Minneapolis council and mayor clash over staff cuts
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Expect some tension at Minneapolis City Hall on Friday as council members make their final tweaks to next year's $2 billion city budget.
Why it matters: At Friday's marathon "budget markup," Mayor Jacob Frey's critics will get one of their final chances to flex their veto-proof council majority before four incumbents leave office at year's end.
Friction points: Frey's council critics have proposed cutting the mayor's office budget by more than $1.1 million — roughly halving the size of its staff — to help pay for three separate proposals:
- Reinstating positions in the City Auditor's office, which had been in line for staffing cuts.
- Restoring funding for emergency housing vouchers. Frey had reallocated money from the program to shore up another at-risk homelessness initiative; the council's amendment would fund both programs.
- Expanding the council's dedicated research team.
Plus: The proposals also redirect funding from other city departments, requiring a total of 15 current employees across City Hall to be laid off or let go, the mayor's office told Axios.
What they're saying: The amendments "restore essential programming that was cut in the proposed budget [and] increase oversight," Budget Committee chair Aisha Chughtai said in a statement.
- Chughtai's statement noted the police department went nearly $20 million over budget this year.
- That prevented council members from using normal contingency funds, necessitating "tough choices" for funding their amendments, Chughtai said.
The other side: "I've seen my share of mean-spirited actions, but this one takes the cake," Frey wrote in a statement to Axios.
- "Voters made it clear they want us working together for the betterment of Minneapolis," the mayor said. "Forcing me to fire my staff as the first order of business is not starting off on the right foot."
What we're watching: None of the 38 amendments affect the size of the proposed 8.1% increase to the citywide property tax levy.
- The council will begin working through the amendments at 10am Friday.