand puppet, doing everything he can to destroy the plan he helped create.

Another fact glossed over by the Red Plan’s proponents is that there is a surcharge added to the taxpayers’ bill every year for the next 20 years under their plan.

They violated the spirit of the law, once again, when they conspired to put off a vote on Plan B as long as they could.

They hoped the people would give up, believing all was lost and it was too late. I urge everyone to go to the polls and vote for Plan B anyway, just to show them this is still a democracy.

Loren Martell
Duluth

Martell was escorted from Tuesday’s Duluth School Board meeting in handcuffs by a police officer after refusing board chairman Tim Grover’s order that he leave the podium. Grover said Martell’s comments violated the board’s policy against making personal attacks.

Cravaack was a disgrace on Memorial Day

How many times have I mentioned these two words — jealousy and greed — that control the entire world? Now we can add religion and a little bit of racism just in time for one of the most heated and negative mid-term elections in history.

I have been frustrated by what I believe was a case of deceptive politics on Memorial Day this year, at an event in which I have been involved in for decades.

A little background: The 125th Field Artillery Association has been placing flags on veterans’ graves and conducting Memorial Day services at Sunrise Memorial Park in Hermantown for 40-plus years. I have personally taken on the distribution of flags and organizing the service for the past eight years.

I believe there is an unwritten law that politics has no place on Memorial Day, a day to honor and mourn our veterans. This held true until this year when, at the last minute, congressional candidate Chip Cravaack was placed on our program as “a veteran speaks.”

While he gave an elegant talk about veterans, when the program came to an end, some in the crowd displayed “Cravaack for Congress” on white T-shirts and started handing out literature to the audience members who had come to honor our veterans.

In his own words, Cravaack said he was “no politician.” I don’t know many politicians who would pull a stunt like that. It seems to me he is too desperate to unseat Oberstar.

Support our troops and vote your conscience. I already have.

Bob Watts
President, 125th Field Artillery Association

Offended yet?

Before President Obama, our former administration developed a friendship with the “war machine” in Washington. Our intelligence people, along with the press, spoon-fed us information “in our best interest” — wrong!

Weapons of mass destruction? A billion times, defense contractors with ties to Washington said the war had nothing to do with oil.

There was a lot of smoke coming from somewhere. Our jobs went overseas. The real estate people were really busy, along with Wall Street, and the rest of us kept charging on our plastic. It’s easy to point fingers, but, in all honesty, everyone was responsible for what was happening.

Pensions and retirements just disappeared — vanished — like our jobs overseas. What a mess.

I believe that before Obama was voted in, the Bush administration — along with the rest of the politicians who did not stand up and fight — left this country in a turmoil so great that it will take years to right itself.

If our president had legions of the smartest people in the world, they would find the task arduous (at best). So, before you vote, do your homework.

To whomever gets elected: Prepare for some of the most difficult years of your life.

Let’s get it right. Lay down your party’s agendas, differences and egos.

I believe we can regain our integrity as a nation. Let’s do this.

I am not an expert, nor do I proclaim to know a whole lot about politics; I just wonder how you can blame the president for this mess.

Charles Jones
Saginaw

Vote for Cuzzo

A judge is not an advocate for a community; that is the role of the county attorney or attorney general. A judge is not a representative of a community; that is the role of senators, representatives, mayors and the like. A judge should be a humble servant to the fair and just application of the law to whatever case or controversy appears before the court.

As a practicing attorney, when I appear before a first-class judge, I never have a reason to care where the judges lives or where the judge was born because everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

In determining who is the best judicial candidate in an election, I look to his or her legal experience, legal knowledge, temperament and reputation for objectivity and trustworthiness. Those are the same traits that attorneys seek when making a decision about who to hire as a mediator or arbitrator to help resolve cases short of trial.

Mike Cuzzo has already proven to the legal community that he has the very traits it takes to make an excellent judge. That is why he has been hired by so many attorneys, including myself, throughout the region to help resolve cases of all kinds. He has already proven he has what it takes to all who seek the fair administration of justice throughout the sixth judicial district. Join me in voting for Cuzzo on Nov. 2.

Sean M. Quinn
Duluth

Severson for S.O.S.

The office of secretary of state is the key office in our state to protect and preserve the integrity of Minnesota’s election system.

In this key race, I am strongly supporting Republican Dan Severson.

Severson brings experience and ability to his candidacy. He has represented well the people of Sauk Rapids and the central Minnesota area for eight years in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

In the critical issues that are at stake in the secretary of state race, Severson is the only candidate strongly committed to reforming Minnesota’s election system so that it will be accountable. He supports photo IDs for voting. Unfortunately, the incumbent secretary of state does not support this needed reform.

In the absence of key reforms, our election process is extremely vulnerable to voter fraud and abuse. In fact, we have seen recent evidence whereby convicted felons and non-residents of Minnesota may have voted illegally in Minnesota.

Steve Wenzel
Little Falls

For 29 years Wenzel was a DFL member of the House of Representatives. He was chairman of the House Agriculture Committee for 16 years.