Every seat on the Minneapolis City Council is up for grabs as candidates and voters prepare for the Nov. 7 election. 

While council members generally serve four-year terms, this election will take place just two years after the last one due to new districts being drawn in 2021. Although the power of the council was weakened under the new strong-mayor system, which shifted the council to being a legislative entity and gave more power to the mayor, the council still has a large impact on the city budget, initiatives and ordinances.

Ward 1 incumbent council member Elliot Payne said winners of the city council elections will tackle how much power council members have under the new strong-mayor system.

“We really need to build out a robust legislative function now that we have the new government structure,” Payne said. “I think that’s been lacking since the new government structure.”

The last day for candidates to file for a run at city council was Aug. 15, so no new candidates will enter the race. Residents can vote in person or by mail as soon as Sept. 22 for early voting.

Kathryn Pearson, a professor specializing in American politics at the University of Minnesota, said candidates will need to convince constituents to both support them and come out to vote on election day.

“Voters will not come to the polls to vote for a big-ticket race like the president or the governor,” Pearson said. “It will really be up to the candidates to persuade voters to not only support them but to actually turn out.”

Many of the candidates running said their top issues for this election are police accountability, rent control and affordable housing.

Pearson said voters will use this election to decide whether they are happy with their representative or if they want someone new. Incumbents are running for reelection in all wards except Wards 7 and 12.

“[The elections] will really come down to, do voters want to return the incumbent or do voters want different policy positions and agendas coming from their city council member,” Pearson said. 

Ward 1: Elliot Payne v. Edwin Fruit

Payne has represented parts of Como and North Minneapolis since his election in 2021. Previously, Payne had worked as a business analyst after graduating with a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 2010.

Running under the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), Edwin Fruit would be the only council member from the party if elected.

Before this election, Fruit had written for The Militant, a socialist weekly newspaper associated with the SWP, since 2018.

Ward 2: Robin Wonsley

Ward 2 takes up all of the University’s Minneapolis campus and portions of Como, Prospect Park, Cedar-Riverside, Seward, Longfellow and Cooper neighborhoods.

Robin Wonsley has represented the University of Minnesota since 2021 when she won by 13 votes as a democratic socialist.

Wonsley will run unopposed this November.

Ward 3: Michael Rainville v. Marcus Mills

Covering areas like Marcy-Holmes, Sheridan and St. Anthony West, Michael Rainville aims to win his second term in Ward 3.

Prior to being elected, Rainville worked in the hospitality industry. Rainville was also involved in the St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization and helped fund the “Cops on Bikes” program in 1989.

Marcus Mills was involved with the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis’s Clean Energy Vision Advisory Committee and other Minneapolis-based community groups.

Ward 6: Jamal Osman v. Tiger Worku v. Kayseh Magan v. Guy Gaskin

Cedar-Riverside, Seward and other districts are all represented by Ward 6. Jamal Osman won his last two elections and is running for a third term. 

The DFL endorsement convention for Ward 6 was controversial, as Kayseh Magan became suspicious when 178 of the 180 delegates who listed emails through the email service Proton supported Tiger Worku. Magan said he contacted many of these delegates who said they had never used Proton.

Worku said in a delegate selection meeting on March 22 Proton is an email service that is “accessible to those who otherwise wouldn’t use [email]” and said he could provide statements proving his delegates were legitimate.

Ultimately, no candidate ended up winning the DFL nomination.

Osman faces a stiff reelection campaign as he faces controversies like resurfacing homophobic and anti-Semitic Facebook posts of his from 2011 to 2013 and accusations of fraud against the nonprofit founded by his wife, according to reporting from the Minnesota Reformer.

Magan worked as an investigator for the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and was a commissioner on the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights in 2019. Magan said tenant rights, public safety, police accountability and affordable housing are his top priorities.

Worku is the only candidate to live his whole life in Ward 6. Worku previously was the President of the Seward Neighborhood Group.

“I'd like for us to have an independent voice at city hall,” Worku said. “I'd like someone to center the voices of everybody in our ward rather than rubber stamping whatever people force on them.”

Guy Gaskin is one of only four candidates running as a Republican for city council. Angela Williams of Ward 4, Bob Sullentrop of Ward 8 and Bob “Again” Carney Jr. of Ward 13 are the other Republicans.

Ward 8: Andrea Jenkins v. Soren Stevenson v. Terry White v. Bob Sullentrop

Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins faces a difficult reelection campaign, similar to Osman. Despite being the incumbent, Jenkins lost the DFL nomination to Soren Stevenson.

Jenkins’ challengers include:

• Stevenson, who lost his eye when an officer shot him with a rubber bullet while protesting during the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s murder 
• Terry White, who worked in the health insurance industry for more than 15 years 
• Sullentrop, who was a civil engineer and is running on a pro-police platform

Correction: The original version of the article misstated which office Magan worked for. They worked for the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.

University of Minnesota students will soon have more options for renting as multiple new apartment buildings are set to open.

Located along 14th Avenue, Identity Dinkytown, The Standard at Dinkytown and Fieldhouse Dinkytown will be available to students in the next few years. 

For Prospect Park, The Station and The Flats are available for leasing this fall.

Three new Dinkytown apartments in three years

Moving in right next to Blarney Pub & Grill, Identity Dinkytown (405 15th Ave. SE) will welcome its first residents this fall.

A pool, fitness center, study lounges and gaming space with a golf simulator will be available for tenants. There will be a market space for  Subway, Five Guys and McDonalds on the first floor of the seven-floor building.

Expecting to open in fall 2025, The Standard at Dinkytown (528 14th Ave. SE) will have a fitness center, pool, computer lounge and cafe.

Director of Development for Landmark Properties Chase Powell said The Standard is a good choice for students because of its mix of amenities and location.

“The Standard’s location and significant amenity offerings make it a premier choice for students attending the University of Minnesota,” Powell said in a statement sent to the Minnesota Daily.

The Fieldhouse Dinkytown (805 15th Ave. SE) will be 12 stories with 272 units, a pool, yoga studio, gym, courtyard and an outdoor patio view of Huntington Bank Stadium.

Sales and marketing intern for Fieldhouse Dinkytown Arthur Dunn said a more modern development like Fieldhouse provides students with better experiences than older developments.

“Being able to be in college and live in a new development, you won’t run into the issues you would in an older establishment,” Dunn said. “It provides students with a much nicer experience.”

The Station and The Flats head to Prospect Park

Designed by the Wall Companies, The Station and The Flats apartments will open in 2023 at Malcolm Yards in Prospect Park.

Located right next to each other, The Station’s construction began in January 2022 and The Flats followed three months later.

The Flats (505 Malcolm Ave. SE) is a six-story, 143-unit income-restricted apartment building, so a student can only rent from there if they make less than $41,100 in 2022.

For students who don’t qualify for The Flats, The Station is available to them. A seven-story, 210-unit apartment building, The Station (616 Washington Ave. SE) has a yoga center, game and media rooms, fitness center and a sky deck facing downtown.

Project Manager for Wall Companies, Jeff Ellerd, said both apartments are ideal for those wanting to avoid Dinkytown while still living near the university.

“We’ve got the Market at Malcolm Yards, the light rail stop a block away and the bike connection is there to St. Paul,” Ellerd said. “We feel it’s well located for those who don’t want to be right in the heart of Dinkytown.”

The Minneapolis City Council voted on July 20 to eliminate the former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Third Precinct location that was burned and abandoned in the days after George Floyd’s murder for consideration for a new police station.

Following negative feedback toward the old location from residents, the council voted 12-1 to look elsewhere for a new station, with Council Vice President Linea Palmisano (Ward 13) as the lone opposition.

The old location, located on the corner of Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue, was the former workplace of officer Derek Chauvin, whose killing of George Floyd sparked the protests in May 2020. The Third Precinct was set on fire and heavily damaged during the civil unrest following Floyd’s murder. 

For many residents, the old location is a traumatic reminder of MPD’s history of police brutality.

Black Lives Matter Minnesota Founder Trahern Crews said a systemic culture change of MPD is what will restore trust between the community and MPD.

“The Minneapolis Police Department as a whole has discriminated and practiced racism against Black residents, and I think that within itself is traumatizing,” Crews said.

The city initially sent a survey to residents covered by the Third Precinct where they could choose to rebuild in the old location or a more expensive location four blocks north of the old one. Respondents also had the choice to add a comment on the bottom of the form with any comments or concerns.

Out of 3,620 people who began the online survey, around 23% chose the new, more expensive option and around 44% chose to rebuild in the old location.

Although the survey only had two options, 10% of respondents chose the random option and in the comment section said they did not want either option or to not rebuild the station at all. The remaining respondents either did not complete the survey or did not live within the Third Precinct’s borders.

Vice President of Communities United Against Police Brutality Dave Bicking said reforming MPD is needed before they try to rebuild the station.

“We have got to fix the police department first before we fix the buildings,” Bicking said. “The buildings are not the problem.”

Council member Jason Chavez (Ward 9), who introduced the motion, thanked residents for their input in a statement and said the decision to only have two options with limited community engagement was “shortsighted.”

Bicking said this fight shows the city’s unwillingness to change and the community’s desire for it.

“All the signs are the city is going to resist everything to maintain the status quo,” Bicking said. “As long as that’s the case, people are going to push back.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in a July 17 press conference said Century Plaza will house the Third Precinct. Century Plaza is located in the First Precinct building a few blocks away from the Third Precinct.

While Century Plaza is the current home of the First Precinct police station, this new plan would add extra floors to the building for the use of the Third Precinct officers pending council approval. 

Since the old precinct building was abandoned, Third Precinct officers have been stationed out of a downtown location.

While no plan for the site of the burned station has been made, the council vowed not to use the location for any police-related purposes as a part of their vote on July 20.

Crews suggested the site be turned into a memorial for victims of police brutality or used for housing.

Chavez said the city needs to move away from the site of the burned station so the community can heal and move forward.

“It’s time to close this chapter so our community can begin to heal and so they can decide what non-police functions of Lake and Minnehaha will look like,” Chavez said in the statement.

The University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD) and Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) teamed up in response to safety concerns in Dinkytown for the Dinkytown Safe Streets Initiative to reduce crime through the summer and into the fall semester.

The initiative began June 9 with increased MPD and UMPD officers being paid overtime for more patrols and presence in the Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes neighborhoods. 

While UMPD officers typically only patrol the University’s campus, this initiative has them venturing into the nearby neighborhoods. The Minneapolis Park Police, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota State Patrol are also collaborating with MPD and UMPD for the initiative.

There is no official end date for the initiative, but it will continue through the summer and into the fall, according to University Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Myron Frans. Owner of Dinkytown Raising Cane’s and President of the Dinkytown Business Alliance Kent Kramp said increased police presence will help deter crime in Dinkytown.

“More police presence and more focus on security is what Dinkytown needs and we continue to need it more and more,” Kramp said.

Kramp said he feels crime in Dinkytown is down since the initiative began, outside of the Fourth of July weekend.

While some are praising the increased police presence, others remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the initiative. The initiative has officers working after 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for parking and traffic enforcement.

University student Jack Vogel said without systemic changes in Minneapolis, crime will continue, even with more officers.

“The police presence has only further cluttered the packed, narrow streets in Dinkytown,” Vogel said. “The only way to fundamentally stop crime is to fix what drives people to commit crime.”

Affordable housing, accessible education and jobs would be more effective in crime prevention than officers, Vogel said.

Assaults, property crime and thefts are down by more than 50% over the last month in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, according to MPD public information officer Garrett Parten.

University interim president Jeffrey Ettinger said in the July 12 Board of Regents meeting he is prioritizing safety by continuing UMPD overtime pay for monitoring Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes, hiring more officers and increasing on-campus security.

Kramp said he hopes increased police presence is not just for the summer and will be carried into the fall semester.

“As soon as the police presence goes down, then we’ll have issues again,” Kramp said. “I just ask that they continue to put resources here to keep it a safe neighborhood.”

Parten said as the school year begins, students can expect MPD to remain actively involved in Dinkytown.

“With the anticipation of increased activity in the Dinkytown area associated with school coming back into session, move-in week, and fall college sporting events, MPD will work with all partners to evaluate and adjust plans for public safety needs,” Parten said.

The Community Commission on Police Oversight (CCPO) is Minneapolis’ latest workgroup intended to give the public a say in policing, yet many activists feel the commission does not have the power it needs.

CCPO will investigate police misconduct complaints, recommend disciplinary action, propose police training and suggest changes to police procedures.

With the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) agreeing to change its procedures and culture following investigations from the state and federal government, both activists and board members agreed the time for greater oversight of the MPD is now.

This commission is a 15-member board, with one member from each of the city’s 13 wards and two appointed by the mayor. The board held an internal election on July 10 which resulted in Mary Dedeaux-Swinton and Latonya Reeves being elected as chair and co-chair for the board.

Dedeaux-Swinton said this commission is a chance for Minneapolis residents to become more involved in the future of policing in the city.

“It’s no secret that there is a lack of trust between some of the community and law enforcement,” Dedeaux-Swinton said. “This is an opportunity to let citizens know that not just the sworn officers are involved in oversight.”

CCPO will be able to investigate complaints of excessive use of force at the hands of police. 

Investigations will be done by a five-member panel on a rotating basis. Three of the five members will be from the commission, while the other two spots will be taken by MPD officers appointed by the police chief.

After the panel makes its decision, the police chief will have 30 days to request further investigation into the incident, follow through with the panel’s decision or decline to pursue any disciplinary action. The decision to include officers has drawn criticism from activist groups.

Jae Yates, a member of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, said police should not have any say in the community oversight of MPD.

“I don’t think that police officers have any business being involved in a board that is trying to address their own corruption and misconduct,” Yates said. “It’s a conflict of interest.”

President of Communities United Against Police Brutality Michelle Gross said with police on the panel, the purpose of the commission is disregarded.

“There’s no point of doing this work because the police are going to just keep their work and redo it anyway,” Gross said. “It’s just an extra step and waste of time and money and resources.”

The city tried civilian oversight of MPD through a commission previously with CCPO’s predecessor, the Police Conduct Oversight Commission (PCOC). PCOC was established in 2012 and, like CCPO, was meant to give the public a larger role in policing. 

After facing inaction and resistance from the city council and city staff, most of the board members resigned. There are currently three members out of the nine positions that are on PCOC.

Because the council and mayor did not replace them, the board does not have enough members required to hold meetings. The remaining members’ terms will end in December 2023 which will mark the unofficial end of PCOC.

PCOC only had one government email address for the public to contact them. However, city staff controlled that email and had discretion on whether to forward emails to the members. By  PCOC’s end, the city staff had never forwarded an email to the board, according to Gross.

City staff would not help members of PCOC find publicly available data for their research, according to Gross. She added that it is unclear whether city staff will be more cooperative this time around.

While CCPO and PCOC do differ, many activists said they feel the problems with PCOC will still affect CCPO.

Community input

CCPO will host their first policy meeting where residents can make public comments on Aug. 7.

Reeves said she wants to hear from Minneapolis residents through emails and public comments in their meetings for the commission to be as good as it can be.

“To ensure that public safety is equitable and fair, we have to have community input because they’re the people who have to deal with policing in the community,” Reeves said.

Dedeaux-Swinton acknowledged the commission is not perfect, but said there are still reasons to like it.

“[Board members] all come with different backgrounds, different perspectives, but I think that that is part of the beauty,” Dedeaux-Swinton said. “If you listen to the Commission meetings, you’ll see that we do not all agree on everything, but my hope is that we will come to a consensus and do whatever is best for the city.”

New commission, same problems

Founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota Trahern Crews said although CCPO is an improvement, it still needs more reforms to be a success.

“I don’t think that it’s just a total wash, but I think that they really need to go back to the drawing board and make it a real civilian oversight committee that doesn’t include police officers,” Crews said.

Gross said without significant changes, CCPO will be a failure.

“As long as police remain on the panels, as long as the staff fails to cooperate, and as long as they put up barriers to the community, then I don’t see any change,” Gross said. “I see little to nothing that’s going to come out of it.”

Many activists said they feel MPD will continue to dodge accountability as they did with PCOC. Previously, MPD would use “coaching” –– a practice where an officer’s bad behavior is verbally addressed –– to avoid public criticism, according to Gross.

While complaints resulting in discipline are made public, coaching is not considered discipline and therefore is not made public. According to Yates, the public still does not have enough control over the commission that it should.

“We need something substantive that gives the community some actual control over how police are conducting themselves,” Yates said. “That can’t be accomplished by a toothless review board.”

Crews said the commission needs to be stronger to reform the MPD.

“This oversight committee should be in a position to make sure that the MPD doesn’t continue to harm black Americans, and right now that’s not the case,” Crews said.

Like PCOC, CCPO is limited by a Minnesota state law that prevents civilian police review boards from imposing discipline on an officer.

Dedeaux-Swinton said that, while the commission is not as strong as some may want, they will work to make it as successful as possible.

“We will do the best we can within the boundaries that have been set for us,” Dedeaux-Swinton said.

The Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution labeling drag performances and culture as a form of free speech on June 28.

In a 10-0 vote, the Council voted in favor of the resolution in response to anti-drag legislation passed in states like Tennessee, according to Council President Andrea Jenkins. Council members Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman and Aisha Chughtai were absent while observing Eid al-Adha.

The resolution went into effect a day after the council’s vote following Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s signature. Unlike an ordinance, a resolution is not legally binding. Instead, it is a formal way for the Council to express its opinions or will.

Before being struck down as unconstitutional in June, Tennessee passed the first anti-drag law in March banning drag on public property as well as any place where minors may be present. Montana followed shortly with a law preventing anyone dressed in drag from reading to minors.

Although efforts to restrict drag shows have failed to move forward in Minnesota, this resolution discourages future efforts to criminalize drag.

Jenkins, the first Black, openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States, said the resolution demonstrates that Minneapolis is an equitable and inclusive city.

“Because the LGBTQIA+ community has seen an unprecedented rise in anti-drag and anti-transgender legislation, we need to stay vigilant and continue the fight to protect these communities,” Jenkins said in a statement following the resolution’s passing.

Drag performers use drag as entertainment, art or a job, according to the resolution. Frey and council members condemned nationwide anti-drag legislation and affirmed Minneapolis as “a safe and welcoming city in steadfast support of drag artists and performance” in the resolution.

Lawmakers in states pushing restrictions have argued drag shows are sexual in nature and expose children to inappropriate themes, something many LGBTQ+ advocates are fighting back against. 

Executive Director for LGTBQ+ advocacy group OutFront Minnesota Kat Rohn said drag performances differ widely depending on the audience and venue.

“There is a world of difference between what’s happening in a nightclub downtown and what’s happening at a public library hosting a drag story hour,” Rohn said.

Executive Director for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus Kevin Stocks said drag is an expression of art for many people.

“[Drag] is a way for queer folk and people in the LGBT community to express themselves,” Stocks said. “It’s pretty ridiculous that a certain sector of our community tries to attribute that to grooming.”

Stocks said drag has a long history in Minneapolis and his organization, which has hosted drag events, has been “stomping around in the drag puddles for a long, long time.”

With a more secure future, the Minneapolis drag scene will continue without the fear of criminalization. Rohn said the resolution represents a commitment to LGBTQ+ rights in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ efforts nationwide.

“There is a symbolic importance,” Rohn said. “I think it’s about ensuring that lasting institutional commitment to our LGBT communities.”

Metro Transit officials are aiming at reducing crime, improving cleanliness and increasing ridership on the light rail with a new safety plan.

The safety plan comes as part of a state-passed transportation bill in May, which officials began implementing in June. Under the plan, officials will work alongside community groups such as A Mother’s Love, RADIAS Health and Circle of Discipline to address mental health and social service needs on the light rail.

RADIAS Health and A Mother’s Love work with the Metropolitan Council on the Metro Transit Homeless Action Team by helping the homeless using the light rail for shelter find housing, while Circle of Discipline works to improve young people’s physical and mental well-being.

“Safety and security includes identifying and addressing existing safety and security concerns and building a transportation system that avoids future problems,” the Met Council said on its website.

Additionally, the Transit Safety Intervention Project (TSIP) will use community service officers who can “intervene” with riders experiencing homelessness, addiction or mental health issues instead of police officers.

Community groups will also provide resources for people experiencing homelessness to keep them and other riders safe, according to a RADIAS representative.

University of Minnesota professor of Urban and Regional Planning Yingling Fan said programs like TSIP reduce crime, but also help people who would benefit more from interactions with community members than police officers.

“Having more community service officers will be important, not just because of crime, but it’ll connect people who really need community service to the right resources,” Fan said.

Fan said her research indicates many riders, especially those from minority communities, are more trusting of community members than police officers.

To fight light rail fare evasion, Metro Transit also created the Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP). Non-police officials will issue administrative citations, similar to parking tickets.

Previously, police officers would issue misdemeanor citations for fare evasion which are rarely prosecuted. 

With the Taylor Swift concert drawing in more than 100,000 fans to Minneapolis on June 23 and June 24, more attention was given to the logistics and safety of the light rail.

University student and Swift concert-goer Catalina St John-Hernandez said she would like the light rail to be consistently as safe as it was the day of the concert.

“I did feel safe using the light rail. However, in the past, I haven’t,” St John-Hernandez said. “I would like to see the light rail become a safer form of public transportation, especially for women and individuals who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Other changes to the light rail system are coming from the Safety and Security Action Plan passed by the Metropolitan Council in March. This plan includes increased monitoring of security cameras and more security officers beginning Monday as a result of rider and staff input.

Additional ongoing facility improvements at multiple light rail stops were also approved in the bill, which will be funded by a 75-cent metro-area sales tax.

The Minneapolis City Council is advancing plans for rent control, despite opposition from Mayor Jacob Frey. 

The council approved a motion on June 15 aimed at creating a rent control policy that, if approved, would be on the 2023 ballot in November. Frey has vowed to veto the policy if passed, signaling compromise would be needed if rent control is to move forward.

Although Frey’s veto could be overturned with nine votes from the 13-member City Council, it is unclear if the votes are there, according to Osman. Without a compromise or the mayor’s approval, voters will not see rent control on the ballot in the fall.

Councilmember Elliott Payne (Ward 1), representing parts of Como, said Frey’s veto threat goes against what voters want.

“It’s a real disappointment to see the mayor effectively undermining the will of the voters by making a veto threat,” Payne said. “We have a real affordability crisis in the city. We need to have a whole hands-on-deck approach.”

The motion instructed the city attorney’s office to design a rent control policy to ban annual rent increases of 3%. The policy would only exempt rent increases for maintenance improvements.

If the policy passes, Minneapolis will have one of the strongest rent control measures in the nation, according to advocates.

Many advocates, including councilmembers and community organizers, argue rent control is needed to fight the affordability crisis, while opponents say rent control will not solve the problem and will lead to fewer real estate investments in the city.

Rent control after 2021

In the November 2021 election, Minneapolis voters passed an ordinance to allow the City Council to craft rent control policies.

The City Council created the Housing/Rent Stabilization Work Group of 25 renters, landlords, property developers and other stakeholders to discuss and recommend rent control policies on April 23, 2022. From September to December 2022, the work group created two different rent control proposals.

The first proposal matched St. Paul’s 3% rent hike ban, limited exemptions and did not adjust for inflation. The second proposal provided exemptions for new construction and subsidized affordable housing and adjusted for inflation.

Co-director of Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia (United Renters for Justice) and a member of the work group, Jennifer Arnold, said while the policy is not perfect, the city needs to pass something to help renters.

“Renters are suffering,” Arnold said. “Even an imperfect policy can protect some renters against the rent increases we are seeing.”

City staff analyzed both proposals in a report, concluding “the costs and detrimental impacts of a rent stabilization policy would outweigh any potential benefits in addressing renter cost-burden.”

In a 7-5 vote, the City Council passed a motion to direct the city attorney’s office to craft a rent control policy to match the recommendations of the workgroup.

Councilmember Jamal Osman (Ward 6), who voted in favor of the motion, said city staff did not have the time or resources they needed to reach their conclusion.

“I don’t think the staff had enough time to look at the data and I don’t think they had considered many things,” Osman said.

Councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw (Ward 4), who voted against the motion, said her colleagues were making a mistake by dismissing the city staff’s report.

“The city’s own staff told the council that rent control would be counterproductive to solving our housing crisis,” Vetaw said in a letter to the Star Tribune. “Yet, many of my colleagues persist in pushing a narrative that rent control is the solution.”

The city attorney’s office should be done making the policy by the end of June or early July, according to Payne.

Payne, who voted in favor of the motion, said while he knows rent control is not the perfect solution to housing insecurity, it is an important first step.

“It’s not a silver bullet that’s going to solve our housing crisis,” Payne said. “This isn’t going to solve all of our housing problems, but it will solve some very specific ones.”

Frey vows to veto

In the past, Frey had said he would veto the 3% policy recommended by the committee and confirmed hours after the motion passed he still would. While initially trying to veto council members Osman and Chughtai’s motion, it was revealed Frey can veto policies, but not motions. 

“I will veto the council’s rent proposal,” Frey said in a statement after the council’s vote. “I do not support a policy that has consistently proven to be counterproductive to housing supply and affordability.”

Arnold said Frey needs to work with rent control advocates to find a compromise.

“The majority of the voters voted for this,” Arnold said. “It’s really important that Mayor Frey takes this seriously and doesn’t just say no, but works to build a compromise.”

If the council approves putting the rent control policy on the November ballot, Frey could then veto it. For rent control to be on the 2023 ballot, it will need support from at least nine council members Frey’s approval or a compromise to be made between him and the city council.

Osman said council members need to compromise to give voters an option on rent control.

“This is a policy our residents wanted,” Osman said. “I’m hoping to compromise and that’s what most of our council members want.”

Arnold said voters need to be given a choice on rent control, even if the policy is not as strong as she would prefer.

“We want the strongest policy possible for renters, but we understand the political reality,” Arnold said. “We think it’s more important to have something than nothing.”

University of Minnesota student Dulce Garcia, who lives at The Quad on Delaware, said the need for affordable housing keeps rising, yet no action is being taken.

“The cost of tuition is going, the cost of living is going up, yet people are still trying to make ends meet,” Garcia said. “It’s just not fair.”

Due to wildfire smoke from Canadian forest fires, the Twin Cities saw record-breaking poor air quality and can expect more bad days in the future, according a forcaster with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

Pollutants in wildfire smoke from Canadian forest fires led to the highest daily fine particle concentration in the air on record for the Twin Cities on June 14, according to MPCA. In Minneapolis, air quality was listed as unhealthy for everyone.

Minneapolis Health Department communications director Scott Wasserman said as Canadian wildfires continue throughout the summer, Minneapolis residents will feel the negative effects.

“Air quality issues can affect everyone, especially those who live with asthma or other breathing challenges,” Wasserman said. “As the fire season begins, we can expect the quality of our air to continue to be affected.”

MPCA has already issued 19 air quality alerts this year, the second highest rate of alerts in the agency’s history, according to the agency.

Canada’s current wildfires are their worst of the century, according to Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair. Wildfire smoke from parts of Canada, like Ontario and Quebec, is impacting air quality across the country, including Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources placed burning restrictions in Northern Minnesota, sent four airplanes carrying 800 gallons of water to help fight the wildfires in Canada and protect the state’s air quality. 

Poor air quality can cause health problems such as shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain and fatigue, according to MPCA. Asthma and other respiratory issues can worsen due to poor air quality. Bronchitis, asthma and increased risks of heart attacks and strokes are long-term effects of poor air quality exposure.

 According to David Brown, an air quality forecaster for MPCA, the agency issues alerts of poor air quality and provides forecasts two days in advance using the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI color codes air quality as green, yellow, orange, red, purple and maroon based on the number of air pollutants.

“MPCA does forecasts every day. People can go to our website and see current conditions and forecasts daily,” Brown said. “We’ll issue alerts when we expect air quality to hit the orange AQI category or higher.”

Brown said when air quality worsens, more people should take precautions.

“Those particularly sensitive to air pollution, which includes children, the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory heart conditions, should try to limit their exertion and time outdoors,” Brown said.

With less than a month left in the session, the Minnesota Legislature is looking to turn its last set of bills into laws.

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) trifecta-held House, Senate and governorship have passed 31 laws so far, which is more than the total of any previous session at this time over the past decade.

Of the 31 bills passed, only three passed without any bipartisan support. Unless legislators vote to move the end date, the session will end on May 22.

Two-thirds of the last session’s laws passed in the last two weeks in 2022. Given the DFL trifecta and the current pace of the legislature, Minnesotans should expect more legislation.

LGBTQ+ and abortion legislation

Some of the most divisive legislative issues have been abortion and LGBTQ+ rights bills.

South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and 13 other states have banned gender-affirming care for minors, and 17 other states have active bills that would do so. Many of these bills would punish parents for providing gender-affirming care to their children.

To fight against those laws, the Senate passed the Trans Refuge bill on April 21. Courts would ignore out-of-state orders to strip children from parents providing them gender-affirming care.

A ban on conversion therapy passed in the Senate on the same day and was enacted Thursday after a signature from Gov. Tim Walz.

Co-author of the bill Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) said conversion therapy is inhumane and harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.

“By banning [conversion therapy], we show LGBTQ+ Minnesotans that they are loved and valued,” Dibble said in a statement.

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, states quickly enacted laws to protect, ban or limit abortion rights.

The Protect Reproductive Options Act passed on Feb. 1 and enshrined the right to abortion in the Minnesota constitution. The bill did not receive bipartisan support.

Election Laws

Allowing minors to pre-register to vote, requiring voting materials in multiple languages and strengthening punishments for voter intimidation are all in the Democracy for the People Act. The bill passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting a signature from Walz.

According to co-author of the bill Sen. Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester), the act will protect and improve Minnesota’s elections.

The bill allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, automatic registration by acquiring a driver’s license or MNsure enrollment plan and increases penalties for voter intimidation and the intentional spread of misinformation.

The bill also gives all registered voters two “Democracy Dollar Coupons” per election, each worth $25, to donate to a political candidate, campaign or party. Legislators hope the coupons will increase voter participation in elections.

“This is a great day for the people of Minnesota,” Boldon said in a statement. “The Democracy for the People Act protects and expands voting rights, strengthens our elections, and increases the transparency of money in politics.”

A bill to expand ranked-choice voting (RCV) to federal and state elections stalled in the Elections Committee. However, the committee’s finance omnibus bill would create a task force to study the implementation of RCV, which was in the original bill.

The Election Committee’s policy omnibus bill would add Minnesota to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), which changes the vote for president from the electoral college to a national popular vote.

Minnesota joins 11 other states with NPVIC legislation pending. Fifteen states and Washington D.C. have already joined. The compact needs 75 electoral votes before it reaches a majority and is enacted.

Once a majority of electoral college states sign on, those states would award their electoral votes to the candidate with the most votes nationwide.

Minnesota also joined 22 other states on Feb. 21 by restoring an ex-felon’s right to vote following their incarceration.

Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls) said voting rights should only be restored following parole.

“Voting is a privilege,” Dahms said. “It is not fair to law-abiding Minnesota voters to restore voting rights to convicted felons until they fulfill all requirements of their sentencing.”

More impactful legislation

After hemp-derived THC edibles and drinks were legalized last session, a bill to expand cannabis legalization to all Minnesotans ages 21 and older gained momentum. Following a successful vote in the House and the Senate, the bill only needs a signature from the governor before becoming law.

Passed in February, the Driver’s Licenses for All bill allows people to obtain a driver’s license regardless of immigration status. Sen. Tou Xiong (DFL-Maplewood) said the bill provides equal access to the roads by giving everyone the chance to get a driver’s license.

“Undocumented residents who live, work, and raise families among us deserve the opportunity to use our roads legally and safely,” Xiong said in a statement.

Walz praised the Universal Free School Meals bill as a step forward in education in his State of the State Address. Co-author of the bill Sen. Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley) said this bill will be an important step in ending childhood hunger.

“No child should go hungry at school, and no family should have to worry about how they’ll pay their student’s lunch debt,” Maye Quade said in a statement.