Minneapolis City Council Budget Committee Meeting
Meeting Information
- Date: December 8, 2023
- Title: Budget Committee Meeting - 2025 Budget Markup
- Present: Elliot Payne, Robin Wonsley, Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman, Katie Cashman, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai (Vice President), Emily Koski, Aurin Chowdhury, Linea Palmisano
- Absent: Andrea Jenkins
- Guests: Mayor Jacob Frey, Budget Director Amelia Cruver, COO Margaret Anderson Kelliher, City Attorney Kristin Anderson, Commissioner Todd Barnette
- Votes: 11 roll call votes taken
Highlights
- The committee considered several proposals to reduce the property tax levy, including both mayoral and council member initiatives
- Significant debate over a $1.1M cut to appointed officials’ 4% cost of living adjustment
- Discussion of Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) system delay as a cost-saving measure
- Debate over reallocation of mounted patrol unit funding to crime prevention specialists
- Controversy over the establishment and funding of a Safe and Thriving Communities work group
- Delay of discussion on investigator positions due to questions about Chief’s Detail budget
Discussion
Property Tax Levy Reduction Proposals
Multiple proposals were presented to reduce the property tax levy, including Mayor Frey’s late submission seeking a reduction to 6.4%. Council members expressed frustration with the timing and format of the mayor’s proposal, which was submitted at 6:15 PM the previous evening. Councilmember Palmisano attempted to introduce the mayor’s proposal as a substitute motion, but it failed due to procedural issues and lack of proper documentation. Earlier proposals by Councilmembers Koski and Rainville for across-the-board departmental cuts also failed. Vote: 5-6 against mayor’s proposal.
Appointed Officials’ Cost of Living Adjustment
A contentious debate emerged over a proposal to eliminate the 4% cost of living adjustment for 161 appointed employees, saving $1.1M. Supporters argued it demonstrated fiscal responsibility given the city’s budget constraints, while opponents worried about equity and retention issues. HR Director Corbett provided demographic information showing potential disparate impacts on minority employees. As Councilmember Ellison noted: “There are folks at the bottom third of the category that aren’t the highest earners… they’ve worked hard to provide constituent service to the city.” Vote: 7-5 in favor.
Enterprise Resource Platform Delay
The committee debated delaying implementation of a new ERP system to save approximately $5M. While some saw this as a reasonable temporary measure to reduce the levy, others argued it would ultimately cost more and continue inefficiencies. Council President Payne, drawing on his IT experience, explained: “The speculation it will cost more is actually speculation… sale cycles for these ERP platforms can be many, many months. And depending on how hungry the ERP provider is, that will drive a lot of pricing.” Vote: 9-3 in favor of delay.
Mounted Patrol Reallocation
A proposal to reallocate $115,000 from the mounted patrol unit to fund a new crime prevention specialist position generated significant discussion. Supporters argued for prioritizing direct community service, while opponents worried about dismantling existing programs. Councilmember Rainville opposed the move, stating: “When I think of the mounted patrol, the last image I have is the recent shooting we had at the nightclub and our brave police officers ran in there to catch the shooter… they’re backed by the horse patrol.” Vote: 9-3 in favor.
Safe and Thriving Communities Work Group
Debate centered on the establishment of a community advisory work group, with disagreement between OCS Commissioner Barnette and Councilmember Wonsley over the appointment process and control. The discussion highlighted tensions between administrative discretion and council oversight of community engagement processes. Vote: 7-4 in favor.
Public Comments
No public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.