Minneapolis City Council Archives

Minneapolis City Council Approves New Contract and Pay Raises for Police Officers

July 20, 2024July 19, 2024 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Minneapolis City Council voted on Thursday to approve a new contract with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM), the union which represents officers with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). In accordance with that contract, officers with the city are set to receive pay raises.

For well over a year, Minneapolis police officers have been working without a contract. As such, the new contract applies retroactively, covering a three-year period from January 2023 through December of 2025.

Minneapolis City Council Votes to Delay New Pay Standards for Uber, Lyft Drivers

April 13, 2024April 12, 2024 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Minneapolis City Council voted to delay the enforcement date for new minimum compensation standards for drivers with transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. Pending approval from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, the minimum compensation standards would go into effect on July 1.

In March, the Minneapolis City Council authorized an ordinance which mandates that a driver for Uber or Lyft must be paid $1.40 for every mile driven while transporting a rider, and $0.51 for every minute a rider is being transported, or $5.00 (whichever is greater). The per mile and per minute rates would be annually adjusted under the ordinance.

State Republicans Introduce Bill to Save Uber and Lyft After Minneapolis Vote

March 20, 2024March 19, 2024 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minnesota Republicans have introduced a bill that would prohibit local governments from regulating rideshare companies after Uber and Lyft said they plan to leave portions of the metro area May 1.

That’s the day a new ordinance passed by the Minneapolis City Council setting minimum compensation standards for rideshare drivers is set to take effect.

Minneapolis City Council Rejects Plan for Officer Retention, Sign-On Bonuses

November 23, 2023November 22, 2023 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Minneapolis City Council has rejected a bid submitted by the mayor and police chief to offer retention and recruitment sign-on bonuses for city police officers and new hires.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara came forward last week with a plan to spend $15 million in an effort to retain officers currently on the force and to offer incentive bonuses for new hires.

‘Squad’ Member Ilhan Omar Draws a Competitive Primary Challenger

November 13, 2023 Admin

Former Democratic Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels announced Sunday that he will attempt to unseat Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to The Associated Press.

‘Squad’ Member Ilhan Omar Draws a Competitive Primary Challenger

November 13, 2023 Admin

Former Democratic Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels announced Sunday that he will attempt to unseat Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to The Associated Press.

Twin Cities Socialists Win Six of Seven Elections

November 12, 2023November 11, 2023 Minnesota Sun Staff

Socialist-backed candidates had a successful election night Tuesday, with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) winning six of the seven elections where they made endorsements.

Minneapolis elected a fourth Democratic Socialist member to the City Council, bringing the total number of socialist council members to four.

‘MAGA Republicans’: Minneapolis Candidates Decline to Seek Star Tribune Endorsement

November 1, 2023October 31, 2023 Minnesota Sun Staff

Multiple Minneapolis City Council candidates declined to seek the endorsement of the Star Tribune Editorial Board this election, accusing the board of siding with “MAGA Republicans.”

“The Star Tribune should consider whether it’s worth keeping the editorial board, whose work undermines the credibility of the paper,” incumbent Ward 9 Council Member Jason Chavez wrote in a statement about why he did not seek the endorsement.

Minneapolis City Council Passes Rule, Uber ‘Determining’ Future in City

August 20, 2023August 19, 2023 The Center Square

The Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance starting Jan. 1, 2024, that ride-share companies say will force them out of the city because of increased costs and regulations.

The vote passed 7-5-1 to enact a minimum compensation of $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute while transporting a rider, subject to annual adjustment.

DFL Party Bans Minneapolis City Council Candidate After Endorsing Convention Melee

June 2, 2023June 1, 2023 Minnesota Sun Staff

The DFL has officially banned a Minneapolis City Council candidate from seeking future endorsement from the political party, two weeks after his supporters were allegedly involved in starting a melee that broke out at a local endorsing convention.

On Tuesday evening, longtime DFL Party Chair Ken Martin released a statement announcing the organization had utilized a pair of newly-approved bylaws that allowed its state central committee to ban Nasri Warsame, a Minneapolis resident, from “seeking the DFL Party endorsement for any office.”

Minneapolis Star Tribune CEO Apologizes for ‘Pain’ Caused by Cartoon Poking Fun at Muslim Call to Prayer

May 1, 2023April 30, 2023 Admin

Star Tribune CEO and publisher Steve Grove has apologized for the “pain” caused by a cartoon that made some readers feel “targeted and mischaracterized.”

Mike Thompson’s debut cartoon for the paper featured a man telling his wife: “Broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer at all hours will make Minneapolis too noisy.”

Minneapolis First Big City to Broadcast Muslim Call to Prayer Five Times Daily Year-Round

April 17, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Minneapolis has become the first major city in the United States to allow the Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast over speakers five times per day, year-round, including in the early mornings and late evenings. The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Thursday – during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – to approve an amendment to the city’s noise ordinance that would allow the “adhan” – “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great,” call to prayer to be sounded every day, year-round, five times daily.

Minneapolis Bans Pro-Life Activists from Sections of Public Sidewalks

November 19, 2022November 18, 2022 Admin

The Minneapolis City Council adopted an ordinance Thursday that will prohibit pro-life sidewalk counselors from being on sections of public sidewalks.

“We believe this proposal is unconstitutional and want to express our opposition as we prepare to challenge it should it go into effect,” said an email from Thomas Wilkin, Pro-Life Action Ministries’ sidewalk counseling manager.

Bloomington Middle School Students Allowed to Leave Class for Ramadan ‘Reflection’: Report

April 13, 2022April 12, 2022 Admin

Middle school students in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis, have reportedly been given the opportunity to step out of class for “reflection” time during Ramadan.

An online form asks parents of students at Valley View Middle School if their child has permission to leave class for 15 minutes throughout the month of April. The story was first reported by the Center of the American Experiment.

Minneapolis Council Member Wants to Consider a City ‘Without Police’

March 27, 2022March 26, 2022 Admin

A member of the Minneapolis City Council is seeking to imagine what a city “without police could look like.”

Robin Wonsley Worlobah, a Democratic Socialist with a PhD in “Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies” from the University of Minnesota, tweeted on Tuesday that she intended to introduce a motion to “create proposals” on a hypothetical Minneapolis Department of Public Safety with no police officers.

Minneapolis City Report Describes Leadership Failures During George Floyd Riots

March 10, 2022March 9, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

George Floyd protest in Minneapolis with "I can't breathe" cardboard sign

The Minneapolis City Council received an 86-page report Tuesday from independent auditors that offers the most in-depth look yet at the city’s failure to respond effectively to the George Floyd riots.

The highly-anticipated report, conducted by an outside firm called Hillard Heintze at the city’s request, devotes an entire section to “Leadership Issues.”

The report’s authors state that “minimal direction” came from Mayor Jacob Frey’s office and other city departments.

Newly Elected Minneapolis Council Member Makes Statement After Defending Homeless Encampment from Eviction

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Hayley Feland

A newly elected Minneapolis council member made a statement on Saturday after she defended a homeless encampment from eviction two weeks ago. Robin Wonsley-Worlobah, a Democratic Socialist, said that all pending evictions from Minneapolis homeless encampments need to be stopped. Wonsley-Worlobah was elected to the Minneapolis City Council in November.

Incoming Minneapolis Council Member Says He’ll Pursue Voting Rights for Non-Citizens

December 25, 2021December 24, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Jason Chavez will assume his seat as a member of the Minneapolis City Council in less than two weeks. He said he’ll use his power to pursue voting rights for non-citizens.

Even though the Minnesota Constitution is clear that all voters in state and local elections must have “been a citizen of the United States for three months,” Chavez told Axios that he’s already in the process of exploring a way to allow non-citizens to vote. Minneapolis alone is home to about 30,000 non-citizens, Axios reports.

Minneapolis City Council Candidate Yusra Arab Requests Recount

November 15, 2021November 14, 2021 Hayley Feland

A Minneapolis City Council candidate is requesting a recount after narrowly losing to a candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Democrat Yusra Arab, announced her intentions on Twitter saying, “The outcome is one of the closest margins Minneapolis has ever experienced in a city council race using rank choice voting.”

Minneapolis DFL Chair Says Minneapolis City Council Should ‘Refuse’ to Accept Election Results

November 12, 2021November 11, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis DFL Chair Devin Hogan suggested that the City Council should “refuse” to accept the results of an election that weakens the council’s authority.

“Refuse to cede power!” Hogan urged in a Twitter conversation that involved outgoing Council Member Phillipe Cunningham. The DFL leader aired this anti-democratic position days after voters chose to reduce the City Council’s power in a free and fair election.

Three Socialists Elected to Minneapolis City Council

November 11, 2021November 10, 2021 Hayley Feland

Three socialists were elected to the Minneapolis City Council during the November general election. Jason Chavez, a 26 year old, was endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). “People are tired of doing the same thing over and over again,” Chavez said. “This new wave in Minneapolis that just hit with the three of us is something that is going to return power back to regular people.”

Minneapolis City Council President Filed Ethics Complaint over Arradondo’s News Conference

October 31, 2021October 30, 2021 The Center Square

Minneapolis Police Chief Arradondo giving remarks at a press conference

Outgoing Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender has filed an ethics complaint over a press conference Police Chief Medaria Arradondo held on Wednesday.

Arradondo warned residents of the consequences of approving a ballot Question 2, which, if passed, would replace the police department. The warning was made while he was standing in front of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) logo.

Bender’s complaint says the press conference violates ethics code section 15.110, which states: “A local official, employee or candidate for elective office shall not use city facilities, property, funds, personnel, the city logo, the city seal or other city resources to engage in political activity.”

Minneapolis Is ‘a City Run by Gangs,’ Downtown Restaurant Owner Says

August 30, 2021August 29, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Caption of photo says: Around 2:15 p.m., police were dispatched to a report of a person "down" near Lowry and Penn Ave N. Other reports indicated it was a "domestic." As police were arriving, witnesses told police that a male had gotten the female up and dragged her into a residence at 31xx Oliver Ave N. Police arrived and had to force entry to the residence and EMS was cleared in for the victim. If/when we can get info about any arrested party we'll update

Minneapolis is “run by gangs,” an owner of a Minneapolis restaurant and bar remarked in a recent interview, saying he has stopped trying to contact the city about it.

“I don’t talk to the city. I don’t talk to the politicians. I’ve given up. There’s no point,” Ken Sherman, owner of Seven Steakhouse, told WCCO last week.

Seven is a rooftop restaurant, bar, and nightclub located on Seventh and Hennepin in downtown Minneapolis. Sherman, who has owned the business since 2017, now operates his own security team nightly, according to a story in the August/September 2021 issue of Twin Cities Business.

Minneapolis City Council Frustrated over Slow Review of 2020 Unrest Response

July 24, 2021July 23, 2021 Hayley Feland

The Minneapolis City Council is frustrated over the slow review of the city’s response to the unrest in 2020. Minneapolis was plagued by riots as well as peaceful protests after the death of Goerge Floyd on May 25, 2020. Due to the massive amounts of damage and the repercussions of the violence, the city contracted a third party consulting group to assess the city’s response to the situation. As reported on FOX 9, “A final report and its recommendations aren’t due until January of next year but some city council members say that’s too long to wait.”

Minneapolis Contracts Year-Old Mental Health Group to Replace Police

July 6, 2021July 5, 2021 Hayley Feland

The city of Minneapolis has agreed to a contract with a mental health group that has only existed for one year, according to screenshots obtained from city websites. This group, Canopy Mental Health & Consulting, will be assisting with the city’s plan to replace and restructure the police. They are contracted to pay the group $6 million to provide 24/7 mental health services in “crisis response teams” for the next two years. According to WCCO, there is an option to extend the services for a third year if the cost does not exceed $3 million.

Minneapolis Council President: Critical Race Theory Should Be ‘Baked into Our Systems’

June 8, 2021June 7, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Bender

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said at a recent meeting that employees of color in Minneapolis have “been carrying the burden of white supremacy.”

In a May 28 meeting, Bender referred to an open letter which all city employees are invited to sign — anyone who signs the letter is acknowledging racism as a public health crisis, accepting responsibility for the “pain” they have caused as “stewards of the City of Minneapolis’s policies,” and recognizing that Minneapolis has been and continues to be harmful to the BIPOC community.

The letter was filed into the official city record and will be published on June 11 with the signatures of all who choose to sign, making it easy to know which employees decide not to sign the letter.

Gunfire Mars Festival at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis on Anniversary of His Death

May 26, 2021May 25, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

An apparent drive-by shooting at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis was caught live by news cameras Tuesday morning, as Black Lives Matter supporters gathered to observe the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death in police hands.

Politicians Who Want to Defund the Police Hire Bodyguards to Visit Minneapolis

April 25, 2021April 24, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Politicians who want to defund the police won’t step foot in Minneapolis without their own personal security details.

U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Maxine Waters are both progressives who vocally support measures to defund the police. However, both of them used private security or an actual police escort when visiting Minnesota, the center of the defund movement.

Omar spent $3,103 on security in her home state in the first financial quarter of 2021, which spans from the beginning of the year through March, per Federal Election Commission records. One of the companies she hired, Aegis Logistics, provides armed and unarmed bodyguards. The other, Lloyd Security Services, provides video surveillance and intrusion detection — a vital service in a city that has experienced about 6,000 cases of theft so far this year after huge cuts to the the law enforcement budget.

As Chauvin Trial Nears End, Minneapolis Passes Resolution Opposing Use of Non-Lethal Weapons

April 17, 2021April 16, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

In a near-unanimous vote, the Minneapolis City Council passed a last-minute resolution Friday to condemn the use of non-lethal weapons such as tear gas and rubber bullets.

This comes as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial in the death of George Floyd nears a verdict.

Minneapolis to Pay Record $27 Million in George Floyd’s Wrongful Death Settlement

March 14, 2021March 13, 2021 The Center Square

The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to settle George Floyd’s wrongful death lawsuit for a record $27 million.

The settlement was announced on Friday.

In a viral May 2020 video, former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, causing police brutality protests worldwide. Floyd died later that night. By the end of the week, the three officers involved were fired.

Minneapolis to Pay ‘Influencers’ for City-Approved Social Media Propaganda During Chauvin Trial

March 2, 2021March 1, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

The Minneapolis City Council Friday approved a plan to pay social media “influencers” cash to spread city-approved messages during the trial of former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer Derek Chauvin.

“The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve a $1 million communications and de-escalation plan that involves partnering with community leaders, local media and social media influencers during Chauvin’s trial set to begin in March, as well the August trial of three other former officers charged in [George] Floyd’s death,” Fox News reported.

Minneapolis to Spend Millions Bolstering Depleted Police Force

February 16, 2021February 15, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

The city of Minneapolis will spend nearly more than six million dollars recruiting new police officers, after beginning 2021 with 200 fewer officers than one year prior.

“Minneapolis will hire dozens more police officers after the City Council on Friday agreed to release $6.4 million to bring on additional recruits,” The Star-Tribune reported.

Minneapolis City Council Votes to Ban Facial Recognition for Police Use

February 14, 2021February 13, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to ban facial recognition technology for police use.

The determination prohibits every city department from acquiring, obtaining, or using facial recognition technology or information derived from the technology.

Councilmember Cancels Meetings with Community Amid Attempt to Gut MPD

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis City Councilmember Phillipe Cunningham once claimed that “community engagement” is key to defunding the police. Now, Cunningham has canceled his “Community Office Hours” after facing backlash due to the council’s efforts to defund law enforcement.

Cunningham has served on the council since 2017, when he became the second female-to-male transgender person elected to public office in the U.S. Cunningham also took a key role in the push to amend the City Charter to defund the police in June, and presently heads up the continued action towards this goal.

Minneapolis Leaders Propose New Department to ‘Supervise’ Police Officers

February 2, 2021February 1, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis City Council members officially introduced a draft amendment to the city charter that would create a new Department of Public Safety and eliminate the Minneapolis police force as its own department.

After giving a notice of intent to change the charter’s current mandate — which requires funds for the MPD as a sole entity — to fund more general “public safety services,” City Council Members Phillipe Cunningham, Steve Fletcher, and Jeremy Schroeder introduced the draft of the amendment Friday. Their objective is to put the amendment up for a public vote during the next municipal election.

Minneapolis City Council Member Wants Facial Recognition Banned, Says It ‘Exacerbates Bias’

January 29, 2021January 28, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis City Council member Steve Fletcher wrote an amendment to the city’s code of ordinances that would ban facial recognition technology in the police department and all city departments.

The basis for the ban is that facial recognition technology “has been shown to be less accurate in identifying people of color and women,” according to the amendment.

Minneapolis City Council Votes to Divert $6 Million from Police to Public Safety Programs

December 10, 2020December 9, 2020 The Center Square

The Minneapolis City Council has voted to divert millions of dollars from the 2021 police budget.

The vote was taken as carjackings are up 537% year-to-date, according to the Star Tribune.

Minneapolis and Hennepin County Absentee Ballot Boards Ignore Party Balance Law

October 11, 2020October 11, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

It was not enough to allow the city to burn. Then it wasn’t enough to emasculate city law enforcement. Now the Minneapolis City Council is corrupting the absentee ballot count by stacking ballot boards with handpicked staff rather than following state law that requires regular ballot boards to include people from the major political parties. Hennepin County, the most populous in the state, is doing it, too.

Minneapolis Citizens Desensitized to Crime: Uber Driver Footage Inside Look at Metro’s Reality

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Two Minneapolis citizens appear desensitized to their city’s worsening crime in a viral video of a downtown shootout early Sunday morning. The Uber driver’s dash cam recorded the incident.
The interaction between the female passenger and Uber driver is calm despite the violence occurring in front of them.

Minneapolis Business Owners Left to Foot Demolition Bills After Riots

September 3, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Minneapolis business owners are left to foot demolition bills after the latest round of riots terrorized the city.

For most business owners, insurance only covers 8 to 25 percent of quoted demolition costs, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Minneapolis Business Owners Left to Foot Demolition Bills After Riots

September 3, 2020September 2, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Minneapolis business owners are left to foot demolition bills after the latest round of riots terrorized the city.

For most business owners, insurance only covers 8 to 25 percent of quoted demolition costs, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Minneapolis City Council Reinvests in Police Department: $1.2 Million for New Precinct

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Minneapolis City Council has approved the reinvestment of $1.2 million into a new department for Third Precinct police. The investment will be pledged annually for the next three years.
The decision took place in the council’s Policy & Government Oversight Committee meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Minneapolis Residents Sue the City and Mayor Jacob Frey Over Defunding Police

August 20, 2020August 19, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Eight Minneapolis residents filed a lawsuit Monday against the City of Minneapolis and Mayor Jacob Frey for the negative repercussions of defunding the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The plaintiffs allege that city officials’ words and actions concerning law enforcement caused a severe uptick in Metro’s crime rates.

The plaintiffs are represented by the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMWLC), who issued a press release the day after the suit was filed.

Proposal to Disband the Minneapolis Police Blocked

August 7, 2020August 6, 2020 Ben Kolodny

The Minneapolis Charter Council on Wednesday blocked the controversial ballot proposal to disband the police.

In a 10-5 vote, the city’s Charter Council opted to take an extra 90 days to review the proposal. This means that voters will not have the opportunity to vote on the proposal in November. In an online meeting, the Charter Commission members complained that the new measure was vague, might run afoul of state law, and put the council in charge of the proposed department, according to Forbes.

Commentary: The Quality of Life for Citizens in the Democratic-Run City of Minneapolis Is Diminishing

August 5, 2020August 4, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

If you want a look at the dystopian Hell that Democrats will create in your city or town should they win the 2020 election look no further than what has happened in Minneapolis since the city council and Mayor gave the city over to the Far Left BLM revolutionaries.

After the city leaders allowed days of violent insurrection, that burned over three miles of city storefronts, the Minneapolis City Council voted 12-0 to abolish the city police department.

Police Tell Minnesota Citizens to ‘Be Prepared’ as Two Prisons Close

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 Ben Kolodny

Citing financial woes The Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) will be closing two prisons.

Prisoners from the Togo and Willow River prisons will be transferred to other facilities and 100 employees will be laid off as a result of the move. These cuts come only a few weeks after 48 Department of Corrections Employees were let go in response to budget concerns resulting from the coronavirus.

Minneapolis City Planning Commission Votes to Add Commemorative Sign for George Floyd

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Minneapolis City Planning Commission voted unanimously Monday evening to add a commemorative sign reading “George Perry Floyd Jr. Place”, dedicating two blocks of Chicago Avenue to memorialize the May 25th killing. If fully approved by the city council, the sign will be placed between 37th Street East and 39th Street East. Along with the recent grant to preserve current George Floyd memorials throughout metro, many other memorial measures are occurring throughout the nation.
Guest speaker Matt Hanan with Minneapolis Public Works Transportation Engineering and Design introduced the proposal, along with its original applicant: Public Works’ Director Robin Hutcheson. Despite some news coverage that the two blocks along Chicago Avenue would be renamed “George Perry Floyd Jr. Place”, the application only proposes to add a secondary, distinctive sign for Floyd alongside the current street signage.

Minneapolis City Council Votes to Cut the Police Department’s Communications Division

July 25, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Minneapolis City Council voted to cut the Minneapolis Police Department’s communications division during its Budget Committee discussion Wednesday. The ultimate goal is to have the city’s communications department handle all emergency calls.

Minneapolis Council Members Who Want to Abolish Police Have Received $63,000 in Private Security

June 28, 2020June 27, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Minneapolis has spent $63,000 on private security for three council members who want to abolish the city’s police department.

Council Member Phillipe Cunningham confirmed the report in a statement released on Twitter Friday night.

Council Unanimously Approves Plan to Dismantle Minneapolis Police

June 27, 2020June 26, 2020 The Associated Press

The Minneapolis City Council on Friday unanimously approved a proposal to change the city charter to allow the police department to be dismantled, following widespread criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd.