Minneapolis City Council amendments to the 2024 budget
Council Members have finalized their proposed amendments to the proposed 2024 Budget. Today, Monday, November 27, the full packet of all proposed budget amendments was published for public feedback. This Thursday and Friday, Council has markup meetings where they will consider each amendment, discuss, and vote on whether or not to add it to the budget.
All residents are welcome to share their thoughts on the proposed amendments by emailing or calling Council Members, submitting written testimony to [email protected]. The final Council meetings to approve the final budget are on Tuesday, December 5, starting at 1 PM in Council Chambers (Room 317) in City Hall.
Below are three budget amendments that I support in particular. I encourage you to read through the full packet of all proposed budget amendments and email [email protected] with your support, opposition, and constructive feedback!
#5 Interim Community Safety Center
This amendment will allow for the rental, design, buildout, and communication of an interim Community Safety Center while the City of Minneapolis builds a Community Safety Center in the 3rd Precinct. This $500,000 budget allocation will provide a place for residents to file police reports, get information, and will also provide residents with the opportunity to connect with Public Safety Professionals in the City of Minneapolis. This space will provide intentional and strategic communication and alignment of services to improve public and livability concerns within the 3rd precinct. This amendment is co-authored by Council Members Jason Chavez (Ward 9), Aurin Chowdhury (Ward 12), and Emily Koski (Ward 11).
#3 Cultural Ambassador Pilot Program
This proposal will provide $2,100,000 to develop and implement public safety pilot programming in 2024. This work may include violence interruption, de-escalation, connecting residents to services and treatment, and helping with cleaning and way-finding. This will be deployed along Minneapolis’ seven Cultural Districts, located along East Lake Street, Franklin Avenue East, 38th Street, Cedar Avenue South, West Broadway, Central Avenue, and Lowry Avenue North. This may be similar to the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID) Ambassadors and Clean Ambassadors Programs who focus on making Downtown more welcoming for all residents, workers, and visitors. This includes coordinating technical assistance and conducting research and evaluation to inform about future investments in crime prevention through environmental design and other data-driven alternatives. This amendment is co-authored by Council Members Jason Chavez (Ward 9), Aisha Chughtai (Ward 10), Jamal Osman (Ward 6), and Elliott Payne (Ward 1).
#25 Let Everyone Advance with Dignity (LEAD) Program Funding
This funding of $250,000 will continue the City of Minneapolis’s contract with the Let Everyone Advance with Dignity (LEAD) to sustain the work of LEAD focused on the East Lake Street corridor. They provide harm reduction-based, intensive case management for individuals who commit law violations due to unmet behavioral health needs, homelessness, and/or extreme poverty. Residents, businesses, and visitors of the East Lake Street Corridor will continue to see the LEAD outreach and case managers working with clients and connecting people to services. This work will reduce arrest, incarceration, and racial disparities by developing a more effective, equitable, and non-punitive system of response to the problems associated with unmanaged behavioral health needs. This amendment is co-authored by Council Members Jason Chavez (Ward 9) and Aurin Chowdhury (Ward 12).
Which budget amendments are you most interested in? I encourage you to to read through the full packet of all proposed budget amendments and email [email protected] with your support, opposition, and constructive feedback!