As an attorney for the City of Minneapolis working on the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) Settlement Agreement and the Federal Department of Justice (DOJ) Consent Decree, I have seen firsthand how our public safety ecosystem has struggled. I work daily towards a system that protects all of us and provides solutions using both traditional law enforcement and policing alternatives. Our city is taking steps towards reform, but the work is not done. As your city council member, I would:

• Promote accountable and constitutional policing reforms through the complete implementation of the MDHR Settlement Agreement and the DOJ Consent Decree.

• Support measures that would retain accountable, well-trained, and trusted police officers and recruit new officers to meet the city’s current staffing requirements.

• Expand and build out the Mobile Crisis Response program with mental health experts, addiction specialists, and behavioral health professionals like the Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) unit to handle mental health calls, welfare checks, and non-violent emergencies.

• Improve 911 call triaging to ensure that trained mental health professionals, social workers, and community responders are dispatched when appropriate.

• Increase violence prevention programs, with strengthened city oversight, that address root causes, such as youth outreach, restorative justice programs, and community-based conflict resolution.

• Hold law enforcement accountable with stronger oversight, improved transparency, and community-led public safety initiatives.

• Promote community-based solutions that strengthen our residents’ relationship with the police while also empowering community leaders to communicate openly with the city about their needs.

• Advocate for lasting solutions to our city’s infrastructure; including the repair and maintenance of street lights, street signs, roads, and other public utilities.

Our city is facing a significant housing crisis. Too many of our neighbors are being priced out of their homes, and many renters are at risk of housing instability. We are also facing a large number of unhoused individuals in our city who are struggling to get back on their feet and are being failed by our system. I believe that housing is a human right, and on the city council, I would:

• Address rising property taxes by investing in and ensuring our commercial corridors have ample support to stabilize building assessments and increased economic vitality so that the individual tax burden is not felt as hard by the individual homeowner.

• Encourage the construction of new market rate housing, missing middle housing, and affordable and deeply affordable housing throughout the city, by coordinating with the city, private and nonprofit developers, and other housing stakeholders.

• Ensure tenant protections by enforcing current city eviction prevention policies and promoting emergency rental assistance programs.

• Vote to support funding for housing shelters like Avivo Village and support the establishment of new shelters throughout the city.

• Increase supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, including wraparound services like mental health care, addiction treatment, and job training.

• Support rezoning efforts as outlined in the 2040 Plan and updated efforts in the 2050 Plan.

• Invest in municipal insurance for aging infrastructure to water lines, sewer lines, and other municipal infrastructure programs.

I am the son of a Minneapolis Public School Teacher. I was raised to believe in the power and benefit of a strong, thriving public education system. I graduated from Washburn High School, where I now coach men’s and women’s football. I am deeply invested in our public schools, and I believe that we need to make them stronger. We must ensure that every child in Ward 11 has access to high-quality education and after-school opportunities. On city council, I would:

• Stand with and support Minneapolis Public Schools educators, parents, and students.

• Increase city support for public schools by expanding funding for mental health resources, school nurses, and counselors.

• Advocate for youth engagement programs that will keep students engaged in the classroom and involved in their communities.

• Coordinate with MPS and MPD to ensure our schools are safe and secure.

• Work with our state legislators to ensure that we are fully funding our public schools.

• Communicate and partner with our school board members to understand where the pain points are and what the city council can do to address these issues.

• Support universal pre-K and childcare access to make early education more affordable for working families.

• Expand after-school and youth programs that provide arts, sports, and job training opportunities for students.

• Address racial disparities in education by pushing for equitable school funding, culturally responsive curriculum, and closing achievement gaps.

A thriving local economy depends on strong small businesses, fair wages, and worker protections. I am proud to be endorsed by Labor Unions, small business owners, and economic leaders like Steve Cramer and Adam Duininck. On the City Council, I will ensure that everyone’s voice is heard so that we can build a more inclusive and equitable economy in Ward 11 and throughout Minneapolis. We need to:

• Support small businesses and entrepreneurs by expanding grants, technical assistance, and affordable commercial spaces.

• Pursue programs such as the “Vibrant Storefronts” initiative that will encourage new business owners to move into currently vacant commercial spaces in the ward.

• Support the Downtown Improvement District and promote Downtown as more than just an entertainment district but a local business hub as well.

• Promote cooperative and community-owned businesses to build wealth in historically marginalized communities.

• Protect workers’ rights by supporting unionization efforts, meeting with union leaders, and supporting workers’ efforts to obtain fair contracts.

• Coordinate with local businesses to ensure any city improvement projects cause the least amount of economic disruption.

Accessible, reliable, and affordable public transit is essential for economic mobility and environmental sustainability. We must make it easier for people to get around our city.

• Expand and improve public transit by advocating for more frequent and reliable bus and light rail service, particularly in underserved areas.

• Make transit more affordable by pushing for fare reductions or free transit programs for low-income residents, students, and seniors.

• Electrify the city’s transit system and incentivize electric vehicle infrastructure, including EV charging stations in Ward 11.

In the face of an immediate climate crisis, Minneapolis has both a responsibility and a transformational opportunity to lead with urgency, consistency, and justice. I believe in a future where every neighborhood in Ward 11 and across Minneapolis can thrive with clean air, accessible transit, renewable energy, and resilient infrastructure. It will take all of us, working together, to build a future that reflects our highest values. As a City Council Member I would:

• Defend existing climate investments, like the $10 million per year Climate Legacy Initiative and Climate Equity Plan, from federal encroachments and work to increase our monetary commitment to our climate goals through the City’s franchise fee agreements.

• Foster Minneapolis as a leader in the clean energy economy by creating and investing in world-class, livable jobs that protect workers, support our local economy, and help us build a healthier, greener future for everyone.

• Advocate for major investment in clean and renewable energy projects like block-by-block energy retrofits, electrification of homes, delivering air-source and ground-source heat pumps, advancing distributed solar, and pilot block-by-block geothermal networks.

• Fully support the City Council’s unanimous resolution to phase out the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC)

• Adequately implement the zero waste and climate equity goals in the Hennepin County Zero Waste Plan.

• Commit to 100% clean energy by 2050 by requiring our utilities to prioritize clean technologies first when expanding capacity and holding them accountable for reducing fossil fuel dependency.

• Expanded electric vehicle infrastructure, so EV ownership is a realistic and practical choice for more people.