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

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  • Endorsed and campaigned for repeal of the outdated 70/30 laws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

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