[Mpls] Cost of Stadium and Tuition at D

[Fredric Markus]

I agree wholeheartedly with Greg Abbott's assessment of the mission drift we
have been seeing lately. The Park Board itself is responsible in part for
this unseemly development. Rushing a decision of such magnitude is shabby
leadership and I've been very pointed in my criticism of this apparent
intention. I've also been fairly clear about the larger context of the
Historic District and the limited carrying capacity of the Island proper.

Addressing the Minneapolis Issues list generally, I notice that no one in
the position to make appointments to the CAC has picked up on what I think
is obvious - the need to have folks with clarity of vision in this larger
planning realm. Astonishingly, the membership of the CAC has been kept from
the general public. This is hardly appropriate. 

I don't want to be appointed. That's not the point. Not to know the
identities or interests of any of the persons being asked to sit on this
committee just days before the committee is to meet and just a few weeks
before that committee is ostensibly expected to have informed and final
opinions is IMHO a transparent attempt to tilt the scales to one side's
eventual intention.

Given the proximity of the election on November 8 and the intensity of the
controversy, I suggest a more credible process on the calendaring of this
preparation is essential to eventual public acceptance of the CAC's and the
Park Board's actions.

Fred Markus, Ward 6, Phillips West

-----Original Message-----
From: mpls-bounces at mnforum.org [mailto:mpls-bounces at mnforum.org] On Behalf
Of Greg Abbott
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 4:09 PM
To: Chris Johnson
Cc: Issues Forum Mpls
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Cost of Stadium and Tuition at D

I have followed the DeLaSalle stadium debate, but I have drawn no  
conclusion one way or the other.

In my judgment the opponents of the stadium have completely lost  
perspective if they think pointless quibbling with DeLaSalle  
supporters over tuition and scholarships advances their cause.

DeLaSalle is a fine institution, and contributes greatly to the  
quality of life in Minneapolis.  It is counter-productive to deny or  
minimize that fact.  If the debate becomes a referendum on DeLaSalle  
generally, the stadium opponents will almost surely lose.

So, let's stipulate for the record that DeLaSalle is an excellent,  
amazing, divinely-inspired school that saves thousands of kids from  
the clutches of  poverty and crime.

That fact is not a sufficient condition to permit a private religious  
entity to use public park land.

The only way this deal makes sense is if the public as a whole  
benefits.  From the perspective of the Park Board, the larger  
question is -- does the stadium proposal improve the use and access  
of the affected park land by the public as a whole?

 From what I can see on the list, no one has discussed this  
particular point.  Someone needs to provide some hard data on current  
public use and enjoyment of the tennis courts, compared to potential  
public use and enjoyment of the new facilities.

Use and enjoyment of the facilities by DeLaSalle is not a public  
benefit, even if helps keep kids off the street.  Justifying use of  
public land by private religious groups on the basis of the good  
works done by those religious groups sets a very dangerous precedent,  
and is wholly inconsistent with the principle of church/state  
separation.

If the public benefits, as well as DeLaSalle, then it's a win-win.   
But without a direct public benefit, it's a no-go.

So let's reframe the debate, and leave the discussion of tuition and  
financial aid on the table, OK?

Greg Abbott
Linden Hills


On Sep 1, 2005, at 2:26 PM, Chris Johnson wrote:

> I would like to make my own comparisons, and draw my own conclusions.
>
> To repeat the question:  how much is DeLaSalle's tuition?  The  
> correct answer is a numerical value, expressed in dollars and  
> cents, not an opinion on its relation to the amount at "most"  
> private schools.
>
> Carlson thinks the tuition went up about $500 and another parent  
> said around $1,500.  Which is it?
>
> How many students get more than a token amount of financial aid?   
> How many students get 50% or more of tuition?  Giving over half the  
> students a few dollars might qualify as financial aid, but would  
> not be representative of the real financial needs of the student body.
>
> One other note about financial aid.  All students at Catholic high  
> schools in the archdiocese are eligible for need-based grants from  
> the Archdiocesan Annual Catholic Appeal.  DeLaSalle is hardly  
> unique in that aspect.
>

Greg Abbott
gabbott at mn.rr.com




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