The St. Paul City Council voted unanimously this week to support a resolution that asks Congress to redirect military funding to help local communities.
The resolution was sponsored by Council Member Amy Brendmoen, after being brought in by the Minnesota Arms Spending Alternatives Project, which says it's seeking similar support from city councils in other metro cities. They say a vote may be taken soon in Minneapolis.
The resolution notes the state shutdown of 2011 and that many communities are laying off city employees because of cuts in federal funding.
It says St. Paul taxpayers have contributed over $1.7 billion to the cost of war since 2001 and that the nation needs to better balance "its approach to national security to include the economic, social, and environmental needs of our communities, state, and nation."
The resolution wording calls on Minnesota's congressional delegation "to support shifting federal funding priorities from military operations to meeting the essential needs of our local communities."
The Minnesota Arms Spending Alternatives Project says similar action has been taken in Philadelphia, Hartford and Los Angeles.
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's office is checking to see if he's on board with the resolution. I'll bet he is; a similar resolution was passed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.