Letters January 2021

We let insurrectionists walk away, yet arrest Line 3 peaceful protesters
To the Editor:
We all watched in horror this week as insurrectionists stormed the nation’s Capitol. Many of us questioned why this was allowed. Many of us questioned why so many who violently interrupted Constitutional processes were allowed to walk away. Many of us have shared our voice that this is not what the United States should be and it must be changed.
Then a few short days later, peaceful protesters standing up against Line 3 have been handcuffed and arrested. Their crime, standing up against the well-funded, well-lobbied creation of a pipeline which will devastate the environment for future generations.
We here in Minnesota and in the country really need to get our priorities straight. Fast.
Sincerely,
Tom Lucy
Como Park

Will Bill McGuire donate to St. Paul Housing Trust Fund?
To the Editor:
I live four blocks from the new stadium. It’s a beautiful structure; futuristic, sleek and a much more pleasant look than some of the stadiums across the river. One can’t help but notice, however, new contrasts already developing in the area.
Four blocks away in Hamline Park a series of tents line the basketball courts. On the south side of 94, another group of tents lay on a vacant lot. A burned out strip mall is a reminder that several local businesses were recently evicted from the area with little help from the landlords (one of which, mind you, is Bill McGuire, owner of the soccer team and stadium).
Bill McGuire’s estimated net worth is $999 million. Poverty in the area is at 16.9% and likely rising. Unemployment is 5.1% and likely rising. 46.2% of renters here are considered cost-burdened. And rent rose by an average of 10% in the last year. Inequality is rising with the buildup of the area.
While I love the soccer team, it is fair to ask the owner of Bill McGuire to help out residents going through hard times in St. Paul, as an offer of goodwill. We live in a time of economic hardship, a pandemic, and growing inequality and I suggest he could follow the lead of 900 cars at a Brainerd Dairy Queen and “Pay it Forward” in our community.
I implore Mr. McGuire to donate $2 million to the St. Paul Housing Trust Fund, which would be used to build and retain affordable housing and provide housing assistance for those in need. A fairer St. Paul is a safer St. Paul, a more stable St. Paul. A more stable St. Paul is a better business climate for a man like Bill McGuire.
Stuart Orlowski

Mr. Ales why I volunteer, error in December paper
To the Editor:
I was mentioned in information in the December 2020 In Brief section with inaccurate information. I was not spoken to in regards to this brief either. The brief was “Young people help at the Midway YMCA.” It shared that I’m a fifth grade supervisor (a position that doesn’t exist). I am a Learning Lead at Bruce F. Vento Elementary. This is my 14th year as a teacher in St Paul Public Schools (second year in the LL position). This means the part about 15 years since ninth grade doesn’t add up either. It’s a little over 20 years. Thanks for aging me down.
Mr. Ales is the reason I continue to do volunteer work. He’s encouraged young people to give back to the community on their own time. I continue to help support Mr. Ales and the Friendship Club because it promotes volunteering as a life long value.
Humboldt grad 2003
Nikki Schilling

Editor’s Note:
Thanks, Ms. Schilling, for letting us know of our error. We have corrected our online brief. The information was submitted to us as a press release from another community member.

CORRECTIONS
In the December 2020 article titled, “Trash fees increasing,” there were two errors. We’d like to clarify that the extra charge for yard waste collection is $120 per season. Additionally, the 58,214.15 tons of trash collected was from the time period of June 2019-July 2020, not June 2018-July 2019 as stated in the article.
We apologize for the errors.