Farewell red horse

The red horse
saved my life

The Flying Red Horse actually saved my life! A terrific snow storm came up during an away basketball game at Waconia High School (in the ‘50s!). I was cheerleading and Ron had played in the game and drove me home from the high school ... Our road was drifted in from both ends so I decided to walk to my home which was where the water tower is now. I had on a light coat, short skirt and tennis shoes and wandered thru snow above my knees. At one point I became disoriented and had no idea which way I was going until I suddenly saw the Flying Red Horse through the cloud of snow. Shortly, I saw the porch light of my brother’s home (Jim’s dad) ... It was truly like a light from heaven as I was sure I was going to freeze to death. Gordie and Mildred wrapped me in blankets and kept me for the night. That Red Horse was a beacon of hope for me.

Audrey Holasek

Moneta, Va.

Editor’s note: This comment was shared by Jim Clark, who wrote a column for on the red horse in last week’s issue. Election 2008

Supports Pitzrick

Mr. Jerry Pitzrick, running for the Legislature in House District 42B, wrote a letter to the editor (March 20) about the recent 2008 transportation funding bill. Ms. Kathy Veurink, also running for the Legislature in 42B, wrote a response (March 27).

Mr. Pitzrick’s letter was a positive, energetic, hopeful, can-do, bipartisan, let’s-be-a-better-state letter. Along with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Wells Fargo-Minnesota President Jon Campbell and Rep. Ron Erhardt, R-Edina, he favors turning away from an “us versus them” approach. He senses the task that is now ahead – the task of providing “the best overall value for the people of Minnesota.” He sees the opportunity to let the work now begin – to supply leadership to deliver the best possible results. He has his eye on solutions that will serve all Minnesotans for generations to come.

Ms. Veurink says she would have voted against this funding bill, apparently because she asks, “Why try to fix what isn’t broken?” And what are we to tell the victims of the I-35W bridge collapse, the St. Cloud citizens who are cheering the closing of another structurally deficient bridge over the Mississippi river there, the 32,000 daily users of the Hastings bridge (a 38.1 out of 100 bridge rating)?

I believe Mr. Pitzrick has it right. His is an affirmative and responsive approach to use our dollars to repair and maintain what we have built. It is called stewardship.

There you have it folks. I favor turning away from the recent divisive past and focusing on solutions built for our collective futures.

David Jones

Eden Prairie

Questions Ruud

Rep. Maria Ruud, District 42A, has done her constituents a disservice by voting in favor of a record high gas, property and sales tax increase (the transportation tax bill) with which we will have to live forever. She did this at a time when gas, food, clothing and other prices are rising at an astonishing rate and at a time when Minnesotans, especially those on fixed incomes, are having a hard time paying their bills – mortgages included.

Interest rates are going down – bad news for those who depend on retirement income from IRA accounts. When pay and interest rates go up, so do taxes because they are based on a percentage of income. When incomes go down, we don’t need new taxes to make up the shortfall.

Yes, roads and bridges need to be fixed and maintained, but what have we been paying for in taxes all along? Don’t we already have a transportation budget?

If I suddenly find out that I have to replace my roof and at the same time my hot water heater, can I go to my employer and say, “I need a $5,000 raise, no, make that a $10,000 raise to cover these unexpected expenses?” My choice is either to dip into my savings, pay the costs out of ongoing income and cut back on other expenses or borrow the money (revenue bonds). Why is it that our elected representatives don’t understand resourcefulness?

Taxes seldom if ever go away; they remain long after the need has passed. We will be paying these taxes for a long time.

This is not the way an elected representative who claims to be an advocate for the working stiff behaves. It is the way an elitist who is out of touch with the reality of the common person behaves.

We need better representation in District 42A.

Mark Krueger

Eden Prairie

Supports Bonoff

I support Sen. Terri Bonoff because she is the only candidate with true roots in the DFL and the Third District who is able to defeat Erik Paulsen.

Her constituents at the Minnesota Capitol support her because she has won twice in her moderately Republican district. Bonoff is a moderate Democrat with a business background. She has raised more than double the money her opponent has with 97 percent coming from in-state, showing Minnesotans trust she can win.

As a mother and homeowner in Plymouth, I know Bonoff “gets it.” She understands what it means to raise and support a family. Terri is the only candidate to make education a focus promising to work for fully funding special education, increased funding for early childhood education, and increased Pell grants for working families. She has a record we can trust.

Sen. Bonoff believes we can revitalize our economy by investing in renewable energy technologies and green jobs. Terri understands the need to invest in our country to create jobs and restore the middle class. She has worked tirelessly at the Capitol to get things done with both Democrats and Republicans.

The Third District deserves someone like Terri Bonoff to fight for us in Washington!

Ruth Koran

Plymouth

 Other issues

We need energy
independence

We hear constant talk about energy conservation but very little action on the part of the government or our elected representatives to provide some leadership on the problem. I propose that we return to the 55 mph speed limit like we had in the ’70s. Require all new left-hand turn arrows to have a solid green light that allows left hand turns. I would also like to see retrofitting the existing lights so left-hand turns are allowed when the oncoming traffic has the green light. I spend at least 15 minutes a day sitting at a red left-turn arrow with no oncoming traffic.

I would also like to see a program to encourage government programs that simulate competition to provide more research in renewable energy that requires fewer resources to produce than ethanol. So far I have seen very little discussion on these topics from the politicians running for office this year. Energy independence is far more effective than waging unnecessary wars in Iraq to fight terrorism.

Gregg Harcus

Eden Prairie

Watch out
pet owners

Just an FYI for the community … a heads-up for pet owners:

With winter on the run and spring in the air, I have been allowing my three mini-dachshunds to play outside longer in the back yard. It is fenced (a low, chicken-wire type, temporary fence) for the winter that goes from the house to a retaining wall 50 feet from the house.

Last night the dogs were barking a lot, which they don’t normally do – nor do I allow. When I went outside to get them, two coyotes were standing on the edge of the retaining wall looking at their dinner!!!

I live on Meadowvale Drive off Eden Prairie Road. They were on the lake side of my house.

Watch your pets, folks.

Kathie Radcliffe

Eden Prairie

Good closing?

In the March 20 edition of this paper, there was a notice posted that said the City Center would be closed from noon on Good Friday. I thought that was very odd, so I wrote to [City Manager] Scott Neal to ask about it. Getting no response from him directly, I thought he might be more forthcoming if I asked the same questions publicly. Mr. Mayor, please feel free to respond too.

Good Friday is, of course, a Christian holiday. The date is set by the church and is celebrated by attending a church ceremony. So I find it very surprising that, given the diversity of the staff at the City Center, there would be so many people requesting the afternoon off so they could attend the traditional 3 p.m. service, that the City Center would have to close.

On the other hand, maybe this is just a secular floating holiday, traditionally given to staff in addition to the regular 10 federal holidays. If so, when was this policy instituted? Is there another half day on the calendar somewhere?

And finally, the big question, the one taxpayers want to know. Who is paying for that half day? If the Christians requested the day off to attend services, was the time off deducted from their personal time off? Or was this a scheduled paid holiday, paid for by us taxpayers?

I have no objections whatsoever if people want to attend religious services during business hours. But I would insist that they do it on their own time, not the time I am paying for. If I need to do business with the city government during business hours, I would like them to be there.

Alan Belisle

Eden Prairie

Questions
gun in paper

About the March 27, 2008, Let’s Go! section, you still don’t get it. Was it last year that you had the front page article about the Roller Derby and the headline “Kill, Kill, Kill?” And now today let’s show a picture of a man with a gun to his head? When I’m sitting with my 4-year-old daughter at lunch and reading the paper and she asks me, “Why is that man shooting himself?” what would you like me to say? Who is editing this stuff? Who is proofing it before print? Do you not think that small children or any child for that matter looks at pictures and forms concepts and ideas? I am continually disappointed in this publication. I strongly suggest that an alternative section be found or added to the Eden Prairie News.

Carrie Van Beusekom

Eden Prairie