Share this page!

Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
Twitter logo
17 Jun, 4 tweets, 1 min read
I've always thought the fact that the City Council was so willing to hand over emergency powers to the mayor was a good argument against the Charter Commission's idea the City Council gets in the way of having a big strong mayor to save us in a crisis.
The City Council recognizes, as a body, they aren't equipped to manage a crisis. It's just too bad the mayor isn't either.
Of course the #1 argument against strong mayor as a response to the last year: Mayor Frey already has full authority over the police, and he has been provided with funding to retain/train all the cops he could keep from quitting while MPD disintegrated after killing George Floyd.
One lesson we've learned from the misuse of covid-19 emergency powers: if you give the mayor more power, he will find a way to use that power to hide the fact he's using his powers.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
　

Keep Current with Wedge LIVE!™

Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @WedgeLIVE

Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
17 Jun
SRO (single room occupancy, aka rooming house) legalization is in the news this week. Here's a thread.
Minneapolis planning staff proposed a modest/weak version that doesn't live up to the concept of legalizing SROs citywide: lowest density zoning districts in the city would be exempted and, perhaps most significantly, only government entities and non-profits could run them.
On Monday, Planning Commission had a chance to modify the staff recommendation, but the only change was to tweak the lot size requirements so that 5,000 sq ft is the standard minimum for SROs across the city. (staff had proposed a 7500 sq ft min in R3 districts, 5k in all others)
Read 19 tweets
Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
17 Jun
Here's a "weak vs. strong mayor" gov't structure question from 2017.

Jacob Frey: "What we have is a decentralized system. And the only way that you get things done ... is if you're willing to build out a broad based coalition." Emphasizing how well he works with others.
I was reminded of this answer because Mayor Frey hasn't shown up for his bi-weekly covid-19 public health emergency update since February 12. This is the emergency declaration that gave him the power to misappropriate funds.
Mayor Frey's absence from these updates is regularly called out by some council members. Here's an example from last month.
Read 6 tweets
Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
17 Jun
This morning the City Council is expressing profound displeasure that Mayor Frey used his covid-19 emergency powers to appropriate $359,000 for Agape, which is the group that we were all told a few weeks ago had made the decision to clear George Floyd Square.
Because Mayor Frey has long since stopped showing up for these mayoral covid updates, Ward 11 Council Member Jeremy Schroeder has to give City Attorney Jim Rowader his assessment: clearing 38th and Chicago "had nothing to do with the covid-19 pandemic."
Rowader: "I certainly don't think at first pass that this was at all a stretch, as you put it." Says emergency regulations "provide for plenty of space."
Read 12 tweets
Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
24 Apr
Happening now
Kate Knuth: Yes on charter change for rent stabilization. Open up the conversation, but avoid unintended consequences that push small landlords out. It takes multiple strategies, including rent stabilization. Pledges to deliver on density of the 2040 plan.
Knuth hits Frey without naming him by saying it will take more than an empty promise of ending homelessness in 5 years.
Read 40 tweets
Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
23 Apr
My conversation with @RisaForParks, who is running for Park Board in District 6.
Topics include Burger King, Lake Chipotle, Embers family restaurant, keeping pollution out of our lakes, park accessibility, encampments, and park police. What makes a leader? Risa rejects an opportunity to settle an age old debate: full court or half court basketball?
Because the Park Board is the meanest level of municipal government, I challenge Risa to "prove to us you're not a malignant personality."
Read 4 tweets
Wedge LIVE!™ Profile picture
16 Apr
Resolution from Council Members Gordon, Ellison, Schroeder, opposing the use of less-lethal crowd control weapons. Vote was 11-1 in favor (Palmisano against).
Council President Bender: this is a statement of Council's values "given the ambiguity of our authority" over police.

Resolution directs City Attorney to determine whether the council could, under existing charter, prohibit their use with an ordinance (answer: they can't).
This was the subject of a UMN study presented to the City Council in March.
Read 18 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

Like this author's thread?

Get emails when @WedgeLIVE has new unrolls!

Check out other threads from @WedgeLIVE!

Read all threads by @WedgeLIVE

:(