| Council Member Cashman speaking from the dais during a City Council meeting wearing a beige jacket A Brief Year-End Reflection This year has brought with it many policy accomplishments to improve the safety, stability and health of our City neighborhoods. The best part of my job, above all legislative and budgeting work, is hearing from all of you and working together on shared goals for the betterment of Ward 7. I appreciate each and every person who took the time to reach out to my office this year to share their hopes and concerns, needs and ideas. As a team of 3, the Ward 7 office was able to resolve more than 2,000 constituent cases ranging from help requests and information requests to policy comments and ideas. We hosted 10 "Coffee with Katie" events across the ward and crafted 24 newsletters. Providing top-tier constituent service remains a priority as we look ahead to next year. I look forward to continuing to move our City forward with each and every one of you in 2025. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season.  |
A pie chart showing a percentage breakdown in the spending priorities voiced by 110 Ward 7 constituents this year 2025 City Budget Last week the Council overrode the Mayor's Veto of the approved 2025 City Budget. The process to create this budget began in the spring through the work of our Council’s Budget Committee and continued throughout the year in that public forum and with a broad level of engagement in community. The Mayor proposed a recommended 2025 budget in August. Despite the current financial realities in our city and state, he declined to make challenging but necessary cuts where it was needed, proposing an 8.1% property tax levy for our residents to shoulder—the highest in well over a decade. Ward 7 constituents, I heard your frustration with this property tax increase, and I did everything I could to lower it. Together, Council put in the work to find opportunities for savings and reallocations. We were able to cut $7.120 million in expenses and revenues and used $3.875 million in the City’s current fund balance to offset $3.875 million in new one-time spending. In doing so, the City Council was able to lower the property tax levy by 1.5%. The cuts we made largely pulled from City technology upgrade requests. My office held a budget workshop in September, and I visited community and neighborhood meetings throughout all 9 neighborhoods in Ward 7 to discuss priorities. In these conversations, Ward 7 identified the following top priorities: - Affordable Housing and Homelessness
- Community Safety & Police Reform
- Economic Inclusion and Recovery
It was important to me to both lower the levy and invest in proven strategies to revitalize our community. To meet these needs, I and other City Council members crafted several budget amendments, including: - Amending the MPD’s Mounted Patrol budget to add another Crime Prevention Specialist in the 5th Precinct;
- Amending the Chief’s detail to fund 5 civilian investigators to focus on the backlog of unsolved cases for domestic, juvenile, crimes against children, sex crimes, and homicide;
- Funding $3m in emergency housing vouchers and stabilizing Avivo Village to support unhoused community members with leaving encampments, and seeking treatment and other resources;
- Dedicating $50,000 of the Mayor’s proposed new spending for a technical assistance process to help Uptown stakeholders craft a new vision and path forward;
- Utilized a citywide economic development fund generated by the existing Entertainment Tax to establish a forgivable loan program for small businesses directly impacted by street reconstruction projects like Hennepin Ave S;
- Funding proven and successful programs that the Mayor left out of his budget proposal like D-TAP, which provides critical technical assistance to small and emerging local developers, and the Ownership and Opportunity Fund, which supports commercial real estate projects in economically challenged areas.
One thing I'd like to make clear is that this 2025 Budget in no way "defunds" MPD, as was suggested recently by a local police advocacy group. In fact, the approved budget finalized an MPD budget increase of 5.8% to $229M from 2024 and an 18.8% increase in funding for MPD since the murder of George Floyd in 2020. We may not always agree, but I do believe it's important to engage with transparency and factual information. The vast majority of our Council’s amendments this year were passed with a supermajority, demonstrating need and relevance in nearly every ward of the city. I am proud of the work that we did and excited for all of the critical investments that Ward 7 will benefit from in 2025 and beyond as result of this Budget. Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend a meeting or contact our office to share your thoughts. I took your feedback seriously and did my very best to honor it. Business, Housing, & Zoning Committee: January 7, 2025 at 1:30pm Ward 7 Community Survey Series No survey question this week. Happy holidays! A red and white image of a Minneapolis snow plow with the words "Snow Emergency in Effect" Snow Emergency in Effect The City of Minneapolis has declared a snow emergency beginning Dec. 19. Snow emergency parking rules begin at 9 p.m. Dec. 19 so crews can continue their work and plow more than 1,000 miles of streets as wide as possible. Throughout the snowfall, City crews have already been plowing and treating streets to keep them drivable. Snow emergency parking rules: We aim to provide open, drivable streets by plowing and clearing snow so emergency vehicles and other traffic can get around and park. Plowing requires vehicles parked on streets to move, so we need residents to help us by following snow emergency parking rules. It’s in everyone’s best interest to do their part so plows can do the best job possible, and people can avoid a ticket and tow. Parking rules last for three days after a snow emergency is declared: - 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, to 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 (Day 1) Do not park on either side of a snow emergency route until 8 a.m., or the street is fully plowed.
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 (Day 2) Do not park on the even-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route until 8 p.m., or that side of the street is fully plowed, or on either side of a parkway until 8 p.m., or the parkway is fully plowed.
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 (Day 3) Do not park on the odd-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route until 8 p.m., or that side of the street is fully plowed.
Sign up now, stay informed throughout the season: Residents, workers and visitors have several ways to learn when snow emergencies are declared and what to do when they are. We recommend signing up for at least two types of alerts: - Text MPLSAlerts to 77295 or create a full Smart911 profile online to sign up for alerts.
- Check the City of Minneapolis website. If we declare a snow emergency, you'll see a banner at the top of every page with an announcement.
- Call the snow emergency hotline. You can reach our automated hotline at 612-348-SNOW (7669). If a snow emergency is in effect, the hotline will have information on that day’s parking restrictions that drivers need to follow to avoid tickets and tows. The hotline includes information in English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.
- Get the snow emergency app.
- Check our social media pages.
- Call 311.
- Watch local TV or listen to the radio.
Remember to clear sidewalks and around your garbage carts: Sidewalks are a critical part of our city’s transportation system, and they should be open for everyone. That’s why Minneapolis ordinance requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall for houses and duplexes, and four daytime hours for all other properties. Failure to shovel your walk could lead to a bill to pay for the cost of crews shoveling it. The City also provides free sand to residents at several locations. After you clear your sidewalks, spreading sand helps provide traction. Learn more on the City website. Hate Crime at Temple Israel Many of you have now heard about the disturbing hate crime and vandalism that took place earlier this week at Temple Israel in the East Isles neighborhood. Attacks on religious institutions have been on the rise in recent years, and it is incumbent upon all of us to denounce hate speech including antisemitism when we see or hear it. You can find my full statement here. Parking Meters in East Isles and Lowry Hill East A number of residents in the East Isles neighborhood have reached out with concern and frustration about the installation of parking meters along their residential blocks. As a part of the Hennepin Avenue reconstruction project design, a parking study was conducted in 2018, determining that residential and commercial properties in the selected areas have sufficient dedicated, off-street parking. The meters were sited and installed with the goal of supporting access to small businesses on the corridor, requiring payment from 8am-6pm Monday-Friday, which is the standard timeframe throughout the city. I am continuing conversations with City staff about the lack of off-street parking particularly for impacted multi-family buildings and to learn about the possibility of establishing a Critical Parking Area. Public Works staff will be joining me at the East Isles Neighborhood Association Meeting on January 14th, 7:00pm, at Grace-Trinity Community Church (1430 W 28th St) to talk with neighbors about this issue.  |
An image of a person holding an illuminated string of white holiday lights Pro tips to reuse, reduce and recycle this holiday season If you recycle or compost through the City’s collection program, here’s guidance on getting rid of an item: How to dispose of common holiday items - Post usable holiday lights on a social media exchange site, or bring them to a donation center. Bring non-working holiday lights and holiday lights that were not accepted for donation to a Hennepin County drop-off site.
- Recycle aluminum pie tins, trays and foil balls that are mostly clean in your recycling cart. Aluminum foil must be in a ball of at least 3 inches to be properly sorted.
- Reuse gift bags. Most wrapping paper is not recyclable and needs to be put in the trash. Only plain kraft paper gift wrap is accepted for recycling in your recycling cart. Make sure wrapping paper is flattened and not balled so it can be properly sorted. Consider alternatives to paper gift wrap and sticker gift labels.
- Keep cartons in their three-dimensional shape and put them in your green recycling cart. They’re kept separate from other paper and shipped to special paper mills that can manage the layers of plastic and aluminum.
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A photo of assorted fresh vegetables, including onions, peppers, and broccoli Winter Farmers Markets Despite the cold, December is the perfect time to pick up sustainable gifts, local food and handmade goods at several winter farmers markets across Minneapolis. Support local farmers and producers all while finding something special this month. December markets - Visit the Mill City Winter Market Dec. 21, as well as the first and third Saturdays in January through April.
- Visit the Minneapolis Farmers Market Dec. 21 as well as select Saturdays in January through April.
- Visit the Northeast Farmers Market one Sunday a month January through April.
- Visit the Neighborhood Roots winter market Jan. 11, Feb. 8 and March 8.
Get free at-home COVID-19 test kits You can once again get up to four free at-home COVID-19 testing kits through the federal government. It’s still important to protect ourselves and our families, and regular testing can help you stay informed about your health and reduce the risk of spreading the virus to loved ones. You can use these whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms. You can take the test at home and receive results within 30 minutes — no need to drop anything off at a lab. The tests and shipping are free. Order your free tests today. An illustrated graphic with the word "Holidazzle," winter creatures, a music stage, and snow in a downtown scene Downtown Events to Check Out - Holidazzle: Enjoy food, drinks, holiday shopping and activities for all ages at Downtown Minneapolis’ premier (and free to attend!) holiday celebration. This year, you’ll find a roller-skating rink, holiday pop-up bars, interactive art installments and even Santa Claus. December 18-22, Nicollet Mall.
- Departments at Dayton Holiday Market: Peruse a curated retail experience featuring 78 independent vendors showcasing heritage brands from across the state. November 14-December 30, Mon-Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 11am-5pm at the Dayton’s Project, 700 Nicollet Mall.
- Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame Experience: Check out this free, limited time pop-up exhibit celebrating Minnesota’s greatest athletes from legends like Herb Brooks and Patty Berg to today’s stars like Suni Lee and Anthony Edwards. The temporary installation highlighting Minnesota’s sports history will recognize the many individuals, teams and key moments that have contributed to our state’s sports legacy. November 29-December 28, Mon-Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 11am-5pm, Lower Level of the Dayton’s Project, 700 Nicollet Mall.
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A photo of Council Members Cashman and Koski with leaders from Dunwoody College of Technology Out and About in Ward 7 The Ward 7 team continues to get out in community to talk to neighbors and stakeholders where they are. Here are a few highlights from the past couple of weeks. - Joined Emerson Elementary leaders and parents at their monthly Site Council meeting
- Toured and visited with Bryn Mawr neighbors in the Anwatin Woods and nature preschool
- Toured Dunwoody College of Technology with Ward 11 Council Member Koski to learn about their programs and offerings
- Celebrated the grand opening of the Groove Lofts in the Northstar Center with other City and Downtown leaders
To find out about what’s going on in your part of town, check out the nine neighborhood organizations working to keep folks connected and engaged in Ward 7: |
