Fighting Back From Attacks
Dear Fellow DFLer and Caucus Attendee:
As you probably know, over the past few days the first major attack
of the governor’s race has hit the mailboxes of likely DFL caucus
attendees all over the state — in the form of a letter attacking Mayor
Rybak for defending Minneapolis taxpayers. If you’re like a lot of
DFlers, one of the letters is probably addressed to you.
This attack is despicable and baseless,
and we can only assume that it’s intended to convince Minnesotans to
stay home on caucus night, especially if they’re thinking of supporting
R.T.
The facts are on our side here,
and I want to share them with you. It’s a lot of detail, so bear with
me. This morning the Star Tribune ran a column headlined “Rybak Good Deed for Taxpayers Gets Punished” that explains much of this as well.
Last fall, Mayor R.T. Rybak and the Minneapolis City Council went to
bat for Minneapolis taxpayers and won $10 million in tax relief. For many years, city taxpayers had been overcharged millions of dollars in contributions to two pension funds
that have been closed to new members for almost 30 years. No police
officer or firefighter hired since 1980 draws any benefit from these
funds — but all Minneapolis taxpayers contribute to it.
Mayor Rybak and other city leaders stepped up to put a stop to the
overcharging by the fund managers after the State Auditor alerted them
to the problem. They tried working with the pension funds to find
a solution, and they tried working with the Legislature too. But
nothing changed. In the meantime, these funds were overcharging Minneapolis taxpayers to the tune of $50 million.
As a last result, the City Council unanimously backed Mayor Rybak in taking the pension funds to court — and they won. A Hennepin County judge ruled that the pension fund management violated the law and illegally overcharged Minneapolis taxpayers. City taxpayers won back $10 million of the $50 million that they had overpaid. Mayor Rybak and the City Council put every penny they won for taxpayers straight into property-tax relief.
R.T.
believes strongly that the people who worked hard for the City of
Minneapolis, as well as their families, should receive the pension they
deserve.
If Mayor Rybak hadn’t taken on the bad
management of these pension funds, they would have continued to
overcharge Minneapolis taxpayers. That would have meant more cuts to
police, firefighters and other basic city services — and higher
property taxes for everyone.
R.T. and the City Council beat the high-priced lawyers and lobbyists who represent the fund managers overcharging Minneapolis taxpayers — so now those lawyers and lobbyists are trying to fight back by misrepresenting the facts and spreading smears.
We don’t know who’s really behind this attack, but here’s what we do
know. It’s paid for by two organizations that have fought R.T.’s
efforts to put a stop to their overcharging Minneapolis taxpayers for
pension costs. And they have targeted you. A story in the Star Tribune, just published today, is already investigating this story. (See “Groups queried in anti-Rybak letter”)
All we ask is that you read the stories and decide for yourself. But
don’t let this keep you from showing up to caucuses on February 2.
I
hope you will caucus for R.T. But even if you’re undecided, don’t let
these negative attacks keep you away. This election is too important.
Thank you very much for reading this. Please contact the Rybak for Governor Campaign if you have any questions, any concerns, or want to get more involved. Stay tuned for more developments text Rybak to 70077*.
Sincerely,
Tina Smith
Campaign Manager
R.T. Rybak for Governor
612-379-1612
*standard message and data rates may apply.
