Real Leadership for Real People: Vision and Results
Four years ago, you told me the issues you cared about and asked me to put my progressive values to work for the 8th Ward at City Hall. I am proud to have led the charge, in cooperation with neighbors and other partners, on key accomplishments including:
- Maintaining budget discipline by paying down city debt and prioritizing public safety spending
- Reducing crime in Ward 8 neighborhoods by increasing public safety resources, focusing on problem properties and businesses, and providing positive opportunities for youth with afterschool activities and jobs
- Working to revitalize 38th and Chicago, including spearheading city support for the 8th Ward resident-led Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center set to open at that corner in 2010
- Increasing living wage and union jobs by requiring Labor Peace in city contracts
- Creating more city employment opportunities for individuals with criminal backgrounds – a job strategy that results in a safer city
- Increasing city support for youth development and youth jobs, by forming the Minneapolis Youth Congress, creating free transportation options for kids, and chairing the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board
- Passing and working to implement Instant Runoff Voting
- Championing transit, biking and walking. This includes ensuring a transit station is the city’s number one priority for I-35W and Lake Street
- Leading efforts to organize artists, which has resulted in the first artist-only business association in the City of Minneapolis (South Minneapolis Arts – SMARTS)
- Requiring the first community benefits agreement for the City of Minneapolis as part of its contract for wi-fi services
- Working to advise our city attorney’s office on the ground-breaking lawsuit and noise mitigation settlement with the MAC, which maximized the number of homes getting noise mitigation and provided certainty to neighbors waiting years for noise relief
I will continue to work with you to ensure this is a great city for all of us, not just some of us.
