1. I spoke out against the law the City Council passed that increased penalties against panhandlers. People who are homeless need safe, permanent shelter—not a jail cell. I served as co-chair of the city-county task force to end homelessness. I will add transparency to the efforts to stop the criminalization of poverty by reporting annually the number of people with no permanent address who are arrested by the police. Without a public report on the data, we will never be able to make progress.
2. a: Yes. MFIP hasn’t been increased since 1986; for the past twenty-seven years, a family of two has received only $437 a month to live on.
b: I am not aware of contemporary efforts to bring a GAI to the State of MN and I would be interested in learning more.
c. Yes. I support universal single-payer health care.
3. The city should support legislation at the state level for mandatory mediation and for the elimination of dual-tracking by financial institutions. Unfortunately, MN law and MN case law won’t allow for eminent domain to be used on single properties, except for public infrastructure projects such as new roadways or bike paths. Properties that fall into tax forfeiture should be explored for rental options or affordable home ownership.
4. Yes. As the author of the charter amendment and a consistent opponent to public subsidies for stadiums, I would fight for the charter to be honored and for the Vikings stadium to be funded through progressive taxation and user fees like seat license fees and taxes on memorabilia, not through a general tax hike.
5. No, I will not seek or accept that endorsement. We have a long way to go in building trust between the police and the community, and I believe such an endorsement will get in the way of a dialogue about the future of policing in Minneapolis.
6. I am the only candidate for mayor who called for the city to send a bill to PNC Bank for the use of police officers in a foreclosure in May 2012 that cost the city more than $42,000. I don’t believe that city resources should be used to evict people from bank-owned properties. I think the city should be more proactive in helping homeowners who face foreclosures.
7. Yes, I have endorsed the agenda of MEO and will campaign for a yes vote. We need to explore all options in the effort to have more renewable energy sources. I led the fight against Xcel Energy when it wanted to put high-voltage power lines over homes in the Midtown Greenway. We won that fight and the fight to make Minneapolis pay for the costs to bury the line. Because of those victories, we are better positioned for franchise renegotiations.
8. I fought for mediation between the Justice Department and the MPD during my first time on the city council, and I have voted to settle lawsuits based on claims of institutional racism. If there was a federal investigation, I would cooperate.
9. I rewrote the city use of force policy with Council Member Cam Gordon when the city purchased Tasers, and as Mayor I would review all use-of-force policies on a regular basis, especially when new equipment is purchased.
10. I don’t have enough information to support it, but I’m interested in learning about other cities that require police officers to carry their own liability insurance.
11. I would never support park-owned property for private real estate development. I would support the sale of city parking lots and ramps for private development. I would also support the sale of city-owned residentially zoned land for affordable housing.
12. Yes to all four. I also want to sponsor Urban Agriculture Overlay Districts that would allow expanded rights to farm in neighborhoods that want them. I support allowing urban farmers to sell produce at their farm sites. I also support a modification of the current temporary-use permit requirement. I don’t think it is realistic to expect our urban farmers to have and pay for a temporary-use permit each time they want to use their farm stand. A more commonsense approach would be to have a seasonal temporary-use permit: a permit paid for once per season rather than fifteen times per season.
13. I support a–e. I have supported removing the requirement that only religious organizations can operate homeless shelters. I have worked to remove senior housing from the definition of supported housing in order to make it possible to build more affordable housing with services for seniors. I worked to reduce the “quarter-mile” rule, which restricted the number of affordable housing projects that could be built in one neighborhood.
14. I believe Minneapolis can be the city that creates a local sustainable economy. As mayor, I will work with labor unions, businesses, nonprofits, and educators to strengthen job training programs so city residents can get the skills they need to compete for jobs on city projects. I’ll set a goal to fill 25% of jobs on city projects with well-trained Minneapolis residents. I believe Minneapolis should help small-business entrepreneurs and end the tax giveaways to big corporations and the rich. As mayor, I would get rid of rules that don’t make sense and simplify regulations on small businesses, helping the local economy to take off. I believe an investment in our kids brings the best return. As mayor, I’d fight for the resources we need to close the achievement gap so that every child in Minneapolis has access to a quality, affordable education. I’ll work with the schools and Hennepin County to create a five-year plan to reduce youth poverty and youth violence in Minneapolis, with measurable goals and transparency. I’ll also create an Early Childhood Investment fund at the city that will support efforts to close the racial achievement gap.
15. I am proud of my accomplishments over the past twelve years on the Minneapolis City Council, like creating affordable housing, supporting small businesses, and increasing employment through city contracts. As mayor, I will ensure that in the most progressive city in America, every neighborhood makes progress.
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