Duluth City Councilor Todd Fedora and the News Tribune are being both petty and mean-spirited. Of course a City Council person's airfare should be paid in full for a trip for the Sister Cities program (Our View: "Conflicted councilor can own up -- or step down," June 4). This program has provided tourism benefits to our community, countless opportunities for students and adults to experience international understanding and a beautiful bell at Enger Park, which Japanese tourists come here to see. I've had occasion to direct people to the bell while walking on Skyline Parkway.
We should be thanking City Councilor Sharla Gardner for being willing to take time out of her life -- away from her real job -- and pay expenses to represent our city abroad. It is entirely appropriate that she be reimbursed the cost of travel. I'd have been OK with paying the hotel and meals, too. Duluth gets its money's worth from such endeavors.
Let's call this what it is: a cheap shot by Fedora at Gardner. Shame on him! And shame on the paper for perpetuating it.
Deb Anderson
Duluth
