Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's State of the City address, first since ICE surge
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in his Tuesday state of the city address he wants to refocus on basic city operations after the city was again thrust into the public consciousness when federal immigration agents flooded into the state.
In his speech at the American Swedish Institute, Frey said he’ll focus on public safety and affordable housing now that the surge of federal agents to the city has ended.
“You stood up when it mattered most. The whole city showed up,” Frey said. “Now, we need to continue showing up every day, because that’s where trust is built. Not just in moments of crisis, but in moments of consistency.”
Frey honored city residents for peacefully protesting and helping their neighbors during the months of the enforcement surge. During the operation, in which immigration agents killed Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the national spotlight also found Frey as he criticized the federal government.
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Frey’s response to the operation garnered mixed praise and frustration at home as some residents called on Minneapolis police to do more to counter federal agents. Frey highlighted the city’s work to pass funding for rental assistance and struggling businesses, among other responses to the operation.
In his speech, Frey turned the focus to day-to-day city tasks.
He said he’s seeing progress in public safety, with violent crime down last year across the city.
And he noted an increase in the city’s police force, which has said it’s been understaffed for the last several years. The department has 642 officers, nearly 100 more than last year, Frey said.
By next year, the department plans to add nearly 100 more, bringing it to the number of officers outlined in the city’s charter.
He said that comes with a price.
“We train more, we expect more, and, yes, because of that, it costs more,” Frey said.
Frey said another focus for the year ahead is affordable housing. He pointed to projects underway, including Snelling Yards and Opportunity Crossings in south Minneapolis.
Frey said he’s directed city staff to look at the city’s building and permitting processes and ways to cut red tape.
The city is also looking to simplify permitting and paperwork processes for businesses. Frey said the city is providing licensing fee relief to businesses and waiving city fees for hosting events.
Ahead of this year’s budgeting process, Frey said he wants to make sure the city is spending its money on its most important programs.
“Getting serious will mean having hard conversations heading into the budget about programs or investments that aren’t working,” Frey said. “It’s time to let those go and focus on the services residents depend on.”
City Council President Elliott Payne said after the speech that he also wants to focus on the basics of city government, which means making sure the city is an affordable place for residents to live.
And he said the progressive wing of the council plans to meet regularly with Frey to step up collaboration. Tuesday’s speech came a week after the mayor vetoed two council ordinances.
“We would like the mayor to set his veto pen down and meet me at the white board so that we can actually come up with the solutions,” Payne said. “I'm very hopeful that we've been able to have some initial conversations with the mayor around how we can work better together.”
