Minneapolis Mayor Frey to veto "problematic" city budget because he says it funds "pet projects"
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Wednesday he will veto a new budget that funds, what he calls, "pet projects," and will cost the city more money in the long run.
Just after midnight, the City Council approved a roughly $1.9 billion budget, with more than 70 changes to the mayor's original proposal.
"This budget is incredibly problematic. It is reckless, it is irresponsible," said Frey.
The city budget cuts needs and adds wants, Frey said in a press conference late Wednesday afternoon.
"The council's budget that they just passed adds $6.5 million of spending when we don't have money to add," said Frey.
According to city officials, the budget would delay public works projects, like street repairs, and affect the ability to respond to and prevent homeless encampments. It would also gut the Minneapolis Police Department's campaign to recruit officers, Frey said, while increasing property taxes for years to come.
"It's not a pet project to say we need to continue senior transportation and ensure that 800 plus rides, that some of our most vulnerable residents rely on, continue. It's not a pet project to say we're going to support local businesses that have fallen on hard times," said Council Member Aurin Chowdhury.
City council members said the budget goes toward an investment in public health in all ways: targeting homelessness through vouchers to get families into permanent homes, providing forgivable loans to revitalize Uptown, and funding crime prevention specialists, among other items.
Council president Elliott Payne calls Frey's veto threat absurd and will try to overturn it.
"The fact that the Mayor is willing to risk the jobs of over 4,000 City employees and the reduction of basic City services in order to try and score political points is absolutely disheartening," said Payne in a statement.
Another highly debated change: property taxes.
The council approved a nearly 7% increase, which is lower than what the mayor initially proposed, but is still the biggest increase since 2010.