The reward should remain. And make it bigger

As a resident of Lakeland and a retired St. Paul Fire Captain, I’d like to offer my answer to the front page question, “Should arson reward remain for City Hall fire?”

Absolutely yes!

This was not a “possible garden-variety arson” as described by Council Member Sand, but a violent crime that risked the lives of our residents and firefighters (full disclosure, my son is one of them) and caused significant financial loss to our community. Seven years later we are still grappling with the problem of our aging City Hall that the new building was slated to replace, and what to do with the burned-out slab the arsonist left behind.

So should an arson reward remain, at least until the statute of limitations expires? I agree with the majority of our City Council members that it should. In fact, I’d like to see it increased. If the reward makes the person or persons involved uncomfortable; if it helps to keep the crime in the public eye; if it encourages anyone to come forward with information that could bring the perpetrators to justice, it’d be worth every penny.

Tim Wirth, Lakeland

Consider the value of this unique mile

I’ve agonized.  There was a hearing on Friday ostensibly to take input about the elevated bicycle path to be constructed on the full length of Summit Avenue, a plan that has already been approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council. Having worked in city government myself, I would like to think that there would be open minds for the concerns some of us hold.  But given that decisions appear to have been made long ago, I choose to write this letter with no hope of impacting those decisions, but to relieve my grief about this action that my city has determined it will take.

In a letter submitted jointly with former Deputy Mayor Susan Kimberly (May 17, 2023),  we tried to make the case that the Avenue from Lexington east to the Cathedral is a unique historic and civic asset, the character of which should not be destroyed. It is an asset that we could and should assertively market as a visitor’s attraction. It is probably the only full mile of Victorian mansions still intact in the United States. Stories not only of St. Paul’s history, but of its reach into the larger world flow from those vintage mansions.  Altering the Avenue as planned will destroy its historic infrastructure and character and its marketability as a city attraction. It is hard to imagine that people currently residing on and maintaining that historic part of the Avenue as a residential hallmark of the city will find the same draw to an Avenue whose historic character is unrecognizable.

I’ve been labeled a “Luddite” for trying to make the case that this feature of our city — the Summit Avenue mile from Lexington to the Cathedral — is unique and should be valued and preserved. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try to make that case for my city. I think I’m at least as “climate aware” and forward thinking as the average St. Paulite, but I can recognize a historic civic asset when I see one.

I make one last plea to those with decision-making power. Please consider the value to the city of this unique mile of real estate. For this mile — differentiated in that there is no boulevard to accommodate a bike path without changing the character of the street — alter the plan and retain the asset. It can be done. There is always a way when there is a will.

Mae Seely Sylvester, St. Paul

Change polling to indicate what people really think

It seems the race for the next president is all but set. I am far from happy about seeing a repeat of the last election and don’t want to see either Joe Biden or Donald Trump reelected to the job. I could state my dislikes for either but if no one believes anyone else can win then no one else will.

This is where I think the way polling is done is a major contributor to the two-party “us or them” mentality. Recently I answered a poll and eventually it asked if I was voting for Biden, Trump, or undecided; I wanted Option 4 because I will not vote for either one but that is hard to represent.

In the climate of the upcoming presidential election I wish polls would do more to show what people really think. One easy way is to simply expand the selection when asking the question about how you plan to vote.

Instead of just Vote for Trump/Biden, there should be Voting AGAINST Trump/Biden along with a Neither one/Undecided choice.

Allowing these five choices lets people show how they really feel, as you have many who would say Biden or Trump simply because they do not want to see the other win. This can show just how big that middle ground is and hopefully get the parties to reconsider their nominations or perhaps encourage some other to enter the race.

When polling looks at Haley vs. Biden or Phillips vs. Trump and how those swing toward the younger candidates it should be clear that people want other options. Let’s get poll results that can reflect that even more clearly.

Steven Owens, Frederic, Wis.

If we’re serious, plow the bike lanes

On-street bike lanes like those on Summit Ave. become hazardous after moderate snowfalls that are insufficient to trigger street plowing, such as the Twin Cities had in early January. Snow accumulations that pose little problem for cars may obstruct and destabilize bikes.

In such instances, cyclists have only bad alternatives: (1) to ride in the snow-filled bike lane, risking loss of control; (2) to ride at the edge of the car lane, risking encounters with moving vehicles; or (3) to forgo biking and either use a car (climate unfriendly; requires car access) or public transit (often impractical), or skip the trip.

Although winter cyclists can readily stay warm and visible in the cold and dark, safe winter biking also requires a suitable road surface, which is beyond their control.

Cities that are serious about encouraging year-round biking and reducing motor vehicle dependence should prioritize all-season bike lane usability. Perhaps municipal snowfall thresholds for street plowing should be reduced, at least for key streets with bike lanes, and bike lanes should be part of what gets plowed, or even prioritized for snow removal.

James Johnson, St. Paul

We’re all happy for you, Joe

What a thrill to learn that Joe Mauer was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

I found an Aug. 7, 2006, Sports Illustrated with a wonderful picture of Joe in his full catcher’s gear on the front cover and a five-page picture/article. Here are a few interesting facts about Joe’s spectacular career:

Throughout his high school years at Cretin-Derham Hall in St Paul, he struck out only once, and in the majors, Joe struck out only 1,034 times in 6,930 at-bats.

He was the first American League catcher to win a batting title (he won three times, hitting  .347 in 2006, 328 in 2008  and a whopping .365 in 2009. Lifetime batting average was .306.

His defense as catcher and at first base was also excellent. As a catcher, his average was .995, at first base .996.

Way to go, Joe. We’re all happy for you!

Bill Vilendrer, Lake St Croix Beach

There’s more to the story

A Jan. 28 letter, “Accomplishments,” lists some of what the writer claims were Trump’s significant accomplishments while in office.  These are from a cut-and-paste list circulating on the internet. It’s always advisable to check the validity of internet claims. People can disagree about the wisdom of some of the listed items — such as moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. But other items lack important details, or are just plain untrue.

For example, the writer says “Black unemployment … Latino unemployment …women’s unemployment … was lowest in history” under Trump. However, the unemployment rate for all those groups (plus Asians) fell substantially under President Obama after the 2009 recession and then continued to fall, albeit more slowly. (For women, it was the lowest in 66 years.)

He says, “Trump doubled child care credit.”  Yes, if your family income was as high as $400,000, the new tax law made you eligible for a Child Tax Credit of $2,000 per child. But lower-income families were mostly excluded from the increases in the credit.

“Forced NATO members to pay more of their share.” It was repeatedly explained to Trump that there is not some common pot of money into which NATO members pay dues, but it seems he never grasped it. Rather, each NATO ally has the goal of spending at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on its own defense.

The letter writer ends with “You could look it up.”  Good advice.

Carol Turnbull, Woodbury

Looks like more than 10.3%

Just received the monthly energy bill from Xcel Energy, along with a tri-fold pamphlet that explains new electric rates that are now in effect. I find both the overview of the increase, and the unit increase (KWh) for electricity — shocking. Both are lacking in transparency, and, as presented in the pamphlet, portray accounting/math conclusions that are inconsistent with basic facts.

The overview states that an overall rate increase of 10.3% has been approved, and is now in effect. The pamphlet also contains a detailed chart of KWh rates (the basic facts) for both residential and commercial users, showing rates before the increase, and rates after the increase. Those rates show that for residential customers, electricity rates per KWh are increasing 27-29%, and even worse for residential electric heat use, up 37%! (All other commercial rates on the chart are increased 11-47%.)

How does this reconcile with Xcel’s claim of a “10.3% overall increase in rates”?

And finally, how can  Xcel state that an average residential user (740 KWh) will see an increase of $9.80 per month, when simple math determines that 740 KWh at 2.561 cents (rate increase) is $18.95 – nearly double what Xcel states in their pamphlet?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Pat Cullen, Stillwater

Don’t involve physicians

As a retired physician, I am quite sad that Minnesota is considering the enlistment of physicians in assisted suicide. There are hundreds of ways for people to take their own lives. If politicians want to come up with ways to assist their constituents in taking their own lives, I am sure they could come up with a commission or to contract with some commercial group without involving physicians.  Please do not corrupt the profession any more than it has been.

Carl Hasbargen, St. Paul

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