A readable version:

Letter: Thankful for weak mayor

Mayor Wilson’s “Elections behind us; time to look ahead” explains what’s needed, and it’s not complicated. Unfortunately, he hasn’t always exemplified this behavior – remember the recall? I’m thankful for our weak-mayor system in Red Wing.

Full Disclosure: I tend to vote “blue” but am not enamored with Democrats or the DFL, and vote issues over party. I’m a Jesse voter. 

For decades, I’ve been opposing Republican policy shifts – the 1986 tax code cuts for corporations and the rich, gutting of veterans’ benefits, insurance perversion of health care, government interference in women’s medical decisions, defunding Social Security and Medicare, and cuts to public school funding and privatization of education.

In Minnesota, Republican statewide candidates who proposed draconian and sometimes absurd and illegal policies were all defeated. Similarly, nationwide, we have a Democratically controlled Senate, and president, and maybe House.

Locally, however, we’ll soon have “election denier” state officeholders. Our new Rep. Altendorf bragged about being “America First” and endorsed by “My Pillow” Lindell. Our Sen. Drazkowski requested, with other legislators, to add Minnesota to a baseless Texas lawsuit, and protested the “stolen election” at our state capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Together, they proposed the “Minnesota Education Freedom Act,” to shift public funding to private schools. Thankfully, DFL control limits what harm they can do.

Citywide, the “recall” council candidates bloc won two of four seats. They didn’t specify proposals, instead complaining of “taxes,” “reckless spending,” and don’t recognize systemic racism. 

They even rehashed the firing of Pohlman, that process and reasons weren’t made public, despite state law that personnel matters be addressed in closed session. Do they understand the law?

What do I think? Yes, Mayor Wilson, I’m ready to “spend a lot more time focusing on what we are for” and work hard over the next two years.

—Carol A. Overland, Red Wing