Minneapolis Ward 3 City Council Candidate Responses

Minneapolis Ward 3 City Council Candidate Responses

Raymond Wilson Rolfe

(Did not respond to questionnaire)

Allen Kathir

Email: Allen@allenkathir.com or call 612-326-4141

Website: www.allenkathir.com

Endorsements: None.

Diane Hofstede

Email: info@dianehofstede.com or call 612-331-3636

Website: www.dianehofstede.com

Endorsements: Democratic Farmer Labor Party, (DFL Party), DFL Latino Caucus, AFSME, Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council, Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council/AFL - CIO, Minnesota Nurses Association, Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, DFL Feminist Caucus, SEIU Local 26, Sierra Club, Stonewall DFL, Teamsters DRIVE

Melissa Hill

Email: melissa4citycouncil@gmail.com or call 612-250-7178

Website: tinyurl.com/fbmelissa4citycouncil

Endorsements:  None - I have not sought any endorsements after filing.

Jeffrey Cobia

Email: jeffrey.cobia@gmail.com or call 612.868.3886

Website: www.jeffreycobia.com

Endorsements: Republican Party

What's one burning issue that's prompted you to run for this position (25 words):

Kathir: I'm running because Ward 3 needs a proactive and responsive leader. More inclusiveness would help on issues ranging from public safety to mitigating the foreclosure crisis.

Hofstede: To continue to effectively reduce crime, problem properties, and problem businesses; to improve affordable and sustainable housing; uphold a city budget that maintains core city services.

Hill: I would simply like to live in a city that is not harming, harassing, or engaging in state-sanctioned violence against the residents and visitors to our city. Instead of discouraging civil disobedience, we should be encouraging it as a viable tactic as it is obvious that the elected and unelected "leaders" on all levels are trying to stop any expressions of dissent.

Cobia: Openness in government and implementing an intelligent decision making process at city hall.

Since 2003, the city has increased the amount of taxes it levies on property by 8 percent annually. Do you favor continuing this policy, or do you favor a lower or higher amount of property tax increase? What specific increase would you support, and what budget adjustments would you make in light of your choice? (100 words)

Kathir: I support keeping property taxes as low as possible - higher taxes will hurt homeowners and will result in higher rent for renters. I understand that the budget process involves compromise and negotiation, but I promise not to compromise on Minneapolis' basic services. We should be focused on increasing the tax base instead of the tax rate. In order to accomplish this, we need to encourage socially responsible entrepreneurship and make sure that businesses are all treated fairly and consistently. This will allow struggling local businesses to thrive and will help avoid costly lawsuits.

Hofstede: We are beginning our budget discussions, which will conclude with the budget adoption in December. It is my intent to evaluate, meet and discuss with my constituents, staff, my colleagues, and other effected parties the proposed budget, in order to determine our budget priorities keeping public safety as a top priority.

Hill: We are in the middle of a foreclosure crisis and economic recession (if not depression) and the city is mismanaging funds - yet expects that the residents should pay increased taxes to support their incompetence? No, I would not support a property tax increase at all.  After we do a complete audit of all city funds, we then can figure out what to do with the money we have. We may need to adjust the funding downward on particular departments that have been misbehaving (aka MPD) and reassess how we use funding for some regulatory services (e.g. do we need to waste money worrying about what everyone's lawn looks like?).

Cobia: I would stop increasing taxes to balance the budget, but instead I would focus on cutting wasteful spending. One easy way to accomplish this objective would be to make smarter business decisions and not end up in costly litigation. As a recent University of Minnesota Law School graduate, I can navigate the difficult legal waters and complex issues of being a city council member that other candidates have struggled to understand.

With state aid declining and property taxes rising, should the city diversify the taxes and fees through which it derives income? If so, how?  (100 words)

Kathir: Diversifying fees is not necessarily the answer - fees tend to have a disproportionate impact on those with limited means. Limited and targeted fees, however, may be useful. If there is an opportunity to use fees that don't have a disproportionate impact, we should explore innovative fee systems that don't harm particular groups.

Hofstede: Yes, we have, and need to continue to support policies and ordinance changes in order to hold properties consuming city services financially accountable. In addition, we need to collaborate with our partners at the State, County, Federal levels of government and private and non-profit agencies in order to seek additional funding sources, including grants. We must all work to meet our mutual goals while becoming more efficient, cost effective, and competitive in the delivery of city services.

Hill: Why not legalize drugs then? We would be able to get extra money from the fees on these goods, will not have to waste resources on the police enforcement and imprisonment of people who are committing these alleged "offenses". Of course, the State won't like it (much less the Feds) but we won't allow their enforcers in.

Cobia: The city should not put any additional burdens on the people of Minneapolis at such a difficult economic time. Any and every effort should be made to not increase taxes or fees, but instead get costs under control. Business should be encouraged and expanded so that the fees charged do not need to be increased.

The council is considering how to use the property taxes from its older development districts. This tax increment by law may only be used to pay for Target Center debt and for neighborhood revitalization, or alternately, the tax base in these districts can be returned to the general tax base. What percentage would you allocate to each of these three purposes? (100 words)

Kathir: I support fully funding NRP as it was intended - to pay for the Target Center and neighborhood revitalization. Minneapolis should offer assistance to neighborhoods to make sure that NRP projects have the highest possible investment return for the community, which is especially important to make sure that every neighborhood participating in NRP has a sustainable, solvent future. Again, the budget may require making concessions in negotiations to save vital city services, but I will be a strong advocate for NRP.

Hofstede: We are in the process of preparing our discussion of the city budget which final adoption is in December. The questions regarding recertification of our Tax Increment Districts are under consideration including the amount of recertification. In my discussions with our staff, other interested parties, my constituents, and my colleagues I will be evaluating my decisions.

Hill: We should sell the Target Center debt to the Target Field owners since they already stole so much of our taxpayer money in that scam. With any extra funds, we can give it the neighborhood projects (75%) and return a smaller portion to the general tax base (25%) to help offset any need to further increase homeowner property taxes.

Cobia: Neighborhood revitalization is a key purpose of city government, and whenever possible tax money should go back to the tax base.

Council members may collect up to $400 monthly as a car allowance. Would you do so or collect a lesser monthly allowance (how much?) or collect only per-mile payments for actual miles driven? Explain your choice. (50 words)

Kathir: I will not collect the allowance, and I don't believe it should have ever have been raised to $400. City Council members are already compensated enough. A transportation allowance is unnecessary, especially given the budget.

Hofstede: During my four years as a Minneapolis City Council member, I have not, nor do I intend to accept the monthly car allowance.

Hill: No - I like my bike. I will continue to use that. With city council members already collecting over 70K in salary, this program is completely insane waste of money and resources. Why is a city that is trying to promote a cleaner environment also paying for cars for elected officials?

Cobia: I would not seek to collect any monthly car allowance. With cutbacks and sacrifices affecting all constituents, it would be unfair to attempt to extract additional pay from tax payers.

What are three specific things that you'd like to accomplish in your ward by the end of your four-year term? (50 words)

Kathir: 1. I'll overhaul regulatory services to make sure that small businesses can thrive. 2. I'll I work on improving the community's relationship with the police with my experience on the Civil Rights Commission and in law enforcement. 3. I'll be more proactive in involving groups in policymaking, including acknowledging concerns within 24 hours.

Hofstede: I envision a ward that values and protects all of its citizens, encourages and supports citizen engagement, built on the tradition of economic diversity, living wage jobs, supports the arts, leads in sustainability and collaboration, provides core city services, protects our precious environment focusing our attention on our Mississippi Riverfront!

Hill: 1. Put an end to the high levels of police misconduct and brutality in Ward 3. 2. Keep people in their homes and keep neighborhoods stable. 3. Help independent businesses grow in Ward 3.  Unless you are an insider or large corporation, it is difficult to make a living in this city. We need to turn "Target" town into a town where people are free to start a neighborhood shop and not worry about harassment by city officials or having to suddenly pay a high regulatory fee.

Cobia: 1. Allow for complete openness in government and community involvement. 2. Decrease all types of crime. 3. Increase the amount of available affordable housing.

What's one specific city-wide accomplishment you'd like to make happen by the end of your term? (25 words)

Kathir: Increased accountability for budget mismanagement, especially as it pertains to preventable lawsuits. This would encourage open, responsive government and would help prevent cutting programs.

Hofstede: Please see the above; I would expect no less of our city than I would of the Third Ward including that our city is well governed and on sound financial footing.

Hill: We will have a self-sustaniable city where people are free to engage in civil disobedience.

Cobia: Get the budget under control by making smart decisions and not increasing taxes.