Just days after the big snow storm that collapsed the Metrodome roof the News Tribune, in a front-page headline, asked, "Now do we need a new stadium?" The headline referred readers to the newspaper's editorial inside.
I say that question should be asked of the people who know what the real priorities are in their lives. Ask the more than 38,000 poor Minnesotans who lost their General Assistance Medical Care when Gov. Tim Pawlenty made his budget cuts. Ask the hundreds of Minnesotans who line up at food shelves and the soup kitchens every day. Ask all the worried Minnesotans who signed up for fuel assistance this winter hoping there'll be enough help for everyone who needs it. Ask any of Minnesota's children who goes to bed hungry every night if they want a new football stadium built.
We have a new governor taking over in January, and I am confident he knows what the priorities should be in our state. I don't think a shiny new sports stadium should be paid for by the already-burdened middle class and poor taxpayers.
If a new stadium is to be built, let the billionaires who own the team pay for it. They will have all that extra money to spend now that President Obama and Congress have caved in to the Republicans on extending tax breaks for the rich and the richest.
Diane M. Podlogar
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Chisholm
