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Laurel leaves page 6 Soccer takes two page 8 Interviews with Hofstede, Stenvig Augsburg College George Sverdrup Library Minneapolis, MN 55454 NOTE: These interviews were conducted on the 13th and 14th of October. Mr. Hofstede talked with the ECHO at his campaign headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. Mayor Stenvig, however, couldn't find time for a personal interview, so that portion of the interview was conducted via telephone. Both candidates were asked similar questions and allowed considerable freedom for expressing what they deemed most important. Mayor Stenvig's interview is reprinted in its entirety; Mr. Hofstede's answers were more comprehensive, and consequently have been edited at the discretion of the reporter. Both men were allowed approximately 40 minutes. The interviews were conducted by Greg Peterson. Hofstede urges invovlement, by students, in the city Mr. Hofstede, what are the biggest problems facing the city of Minneapolis today? The city's major problem is basically a financial one. People think that Minneapolis is different from any other city, but it isn't; we just can't continue to spend at the rate we're doing. In the last ten years our spending has increased at the rate of 17% per year, and the tax base has only grown 2-3% per year. It's like a family that makes $10,000 and spends $15,000 ... it just comes to a point where we have to stop. That's the issue in a nutshell. We just have to make the city financially solvent . . . and it isn't. How do you do that? First, you have to take a hard look at city spending. Second, make sure that you develop programs that are going to protect your tax base, by encouraging new housing and new industry in Minneapolis. In addition to that you have to go to the legislature to seek financial help, so you must have the necessary rapport with the Governor. In early October, the Minnesota Poll took a survey which showed you leading Mayor Stenvig by approximately 15%, however, the republican candidate Marv Eakman has since been dropped from the ballot. How do you feel about the poll? Practically speaking, having a Republican on the ballot obviously helps. But I cannot worry about that. I have my own endorsement which I have received after a long struggle. In addition to that, this is an odd election in that I am running against an Independent, and I suspect that if I had to have Eakman to win, then the people want someone other than Al Hofstede. 1 believe there's a big difference between Charles Stenvig and Al Hofstede, and that's something the voters have to decide . . . You know the man doesn't want the job, he doesn't care about the job, he's looking for ways to get out of it. He exerts no leadership. He doesn't help in any effort to solve the financial problems in this town. People think he does? Well then he's fooling a lot of them, but in my opinion he isn't. The same poll predicts that one/fourth of the eligible city residents will not vote in the next election. How do you address this statistic in your campaign plans? In any election you have that problem. The biggest turnout is traditionally in the presidential elections, but you still have a lot of people who don't vote, primarily young people I might add. It's as important for the young people in this city to vote as anyone else. It's their town, their future, and they're the ones to determine what they want for Minneapolis —if they don't turn out to vote, they'll pay the price. I find it very hard; as an example, we went and fought the 1st World War, the 2nd World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War ... all for one thing—the right of the people to express themselves, to vote. All the lives that were lost, and how easily we forget. I understand your point about voting, but the only war today's students have known was Vietnam, and there's certainly been some disallusionment from that. That's very true, but all they have to do is look at history books. Young people today Stenvig attacks Tribune, points to his record A recent Minnesota Poll shows that 24% of the voters do not plan to vote: How is citizen participation in city government being encouraged? It was very good the way they made that poll. The Tribune always has an angle to their polls. When you ask people who they would vote for and they say they don't plan to vote, and then you go back and ask them who they might lean toward if they did vote, that isn't quite fair. We've beaten the polls every time we've run. I ignore those polls because they do this to me all the time. Voter participation isn't that bad. Last time 100,000 voters went to the polls. As for this voter registration on election day, it's outright fraud. It isn't working even though Mr. Mondale and a few others say it is. If someone really wants to vote, there is no reason they can't go down two or three days before the election and register. We don't have fair elections in Minneapolis anymore. We're running against the machine, courts (appointed by the other party) and the law. The ballot rotation where only the two major parties can be rotated, well they used to call that the Anti-Stenvig law. We beat them three times, and we'll do it again. What have you done for Minneapolis' large student population? I don't accept segments in the government. I accept all people whether they vote for me or not. When I appoint people, I don't look to see if they're black or white. I just try to fill those positions with qualified people. I try to do my job and be a good Christian. Mr. Stenvig: What do you see as your major accomplishments during your current term of office? I ran on three basis promises: to listen to the people and do what the majority want unless life or limb are involved, or unless it's morally wrong; to try to keep property taxes down; and to have strong, fair law enforcement for all. In the area of property tax, the legislature is beginning to use some of my ideas. In three terms of office, I've vetoed six out of 12 bills to increase the tax budget, though most of them have been overridden. My opponent has always voted for tax increase even as an alderman. When he says property taxes have gone up 22%, 16% of that is city, and I vetoed it where he never did. We also have a good record in construction and keeping business in the city. In '74 and '75 we were in trouble, but now we're managing to keep them here which is improving our tax base. In the area of law enforcement, crime was down 5% my first year in office, and is down another 5% while under my opponent it was up 2%. We're doing this with less men, and still keeping crime down. As far as moral questions go, in the gay rights area, religiously and morally I'm against that, but they do have a right to jobs just like anyone else. I don't think they have a right to teach children in the schools because it's bound to rub off, and I don't think they should have jobs such as park instructor. It's just like you don't hire a known embezzler in a bank. You don't see too many of them around. L Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 J Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota Vol. 84 No. 5 Oct. 21, 1977
Object Description
Issue/Title | Echo October 21, 1977 |
Creator/Author | Students of Augsburg College |
Subject | Universities and colleges--Minnesota--Minneapolis--Newspapers. |
Volume | 084 |
Issue | 005 |
Date | 1977-10-21 |
Decade | 1970 |
Frequency | Published on Wednesdays or Fridays during the academic year. |
Coverage | The Echo has been published since 1898. |
Language | English |
Type | Scans of newspapers |
Identifier | RG 17.2.1977.10.21. |
Format | image/tif |
Collection | Echo |
Publisher | Augsburg College |
Source | Scans of individual and bound editions of the Echo. |
Rights | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/ |
Contributing Organization | Augsburg University |
Description
Frequency | Published on Wednesdays or Fridays during the academic year. |
Rights | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/ |
Cataloging Status | Transcript generated by machine. Metadata in progress. Recently scanned. |
Transcript | Laurel leaves page 6 Soccer takes two page 8 Interviews with Hofstede, Stenvig Augsburg College George Sverdrup Library Minneapolis, MN 55454 NOTE: These interviews were conducted on the 13th and 14th of October. Mr. Hofstede talked with the ECHO at his campaign headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. Mayor Stenvig, however, couldn't find time for a personal interview, so that portion of the interview was conducted via telephone. Both candidates were asked similar questions and allowed considerable freedom for expressing what they deemed most important. Mayor Stenvig's interview is reprinted in its entirety; Mr. Hofstede's answers were more comprehensive, and consequently have been edited at the discretion of the reporter. Both men were allowed approximately 40 minutes. The interviews were conducted by Greg Peterson. Hofstede urges invovlement, by students, in the city Mr. Hofstede, what are the biggest problems facing the city of Minneapolis today? The city's major problem is basically a financial one. People think that Minneapolis is different from any other city, but it isn't; we just can't continue to spend at the rate we're doing. In the last ten years our spending has increased at the rate of 17% per year, and the tax base has only grown 2-3% per year. It's like a family that makes $10,000 and spends $15,000 ... it just comes to a point where we have to stop. That's the issue in a nutshell. We just have to make the city financially solvent . . . and it isn't. How do you do that? First, you have to take a hard look at city spending. Second, make sure that you develop programs that are going to protect your tax base, by encouraging new housing and new industry in Minneapolis. In addition to that you have to go to the legislature to seek financial help, so you must have the necessary rapport with the Governor. In early October, the Minnesota Poll took a survey which showed you leading Mayor Stenvig by approximately 15%, however, the republican candidate Marv Eakman has since been dropped from the ballot. How do you feel about the poll? Practically speaking, having a Republican on the ballot obviously helps. But I cannot worry about that. I have my own endorsement which I have received after a long struggle. In addition to that, this is an odd election in that I am running against an Independent, and I suspect that if I had to have Eakman to win, then the people want someone other than Al Hofstede. 1 believe there's a big difference between Charles Stenvig and Al Hofstede, and that's something the voters have to decide . . . You know the man doesn't want the job, he doesn't care about the job, he's looking for ways to get out of it. He exerts no leadership. He doesn't help in any effort to solve the financial problems in this town. People think he does? Well then he's fooling a lot of them, but in my opinion he isn't. The same poll predicts that one/fourth of the eligible city residents will not vote in the next election. How do you address this statistic in your campaign plans? In any election you have that problem. The biggest turnout is traditionally in the presidential elections, but you still have a lot of people who don't vote, primarily young people I might add. It's as important for the young people in this city to vote as anyone else. It's their town, their future, and they're the ones to determine what they want for Minneapolis —if they don't turn out to vote, they'll pay the price. I find it very hard; as an example, we went and fought the 1st World War, the 2nd World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War ... all for one thing—the right of the people to express themselves, to vote. All the lives that were lost, and how easily we forget. I understand your point about voting, but the only war today's students have known was Vietnam, and there's certainly been some disallusionment from that. That's very true, but all they have to do is look at history books. Young people today Stenvig attacks Tribune, points to his record A recent Minnesota Poll shows that 24% of the voters do not plan to vote: How is citizen participation in city government being encouraged? It was very good the way they made that poll. The Tribune always has an angle to their polls. When you ask people who they would vote for and they say they don't plan to vote, and then you go back and ask them who they might lean toward if they did vote, that isn't quite fair. We've beaten the polls every time we've run. I ignore those polls because they do this to me all the time. Voter participation isn't that bad. Last time 100,000 voters went to the polls. As for this voter registration on election day, it's outright fraud. It isn't working even though Mr. Mondale and a few others say it is. If someone really wants to vote, there is no reason they can't go down two or three days before the election and register. We don't have fair elections in Minneapolis anymore. We're running against the machine, courts (appointed by the other party) and the law. The ballot rotation where only the two major parties can be rotated, well they used to call that the Anti-Stenvig law. We beat them three times, and we'll do it again. What have you done for Minneapolis' large student population? I don't accept segments in the government. I accept all people whether they vote for me or not. When I appoint people, I don't look to see if they're black or white. I just try to fill those positions with qualified people. I try to do my job and be a good Christian. Mr. Stenvig: What do you see as your major accomplishments during your current term of office? I ran on three basis promises: to listen to the people and do what the majority want unless life or limb are involved, or unless it's morally wrong; to try to keep property taxes down; and to have strong, fair law enforcement for all. In the area of property tax, the legislature is beginning to use some of my ideas. In three terms of office, I've vetoed six out of 12 bills to increase the tax budget, though most of them have been overridden. My opponent has always voted for tax increase even as an alderman. When he says property taxes have gone up 22%, 16% of that is city, and I vetoed it where he never did. We also have a good record in construction and keeping business in the city. In '74 and '75 we were in trouble, but now we're managing to keep them here which is improving our tax base. In the area of law enforcement, crime was down 5% my first year in office, and is down another 5% while under my opponent it was up 2%. We're doing this with less men, and still keeping crime down. As far as moral questions go, in the gay rights area, religiously and morally I'm against that, but they do have a right to jobs just like anyone else. I don't think they have a right to teach children in the schools because it's bound to rub off, and I don't think they should have jobs such as park instructor. It's just like you don't hire a known embezzler in a bank. You don't see too many of them around. L Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 J Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota Vol. 84 No. 5 Oct. 21, 1977 |
Contributing Organization | Augsburg University |
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