Tag: St. Paul City Council

St. Paul to Hold Community Meetings on Reparations

Minnesota Sun Staff
Mayor Melvin Carter

A St. Paul City Council committee will soon be holding community meetings on the establishment of a “permanent standing commission” that aims to create “generational wealth” for descendants of slaves and increase “economic mobility and opportunity” for blacks.

The council’s Legislative Advisory Committee on Reparations, established last June after the idea was approved last January, says it will produce a report on this permanent commission by Friday, June 10, and lay out its recommendations on creating wealth and boosting black economic opportunity the following Wednesday, June 15.

But first, it will hold four community meetings — two virtual, two in person. The virtual meetings will take place on Thursday, April 7, from 5 to 6 p.m. and Friday, April 29, from noon to 1 p.m.

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St. Paul Police Chief Sends Mayor a Dire Warning About Understaffed Department

Minnesota Sun Staff
Todd Axtell

St. Paul’s chief of police is pleading with city leaders for help once again.

Last Friday Chief Todd Axtell wrote a letter to Mayor Melvin Carter with a dire warning about the understaffed and overworked St. Paul Police Department.

Evidently not much has changed after a contentious Sept. 2021 meeting with the St. Paul City Council, in which Axtell sought a $3.1 million increase over what Mayor Carter initially proposed for the 2022 police budget.

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St. Paul City Council Ordinance Would Ban Restaurants From Using Non-Biodegradable Containers

Anthony Gockowski

A new proposal being considered by the St. Paul City Council would outlaw non-biodegradable takeout containers in city restaurants by 2021. According to The Pioneer Press, the proposal was conceived by council member Mitra Nelson, who lamented the fact that “restaurants are putting a lot of packaging out there that…

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St. Paul City Council Votes in Favor of Recreational Marijuana As Long-Time Member Resigns

Anthony Gockowski

The St. Paul City Council voted 6-1 Wednesday in favor of adding the legalization of marijuana to its list of legislative priorities for the upcoming session. The resolution, authored by Council Member Dai Thao and co-sponsored by Council Members Rebecca Noecker and Mitra Nelson, argues that the decriminalization of recreational…

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St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s ‘Different Take’ on City Government Reflected in ‘Bold’ 2019 Budget

Anthony Gockowski

The St. Paul City Council approved Mayor Melvin Carter’s 2019 budget this week, which includes a 10.5 percent property tax increase and $500,000 towards additional bike lanes throughout the city. The council unanimously approved the budget on Wednesday. Carter called the budget a “different take on what the city government…

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Attack on Historical Murals Spreads to St. Paul City Council

Anthony Gockowski

The St. Paul City Council is expected to commission several new murals to temporarily replace the current artwork hanging in its chambers that some believe is “very white and very male.” The Star Tribune reported Wednesday that the City Council will likely hold a vote in the coming weeks to…

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St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter Wants to Forgive $2.5 Million in Late Library Fees

Anthony Gockowski
Melvin Carter

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter plans to forgive $2.5 million in late fees owed to the city’s libraries, and hopes to nix the practice of charging late fees for overdue books altogether. Dating back to 2009, there are currently 51,000 library card-holders who have had their privileges revoked due to…

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St. Paul City Council is Getting Closer to Passing a $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance

Anthony Gockowski
St Paul City Coucil

After months of research, the St. Paul City Council is now considering a proposal to introduce a city-wide $15 minimum wage requirement. According to the City Council’s website, local officials tasked an organization known as Citizens United with launching an independent Minimum Wage Study Committee, and its findings were presented…

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