Posted on

Winter sidewalk pilot programs will need funding to ensure safe routes for the 2024-2025 season

The City of Minneapolis is considering a menu of pilot programs to ensure sidewalks are clear of snow and ice during the winter months. If all five were funded, it would require $2.6 million annually. These were presented to the City Council’s Public Works Committee today. Decisions about next year’s budget will be made later this year — with Mayor Frey’s recommendations coming in August and a City Council vote to amend and approve in December.

Continue reading “Winter sidewalk pilot programs will need funding to ensure safe routes for the 2024-2025 season”
Posted on

Tennessee-Based Scam “News” Website Gives Curious Coverage to Minneapolis City Council Race

The number one story on the Nashville-based news website TN Horn News for the last week or so has been an article headlined “Dissension Inside DSA: Minneapolis Chapter Faces Criticism For Alleged Rejection of Minority Communities, Potential Shift In direction of Republican Celebration.” The story echoes charges from Minneapolis City Council candidate Nasri Warsame that the DFL endorsement process has been tainted by unfair treatment by party officials and a crew of local socialists.

The domain tnhornnews.com was registered on May 16, three days after the Ward 10 convention was cut short by chaos instigated by Warsame supporters. The website publishes dozens of stories a day, but so far no other stories about Minneapolis local politics. Based on my extensive reading, the website’s content is stolen from popular mainstream websites. The large volume of poorly re-written stories suggests they’re using an automated process — swapping words for synonyms — in order to avoid being recognized as obvious plagiarism. But this word-swapping is so crude that it makes TN Horn News just a flood of nonsense articles.

Continue reading “Tennessee-Based Scam “News” Website Gives Curious Coverage to Minneapolis City Council Race”
Posted on

Rent Stabilization Not Getting An Honest Analysis in Minneapolis

Back on December 14, the appointed group of volunteers serving on the City of Minneapolis’s Rent Stabilization Work Group completed their work and made a recommendation. Hours later, Mayor Frey delivered his rebuttal: “It’s not happening.” And four months later, Frey’s administration presented a report to the City Council reinforcing his opposition, recommending against enacting any version of a rent stabilization policy. Under our new government structure, even when they’re doing work in service of the City Council’s legislative function, city departments answer exclusively to the Mayor.

The analysis in the staff report is narrow, focusing on competing recommendations from the city’s work group. One side of the work group was made up largely of tenant advocates pushing for a maximal rent control policy. The other faction was tilted towards landlords and developers who recommended a more lax policy. Differences between the two sides’ recommendations go well beyond just capping rents at different percentages. It’s more complicated than that.

Continue reading “Rent Stabilization Not Getting An Honest Analysis in Minneapolis”
Posted on

Return of the Corner Store in Minneapolis? Planning Commission Approves First Land Use Rezoning Plan Since 1999

After a nearly four hour meeting Monday night, the Planning Commission voted to expand the possibility for small scale corner stores and offices across large parts of the city. They also passed an amendment to make grocery stores viable by easing square footage maximums. The City Council takes up the issue next.

It’s been a quarter century (1999!) since the city last redefined which land uses are allowed in which places. So testimony at yesterday’s public hearing on land use rezoning took note of the “once in a generation” opportunity. It’s the last big step in bringing the city’s zoning code into compliance with the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan, adopted in 2018.

Continue reading “Return of the Corner Store in Minneapolis? Planning Commission Approves First Land Use Rezoning Plan Since 1999”
Posted on

Minneapolis Election Forecast: Award-Winning Pile of Money Could Be Dumped on City Hall Again in 2023

prize winning bag of money posing in front of city hall

You might remember “All of Mpls” as the group that sent a glossy photo of our old police chief to your mailbox at an irritating frequency during the 2021 election. A recent email survey sent to Minneapolis residents indicates the group may be back to dump another large pile of money on this year’s city election. And with the mayor not on the ballot, they can focus all their attention on city council.

All of Mpls spent $2.3 million in 2021, with $1.2 million coming from a separate independent expenditure campaign called “Plan for Progress.” Most of the rest of the money was made up of $5,000, $10,000, and sometimes $100,000, donations from wealthy individuals. There are no limits to the money you can donate to an independent expenditure campaign. The money was used to defeat a public safety ballot question, boost Mayor Frey, flip the city council majority to a slate of preferred candidates, and push voters to approve a new strong mayor government structure.

It was a campaign that distracted us with a promise/threat: if you vote the wrong way, say goodbye to your chief. Then the election went their way, and the chief immediately retired anyway.

Continue reading “Minneapolis Election Forecast: Award-Winning Pile of Money Could Be Dumped on City Hall Again in 2023”
Posted on

Days Since Public Works Director Margaret Anderson Kelliher Promised Full-Time Bus Lanes in the “Very Near Future”

Politicians often talk about “embedding accountability mechanisms” into their legislation, but I have embedded an accountability mechanism right into my website. My hope is that TickCounter.com remains a viable website for as long as it takes to get a full-time bus lane on Hennepin Avenue.

Countup
Posted on

Endorsement: Jeremy Schroeder for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 11

Jeremy Schroeder was elected in 2017 and has spent his first term doing exactly what he shouldn’t have: taking a leadership role on difficult issues like housing and zoning reforms and moving towards fixing our city’s broken system of public safety. He’s gotten far less heat for his climate work, such as the city’s sustainable building and energy disclosure policies. He cares about the details and making government work better.

Continue reading “Endorsement: Jeremy Schroeder for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 11”
Posted on

Wedge Fest is October 2!

Join us this Saturday, October 2, 2021, from 2 to 6 pm for the first (annual?) WedgeFest! We’ll be at the south side of Mueller Park (2500 Bryant Ave S), somewhere in the grassy area.

WedgeFest is a celebration of authentic Wedge culture, hosted by Wedge LIVE, and soon to be known as our area’s largest root beer festival. This year’s WedgeFest will feature as many as dozens of varieties of root beer, from store brands to fancy brands. It’s also a chance to meet local candidates running for mayor, city council and other offices.

Cats are encouraged. Please bring root beer to share. The first 50 attendees will receive a limited edition WedgeFest button.