We have shirked our responsibilities for basic public services: for example, the education of our children and taking care our public roads, bridges, etc. None of us is too excited about raising our taxes, but we need to be mature and responsible when it comes to the common good – even if that means increasing our taxes.

We cannot ignore our schools and their educational programs for too long; we cannot ignore our infrastructure for too long. We cannot expect our children to save our schools; we cannot wait until they are adults. Roads and bridges cannot repair themselves. We must maintain and improve the infrastructure – schools, programs, roads and bridges, etc., for the good of our society. In recent years we have become selfish, letting our own narrow self interests take precedence over the common good – at our children’s and grandchildren’s expense. In fact, many would prefer for them to pay for it after we are gone.

Shame on our governor, our legislators and we the people of Minnesota. Now is the time for them and us to stand up, accept the responsibilities of citizenship, to work together across political lines and pony up the money for our children’s education and the betterment of our society.