[Peace-discuss] Minneapolis City Council Approves Pentagon Spending Reduction Resolution

[Robert Naiman]

http://www.minnpost.com/two-cities/2012/12/minneapolis-city-council-approves-resolution-calling-reduced-defense-spending

Minneapolis City Council approves resolution calling for reduced
defense spending

02:51 pm

After a week filled with budget negotiations and the swearing in of
the new police chief, there wasn’t much new work left for the
Minneapolis City Council to do at its regular Friday meeting.

So, they tackled a big issue: whether to ask the federal government to
cut back on war spending and keep those dollars at home.

“It’s such a shame to see billions and billions of dollars going for
military efforts when it could be better used here creating jobs and
housing,” said Council Member Cam Gordon, who labeled the military
spending “ridiculous.”

Gordon is the chief author of a council resolution calling for a
change in the focus of the federal spending, moving it away military
and back to local communities.

St. Paul has passed a similar resolution, and Duluth and Des Moines
are expected to follow with similar resolutions.

“There is no better day than Pearl Harbor Day to voice a very loud
call for peace,” said Council Member Betsy Hodges, who chairs the Ways
and Means/Budget Committee. “There is no better week than when the
Council is grappling with its budget to talk about the high cost at
home for such astronomical defense spending.”

Minneapolis has seen a 30 percent cut in federal Community Development
Block Grants since 2002, according to figures from the Minneapolis
Finance Department. Prior to 2002, Minneapolis received $16.8 million
in those grants, compared with the current $10.7 million.

“The United States will spend more in Afghanistan next year than the
entire food stamp budget for the country — and way more than the
federal government will contribute toward education,” said Jack
Nelson-Pallmeyer of the Minnesota Arms Spending Alternative Project,
which joined the City Council in support of the resolution.

The council approved the resolution 12-0, with Council Member Kevin
Reich not in the room at the time.


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Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org