Readers Write: Canterbury Park, presidential race, overflowing manure, economic growth

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Canterbury Park is a Minnesota gem. It is a beautiful place to be on a summer night watching the horses. Or if you prefer, as many do, watching many of the small dogs scrambling down the track (some of the canines prefer to relax). Pony rides and ice cream for the kids, and perhaps cold beverages and ice cream for the parents and grandparents.

Canterbury employs hundreds of Minnesotans and stands at the center of Minnesota’s breeding and horse community. Some Minnesota horse owners and breeders have achieved national prominence. It must be remembered, too, that Canterbury is a public company with many Minnesota shareholders and open books, unlike the tribes that rake in unknown and unreported fortunes for a relatively few.

Canterbury is going through a very rough period. The horse population is declining because of the declining purses. Some owners have taken their horses to other tracks.

It should be beyond question that Canterbury is a treasure that must be preserved. Canterbury is doing its best by trying to introduce games of skill like historic horse racing that will attract more players and increase revenue. But Gov. Tim Walz stands against Canterbury on every issue and at every turn. All sports betting must go the tribes. No historic horse racing because the tribes don’t like it. Limiting other games and sources of revenue because the tribes abhor competition.

Now Walz has appointed two tribal leaders to the Minnesota Racing Commission (“Track owners object to racing panel members,” June 25). These last-minute appointments are incompetent political appointments of Canterbury’s adversaries who know nothing about racing and who now will have access to Canterbury’s confidential and proprietary information. This is completely shameful and must be reversed immediately.

George Eck, Mound

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Why the urgency to place two new members on the racing commission — especially given their conflict of interest as both have Native American leadership roles and connections to Minnesota casinos? Tribes are currently at odds with the commission with litigation in progress. And one of the choices was Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, a leader with a checkered past, including an Alford plea regarding improper use of tribal money for personal use. Sounds to me as if Walz has again not listened to his advisers with his picks.

The June 25 Star Tribune article quotes Walz as saying that these are “two good folks” who are “ethical folks that will do their job and they have every right to be on the Racing Commission as anyone else.” What? How do you define ethics, and aren’t their appointments tantamount to the fox guarding the henhouse? I note also that the two appointees listed themselves as candidates on a Thursday and were appointed the next day. Their quick appointment enhances the phrase “put on the fast track.” Governor, while I strive to embrace your complexity (especially on ethics), I hope you’ll reconsider their appointments as a false start. Without rescission, your actions, I dare say, will stifle sensible regulation.

Tom Youngblood, Hopkins

I agree that voters should consider political candidates’ cognitive capacity and energy needed to carry out the responsibilities of the office they seek (“One election, two aging brains,” Opinion Exchange, June 24). Of course, it’s especially important that candidates for president be able to think and speak clearly about the tough issues that our highest elected official must handle.

Where I disagree with author Terry Wu is the implication that Joe Biden’s misreading of a teleprompter or mention of ice cream at a solemn occasion is equivalent to Donald Trump’s incessant lies, incoherent ramblings, and destructive promises and threats.

I also question Wu’s association of wearing Depends with cognitive impairment. Leaky bladders hardly signal an inability to think straight!

Barbara Crosby, Minneapolis

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On the front page the other day was an article stating that in the upcoming election, the Democrats are going to focus on abortion (”Abortion top issue for Biden campaign,” June 24). This only goes to show how out-of-touch the Democratic Party is with the average voter.

It would have been time well spent to actually knock on voters’ doors and speak with us about our concerns. The party just assumes we are in lockstep with its values. Nothing could be further from reality.

Of all my concerns about the decline of this country, abortion is not even on my list. Talk to us in person and don’t believe polls that are online.

Barry Peterson, Prior Lake

“High concentrations of manure can be dangerous to human health and can cause fish kills and threaten water quality even after floodwaters recede” (”17 manure pits overflow at large feedlots in Minn.,” June 26). The state of North Carolina learned its lesson in 1999 as manure lagoons flooded the state. In response, North Carolina closed down 42 different hog farms and imposed a statewide moratorium. Industrialized hog facilities had created such pollution and nuisance in the Tar Heel State that the Legislature passed a moratorium on new confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Then “Big Pork” turned its eyes to the Midwest, stepping up its existing development of new industrial scale feedlots in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri.

It’s time for the state of Minnesota to shut down these big polluters and impose a moratorium on the construction of factory farms.

Sonja Trom Eayrs, Maple Grove

This letter was written on behalf of Dodge County Concerned Citizens.

With economic growth slowing nationwide, governors nationwide must be delivering a comprehensive vision to stimulate new growth and opportunities for the residents of their states by fostering a regulatory environment welcoming to business.

While these executives undoubtedly have developed plans for their respective states, they must also find ways to collaborate with one another to drive meaningful change — and share strategies for mitigating the impacts of unproductive state legislative pursuits. Fortunately, opportunities like the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) conference, happening this week in Minneapolis, will give them the chance to do it.

The Democratic Governors Association has convened Democratic governors from around the country in Minneapolis to deliberate and align on goals and priorities. During this time together, they should focus on finding ways to collaboratively generate growth by supporting the industries that are proven conduits, like the tech industry.

This opportunity could not come at a more critical time for our state. While Minnesota was an early leader in tech innovation, we have fallen behind, failing to attract significant investments and losing tech talent to other states.

However, with the rapid growth of the innovative artificial intelligence industry and our state’s recent designation as a tech hub by the federal government, we have a new foundation to revitalize this crucial industry and create new opportunities for Minnesotans.

I hope Gov. Tim Walz continues to take the lead in underscoring the importance of opening the door to innovative, growth-driving sectors to his peers.

Dario Anselmo, Edina

The writer was a Republican state representative from 2017-2019.