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Andrew Johnson for City Council
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Ward 12 Website
Accomplishments and Record
Quick Highlights
Prioritizes constituent service and being accessible, transparent, and responsive (including hosting nearly 400 community meetings and resolving thousands of constituent issues)
Co-authored paid sick and safe leave legislation, which has protected over 100,000 workers, their families, and our community during the pandemic
Established the 911 Workgroup, which laid the groundwork for a mental health responder program and other alternative responses beyond policing that will be rolling out this year
Established the Small Business Office, Small Business Portal, and cut red tape by eliminating more than three-dozen ordinances
Led the city's efforts to create the first new public housing project in Minneapolis in a generation, which is exclusively for families transitioning out of homelessness
Led Intergovernmental Relations Department (as Chair) in securing tens of millions in funding from the legislature
Authored several civil unrest recovery efforts, including waiving city fees and expediting approvals, to securing formal recognition and support for community-led rebuild efforts
Saved taxpayers $3 million annually by leading the effort to break-up the largest City contract (IT)
Led efforts to increase the number of firefighters, reduce 911 wait times, and secure more resources for crime investigations
Led unprecendented transparency efforts by authoring the Open Data Policy, launching a
data portal
, and getting
Council videos permanently online
Note:
Below is just some of the work that CM Andrew Johnson played a key leadership role in. We encourage you to
reach out with any questions
.
Small Businesses
Led effort to
create a Small Business Office
to help small businesses navigate City processes (and identify opportunities to further improve)
Authored the repeal of over three-dozen antiquated ordinances and helped
lower a number of license fees
Led effort to create the
Minneapolis small business portal
Authored budget amendment to create one-page checklists for opening a new business, improve customer service training, and explore business incubators and microloans
Authored an ordinance allowing
temporary extended business hours
Endorsed
and campaigned for repeal of the outdated 70/30 laws
Worked with legislators on a sewer access charge (SAC) fee reform bill at State Capitol and helped get SAC fees waived and reduced for a number of Ward 12 businesses
Provided support to businesses during Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction, from securing a billboard on Hiawatha Ave to helping with logistics such as parking access
Public Safety
Authored legislation to establish the 911 Workgroup, which laid the groundwork for rollout of mental health responders and other alternatives beyond policing
Co-authored budget amendment to fund an independent study of MPD staffing levels
Led effort to get the Fire Chief, Finance, and others on the
same page
to increase the number of firefighters
Worked with Mayor's Office to secure additional resources for criminal investigations
Brought attention to delays in 911 call time answers and pushed for system improvements (
before
and
after
story)
Appointed to the
Metropolitan Emergency Services Board
, working to increase cross-jurisdiction collaboration for Emergency Management Systems
Advocated for and supported funding of rolling out body cameras to all police officers
Worked closely with neighborhood associations and residents to address crime and promote home/block safety
(See co-authorship of budget amendment for police training under "racial equity")
Racial Justice and Equity
Led effort to expand use of Restorative Justice
, including working with the Mayor to triple funding, completing a study, and hosting a city-wide forum
Co-authored budget amendment to fast-track
implicit bias and procedural justice training
for police officers
Co-authored budget
staff directive
to create website for increased transparency and accountability of racial equity initiatives
Fought during budget process for equity office positions, One Minneapolis Fund, and Clean Energy funding
Pushed on HR, Legal, and MPD for greater action on racial disparities in officer hiring, and later co-hosted a public forum
Co-authored ordinance to decriminalize posession of small amounts of marijuana
One of only three CMs to vote against the
East Phillips Water Yard
(watch
speech
)
Co-authored
Indigenous Peoples Day resolution
Co-authored
Green Zones Resolution
, forming a task force to bring forward recommendations addressing the disproportionate impact of pollution on communities of color
Authored Coldwater Springs resolution, resulting in the Dakota People returning to their sacred site and
freely/publicly performing ceremonies
for the first time since exile
Co-authored resolution against the Dakota Access Pipeline and
spoke out against use of Hennepin County resources
to infringe on protests in North Dakota
Co-authored
resolution
calling on Washington to change their NFL team name
Laid out a
strong case
for repealing the lurking and spitting ordinances
Called for an independent federal investigation
into the death of Jamar Clark
Housing, Homelessness, and Urban Development
Worked/working on
hundreds of units
of housing in Ward 12; pushing developers for more affordability, better designs, and greater community engagement
Led the city's efforts to create the
first new public housing project
in Minneapolis in a generation, which is exclusively for families transitioning out of homelessness
Brought city stakeholders together to pursue an innovative new model for homelessness (
Envision Community
)
Successfully pushed for
new website
to communicate and provide transparency into the response to encampments
Authored more amendments to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan than any other Council Member
Public Health
Started effort and was co-author of ordinance to ensure paid sick leave for more than 100,000 workers,
which passed unanimously and paved the way for other cities
Authored ordinance raising tobacco purchase age to 21 (estimated to prevent thousands of children from starting smoking)
Led early effort
to get paid parental leave for nearly 4,000 City employees
Worked to
make Ward 12 PERC-free
(a carcinogenic dry cleaning chemical) and led effort to ban PERC use across Minneapolis
Led effort to restore funding for
Nokomis Healthy Seniors
, which has helped thousands of residents stay in their homes as they age and stay physically/mentally/socially active
Co-authored legislation developing a plan to eliminate lead in homes that has poisoned many children
Environment
Authored budget amendment to develop plan to eliminate fossil fuel vehicles from the City's fleet
Authored
ordinance change
to enforce ban on environmentally-harmful containers, require commercial recycling, and to make it friendlier for businesses
Worked with Public Works to bring forward proposal to fast-track LED streetlight rollout
Identified restrictions on urban agriculture as unconstitutional, resulting in lifting of restrictions
Completed study on deconstruction and working on a construction and demolition waste diversion ordinance
Worked with legislators to provide municipalities authority to restrict pesticides that are harmful to pollinators
Opposed expansion of HERC burner, which helped pave the way for a city-wide organics recycling program via a compromise with Hennepin County
Strong advocate for stormwater infrastructure improvements at Lake Hiawatha to reduce litter entering the lake and improve water quality
Co-hosted a city-wide forum on Zero Waste
(See co-authorship of Green Zones under "racial equity")
Transit
Leading effort to improve snow and ice removal so that sidewalks are accessible to all residents year-round
Led policy change to increase ADA pedestrian infrastructure compliance
Successfully advocated for routing Minnehaha Creek trail under 28th Street bridge (now complete)
Led effort to improve light timings along Hiawatha Avenue (Highway 55)
Secured funding to repair several areas that had fallen into long-time disrepair:
46th & 46th
,
street near the Holiday station
, and the railroad tracks at 35th Street
Successfully pushed for dedicated bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks for
38th Street reconstruction
(from Minnehaha Ave to Hiawatha Ave)
Voted for Complete Streets and Vision Zero policies
One of four CMs to
vote against Penn Ave
reconstruction plans due to absence of dedicated bicycle lanes despite them being in the City's master plan
One of six CMs to vote for safer bicycle infrastructure on 3rd Avenue downtown
Helped fund bicycle safety awareness mailer to all residents via utility statements
Hosted multiple community meetings on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements
(See safety improvements around our schools under "For Kids")
Good Governance
Successfully led Intergovernmental Relations Department as Chair in securing tens of millions in funding from the legislature
Led effort to break up City's largest contract
(IT services) and saved taxpayers more than three millions dollars annually
Led effort to pass an
Open Data Policy
and launch
website
, making Minneapolis 16th in the nation to do so
One of only two CMs to vote against
$24.5 million in additional funding to renovate the exterior of the Target Center
Authored staff directives to post neighborhood association budgets, performance reports, and bylaws
online
Worked to get City Council meetings
posted on YouTube
so that they are now available indefinitely and more easily shared
Helped pass a historic deal to solve the decades-long deficit in our road and park infrastructure
Split up multiple election precincts to improve Ward 12 voter experiences and reduce wait times
For Kids
Implemented multiple pedestrian safety improvements around our schools (and working on even more)
Helped secure funding in the budget to maintain adequate mental health services at Roosevelt High School
Worked on a pilot project for a positive youth corridor around Roosevelt High School, leveraging volunteers and businesses to work with youth
Worked with Homegrown MPLS to create a
website to help neighborhoods start school gardens
Advocated for increased funding for Northrop and Roosevelt in MPS budget
Helped resolve several roadblocks as part of the Sanford Middle School expansion project
Organized multiple annual community welcome events for students starting the school year
(See lead and PERC elimination efforts under "Public Health")
LGBTQ+ Issues
Authored ordinance change
to allow gender-neutral single-stall restrooms and authored resolution encouraging businesses to go gender-neutral
Co-founding Council Member of the
Transgender Issues Workgroup
, addressing everything from police training and HR policies, to youth employment and public education (now Transgender Equity Council)
Other issues
Authored several civil unrest recovery efforts, including waiving city fees and expediting approvals, to bringing together a coalition of community partners and providing formal recognition and support for community-led rebuild efforts
Led several support efforts during the start of the pandemic, including getting citywide Wi-Fi opened up (used by more than 7,000+ individuals and families), and creating a southside small business directory
Worked to speed up the rollout of fiber optic internet
across Ward 12
and all of Minneapolis by helping ISPs address barriers
Knocked doors to encourage and help eligible residents take advantage of airport noise mitigation funds before they expired
Fought for our neighborhoods during the N2020 process and authored legislation to start process for $3m increase in the funding pool to achieve both equity and maintain the network
Led effort on comprehensive rewrite of Animal Care and Control Ordinances to
improve outcome for animals across Minneapolis
and under facility care
Worked with legislators to legalize medical marijuana, including authoring a City Legislative Agenda amendment and testifying before state committee
Led effort to close a loophole that allowed contractors to skirt the City's apprenticeship requirements