An “overly emotional” letter to the editor

One letter writer to today’s Trib misinforms the public about the misinformation he claims Red Plan Critics have passed out.

“I can stand it no longer. I defy anyone in the overly emotional opposition cap to prove the largest lie of all, that Independent School District 709 denied the citizens of Duluth their constitutional right to vote on this matter.”

Other than sounding a tad emotional himself the letter writer presumes that our side has pegged its hopes on the Constitution. I can’t speak for everyone on our side, some of whom no doubt believe this, but if I ever said this I quickly disabused myself of the claim.

Several of us investigated the possibility over a year ago but found no such right. On the other hand the right to vote, period is constitutionally sacrosanct. Any abridgement of a voting right should be looked at with skepticism. All across America school building bonds are routinely subject to voter referendums. That was the case in Minnesota until very recently. In the last twenty years the legislature gave school boards a few opportunities to avoid them when the construction was for the “health and safety” of children and the cost was less than half-a-million dollars. That does not describe the Red Plan.

The legislature also granted two “cities of the first class” special legislation allowing for construction without voter approval. St. Paul and Minneapolis (not Duluth) was given this right. I’ve pointed out that the law’s language (in Minneapolis’ case) put a ceiling on the amount that could be spent that was a fraction the size of the spending on Duluth’s Red Plan.

I’ve got a Saturday to enjoy so for the time being I’m not going hunt for the link to the specific comments I’ve made about our voting rights in the voluminous writing I’ve published on the subject. I’m pretty certain when I rummage around a bit I’ll find that I’ve not said we had a constitutional right to vote on the Red Plan. I’d have to say its more of a common sense right now lost because of an uncommon School Board.

Some folks believe this is a sign of courage. No doubt some of Sheriff Bull Connor’s supporters thought the same of him. He didn’t want voting rights handed out too promiscuously either.

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