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I appreciate the effort and intent of the Tribune’s My Point of View column featuring local citizens who represent the Republican and Democrat political parties. I assume that the intent of the Tribune is to provide a balanced local source of opinions, ideas and potential solutions to issues and needs relative to our community, region, state and country.

Robert Hoffman’s latest contribution suggests that we all need to be afraid of taxes and that we need to distrust our elected officials, particularly Democrats, who are recklessly taking your money and wasting it. His words neglect to consider the import services that our local, state and federal governments provide that we depend on to sustain our everyday life. At no point does he mention the good that comes from us — United State citizens — working together to improve our society including paying for these services through taxation.

For example, can we all agree that our public schools in Minnesota are of vital importance to our continued economic and democratic future and deserve our financial support? Supporting education is not a burden, it is a shared responsibility and important investment in our community.

Can we all agree that a free Ukraine is essential to a free Europe and most certainly to our country’s security and that not only is our collective support a small price to pay, it is also a wise investment in a free and democratic world?

Can we agree that we depend on our county to ensure we have good roads, to provide safety and protection, to provide and deliver important services benefiting us all? Is it not worth considering that our collective investment in our county is both wise and necessary?

Can we agree that the city of Albert Lea’s effort to create and sustain a viable downtown economic center that includes using our taxes to fix and improve buildings for development is a good investment that returns far more to our community than the initial cost? In fact, one recent effort has resulted in a local group purchasing the former bank building for essentially nothing with the promise of developing the property. Wonderful news! We need more of this work from our elected leaders to wisely use our collective investments to ensure Albert Lea can grow and prosper. In fact, let’s get our hospital back, let’s rebuild our retail base, let’s clean the lake and sustain it. All of this improves our community and requires us working and investing collectively for the common good.

Can we agree that it is our responsibility to clean our waste water and that accepting this responsibility is not a waste but rather a duty as well as an investment for our kids and their kids and their kids?

Mr. Hoffman is a local, who was raised and educated here and has chosen to remain in Albert Lea. He has worked hard at building a successful business and is a proud supporter and promoter of Albert Lea. He is well accomplished and has been selected to lead a local political party. As such, he has been given a recurring column to communicate his viewpoint to our community. In light of this “trust” and his accomplishments, I would ask him to reconsider the one sidedness of his viewpoints on taxes as well as his use of disrespectful names and descriptions of those he is criticizing.

Finally, I encourage the Tribune to reconsider the benefit to the community using the current Point of View format and content. How often are the viewpoints dependent upon “we win and you lose” type of thinking? How often do these posts include any real and attainable solutions to problems facing our community, region, state and country? Are Republican and Democrat based viewpoints the only lens through which we can understand and debate cause and offer solution?

Consider making some changes to the Point of View column that ensure thoughtful, fact-based and respectful discourse. Be a vital part of the leadership this community needs to grow and prosper.

Jeff Miller
Albert Lea