Why should Duluth voters have fewer rights?

My latest Not Eudora column points out the furor in local politics that the School Board has kicked up forcing other politicians to take a stand. Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon seems to support the Red Plan on the basis that she doesn’t want the state to interfere in local politics. However, that’s just what the state legislature did some years back when it took the rights of citizens in “Cities of the First class” to vote on School Board building plans. Why should we in Duluth or voters in Minneapolis or St. Paul have reduced votes?

From my column:

“Who’s listening to Duluth’s voters? The School Board isn’t. The City Council and Mayor are squeamish about interfering. Governor Pawlenty who lectured the City on the importance of referendums when it came to the dinky DECC sales tax allowed his Department of Education to OK the Red Plan. Just this week Commissioner Seagren visited Mike and told him they “were amazed with the large amount our district was proposing.” But they reluctantly approved the plan. Now only Mike Jaros stands in the School Board’s way and the School Board is fighting back. Nancy Nilson sent him 63 emails the day she heard he was trying to require a vote. If you want to help Mike you better ask his colleagues to help him.”