MINNEAPOLIS — Next week, the Minneapolis City Council will vote on whether to approve a new contract for the Minneapolis Police Department.
But there are new documents obtained by sources on Friday that show some councilors are now saying their support will hinge on whether the mayor meets several of their demands.
In a recent letter, Elliot Payne and Aisha Chughtai wrote the Mayor Jacob Frey wrote they wish to "acknowledge our shared commitment to police reform and highlight that many essential reforms are better addressed through policies outside the scope of this contract."
They went on to propose four reforms to be considered and implemented before council's vote on the contract on June 27 that include:
1. Identify Funding Sources Outside of the State Public Safety Aid - It is crucial to explore alternative funding sources to support our public safety initiatives, reducing dependency on one-time state aid and ensuring sustainable financial planning while prioritizing investments in new safety programs and initiatives.
2. Collaboration on Neighborhood Safety Department Challenges - I urge close collaboration with Chairs Chavez and Wonsley to develop effective management responses to the challenges faced by our Neighborhood Safety Department. This will help enhance community safety and trust.
3. Strengthen Policies on the Use of Coaching - Implementing robust coaching policies can foster a culture of continuous improvement and support within our police force, while prohibiting the use of coaching for conduct that should result disciplinary actions.
4. Implement Pay Equity Budget Amendment for AFSCME Workers - Ensuring pay equity for AFSCME workers is vital. Implementing City Council’s budget amendment to address this will demonstrate our commitment to fair and just compensation for all city employees, especially our civilian workforce within MPD.
PAYNE/CHUGHTAI FULL LETTER:
Mayor Frey responded on June 20 calling the request inappropriate. He went on to write, "The Council’s vote likewise needs to be based, in good faith, on the merits of the actual contract before them. It is inappropriate to tie the approval of a negotiated contract affecting the livelihood of our employees to a unilateral set of demands that you acknowledge should not be addressed in the contract, and that are unrelated to the merits of the contract itself."
The new contract comes with a big price tag and how the city pays for it could have big impacts on other services and your taxes.
"Money and the benefits that we provide to these officers really matter," said Council Member Latrisha Vetaw, who has said she'll vote to approve the contract.
The tentative three-year agreement the police union approved this month comes with a 21% pay increase and other reforms from changing the disciplinary process to increasing civilian investigators. It needs a majority of the council to sign off on it and that's no guarantee.
"People will have zero to little confidence in local government if this doesn't pass," says Vetaw.
Sources have told KARE 11 that may lead to 150 more officer retirements when the department is already down some 200 or so.
MAYOR FREY'S FULL RESPONSE
But paying to retain, and recruit more, means city operations officer Margaret Anderson Kelliher is proposing reallocating $9 million to help pay for the contract and offset property tax levies from rising as much as 7%.
This, as the city also faces a nearly $22 million budget shortfall next year.
"It'll fall differently on different types of property across the city and that's why we're trying to use this money wisely," said Anderson Kelliher.
The money is part of the $19 million the state gave the city last year for public safety and there may be less of it to fund other community initiatives, including cultural district ambassadors and racial injustice workers.
"All these ideas are good, don't get me wrong, we're not arguing about the ideas, we're looking at the funding," said Public Commissioner Todd Barnette. "I also hope they understand what this contract brings. It brings some reforms and it brings a competitive salary for us to attract more officers."
There are several meetings next week where council members discuss these issues, but all eyes are on Thursday's city council meeting where those members will have to vote on whether to approve or reject that contract.
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