Bell, Ness Square Off; College Issues Largely Ignored

Candidates Partake in Final Debate Before Election

By Aaron T. Rose
Editor-in-Chief

"Pay close attention to the difference between our answers and focus on whether we give detailed answers or if we’re simply defining the problems,” said Don Ness in his opening statement. “…Charlie [Bell] is a good and honorable person, but there are clear differences between Charlie and I and our vision and our positions on the issues.”
But difference was in short supply Tuesday night in the Mitchell during the final Duluth mayoral debate before the Nov. 6 election. Candidates Don Ness and Charlie Bell agreed more often than they disagreed and generally failed to shed a unique light on most of the issues. Very few questions specific to Duluth’s college population were addressed.

The debate, presented in front of an underwhelming audience of less than 60 people and televised live on two local channels, was moderated by local news anchor Michelle Lee. Questions were presented by a panel of local newscasters and political figures and also by College of St. Scholastica social work students.
The first round of questions, in which candidates were limited to two minute responses and a 30 second rebuttal, began with former Duluth Mayor Gary Doty asking if the candidates would seek any changes with the Fond-Du-Luth Casino contract up for renewal in 2010.
Both agreed that the income brought by the downtown Duluth casino is important for the city’s infrastructure, the Duluth City Street Fund and for creating an attractive place to bring new businesses.
Ness reiterated how important it is to develop the relationship

Duluth mayoral candidates Don Ness (left) and Charlie Bell particpated in a final debate Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the Mitchell. Photos courtesy of www.duluthbudgeteer.com

between the Fond-Du-Lac tribe and the city administration. He said, “the development [of American Indian residences] at the YWCA was an important step forward.”
In fact, both candidates had very similar answers to every

question asked in the first round. Questions included Duluth’s role in nurturing and cashing in on the economic boom on the Iron Range;

Students Lobby Lawmakers for Debt Forgiveness

By Aaron T. Rose
Editor-in-Chief

Last month, five students from The College of St. Scholastica ventured to the steps of the nation’s capitol to convince lawmakers to forgive the debts of the world’s poorest countries.
On Oct. 15, Dylan Kesti, Sylvia Rodriguez, Aaron Stanley, Jorge Castiblanco and Brendan McColgan traveled to Washington D.C. to join over 100 others in the 2007 Debt Forgiveness Lobby Days through the Jubilee USA Network.
“Debt forgiveness is essential to providing social justice,” said Kesti. “We need to make sure that people all over the world have the basic things for survival—clean water, access to healthcare and education.”

The Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007 is a current bill introduced by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Dick Lugar (R-IN) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). This bipartisan measure would offer debt relief to 25 of the world’s poorest countries who do not qualify for the World Bank’s debt cancellation for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC).
According to the Jubilee USA website, the bill’s provisions include a necessity for recipient countries to use proceeds from debt relief to provide poverty reduction, healthcare, education and water. Nations engaged in the support or harboring of terrorists and the production of weapons of mass destruction are not eligible. Measures

Five CSS Students traveled to Washington D.C. last month to lobby for the Jubilee Act for Debt Forgiveness. Photo by Brendan McColgan