Minneapolis Ward 13 City Council Candidate Responses

Minneapolis Ward 13 City Council Candidate Responses

Betsy Hodges

Email: betsy@betsyhodges.org or call 612-919-5327

Website: www.betsyhodges.org

Endorsements: Democratic-Farmer Labor Party, Stonewall DFL, MN Women's Political Caucus, DFL Feminist Caucus, DFL Latino Caucus, Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, Service Employees International Union State Council, WomenWinning, TakeAction Minnesota, Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades, Carpenters Local 1644, Operating Engineers Local 49, Sierra Club.

Joseph Henry

Email: jandrewhenry@aol.com or call 612-730-0549

Website: jandrewhenry.webs.com/

Endorsements: None.

Kris Broberg

Email: kris@krisbroberg.org or call 612-423-8848

Website: www.krisbroberg.org

Endorsements: Minneapolis Republican Party, Independence Party.

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

Hodges: The City's bottom line: reform of the City's closed pension funds and the City/State fiscal relationship are the two biggest drivers of Minneapolis property taxes.

Henry: I am concerned about the budget cuts due to the loss of government aide and how it would adversely affect the services provided to low income families and those who are in the greatest need of help.

Broberg: Our property taxes will double at a minimum by 2018, probably triple or quadruple.  If you believe my opponent, "Minneapolis has its fiscal house in order."

Since 2003, the city has increased the amount of taxes it levies on property by 8% 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):

Hodges: Until budget hearings are over, I don't know what specific property tax policy or service levels I will support. However, I have always supported budgets based on policy and principle, including wise long-term business planning. The current situation requires painful choices. Short cuts, cost shifts, and budget gimmicks aren't the answer. I also believe that brighter days are ahead, and any choices we make must be with an eye toward forging a path to something better, not just through something challenging without thought for what's on the other end. The City must continue to plan for our future.

Henry: I believe the city should not continue to increase property taxes by 8% annually. The city of Minneapolis needs to keep its property taxes at affordable rates for its citizens and that is comparable to other cities in the metro area. I do favor raising revenue by placing taxes on other items such as firearms, tobacco and alcohol products sold within the city. Revenue from these taxes would be used to pay for emergency services. The city could keep property taxes lower and still have fully staffed emergency services with the proper equipment and training. To help keep a balanced budget, I do favor cutting back on elected city officials staff. Furthermore, I would vote to end the $400.00 a month car allowance given to city council members. This would save the city over $62,000.00 a year.

Broberg: I do not support any particular rate of increase, although I think after years of 8 percent increases we should not even consider increases greater then the rate of inflation.  These increases are forcing residents, especially senior citizens out of their homes.  Seniors who are still in their homes in Ward 13 are now paying nearly double the amount in taxes per month than they paid in mortgage, taxes and insurance combined when they first bought their home.   I think we can adjust spending on city planning and on anything beyond the basics of city government.

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):

Hodges: I have long called for a re-imagining of the State/City fiscal relationship. "Local Government Aid" is actually a revenue sharing program, and the City continues to send our sales tax, income tax, and some of our property taxes to the state and has gotten diminishing returns over time as the State has shared less and less. I am proud to have been appointed to the State commission on LGA, and through that process hope to generate a new vision of municipal funding in Minnesota and build the alliances and relationships to make it happen.

Henry: With local government aide declining, the city should diversify its revenue by looking for other areas to raise funds. I am in favor of increasing taxes on non-essential items such as alcohol and tobacco purchased within the city limits. I am also in favor of increasing fines levied for breaking city ordinances by 10%.

Broberg: The city should not depend on any specific level of state aid because state aid is variable depending on the health of the economy and has traditionally varied.  The city council and mayor know this and should have planned for cuts rather than blaming others.  I think a city government can live within its means and without over taxing its citizens.  It will take some work but we can adjust the budget and the citizens will not notice a difference if we elect good people willing to do it to the city council.

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):

Hodges: I worked very hard - in City Hall and at the Capitol -- to create the next phase of NRP, and very hard to ensure the City's capacity to relieve the taxpayer's burden by paying off the debt on the Target Center as quickly as possible. That said, the City is facing painful choices including cuts to core City services. It is unrealistic to think that NRP should be the only City program held harmless as we consider cuts to Police, Fire, and Public Works.

Henry: Property taxes from older development districts should be used in the following way: 50% should be placed into the general fund to help keep the city's budget balanced and reduce cuts to city services, 40% should go to neighborhood revitalization projects to help keep our neighborhoods a great place to live and the remaining 10% should be used to pay off Target Center debt. Putting the majority of these funds into the general fund and neighborhood revitalization will benefit the majority of residents. I propose that we increase ticket fees at the Target Center to help pay off its debt. That way residents who do not benefit from the Target Center are not forced to pay for something they do not use.

Broberg: I think we should allocate the minimum amount necessary to service the Target Center bonds without defaulting and while still paying down the debt, and remember as we do this why the city should not tax its citizens to support sport team owners or any particular business over another.   I think we should allocate the rest to neighborhood revitalization with the caveat that it be spent on road repair as seen fit by the neighborhood councils.  We devolve power and we should end the practice of assessing property owners for road repair.

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 or actual miles driven? Explain your choice:

Hodges: I have never collected the car allowance, and it was not a policy I supported. Once Council Members were able to claim per-mile payments like other City employees, I have received those per-mile payments. I will continue to do that if elected for a second term.

Henry: I am in favor of eliminating the $400.00 a month car allowance that city council members receive and replacing it with a $0.49 per mile reimbursement program for mileage driven for city business that requires council members to drive outside their district or is not conducted at city hall. By paying city council members $400.00 a month for a car allowance, the city is spending over $62,000.00 a year that could be allocated to other city services.

Broberg: I would take the $400 per month and either return it to the general fund or donate it to Big Brother's Big Sister's of Minnesota and/or the Boy's and Girl's Club.  I can pay to drive myself around. 

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

Hodges: Continue to work on the issues that will ease residents' property tax burden, like LGA and pension reform; continue work to foster positive, strong relationships with the schools and parks; refurbish critical infrastructure of the Ward, including repaving 54^th Street from Lyndale to Penn.

Henry: I would like to see the Highway 62/Crosstown project completed on time. This project has been a huge inconvenience and safety concern....The second item I would like to accomplish is an increase in the amount of community policing...(and) neighborhood foot patrols....Lastly, I would like to revisit MAC improvements to reflect the changes in airport flight patterns...The amount of airplane noise experienced by those living in the 13^th ward has increased.

Broberg: Year after year compounding property tax increases brought under control before we are all taxed out of the city. I would like to the constituents of my Ward to be able to say that I looked out for them and helped them in their dealings with the city. I would like to see our roads repaired without assessing property owners for road repaving.

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

Hodges: Reform of the City's closed pension funds.

Henry: To make sure that the city does not cut essential services provided to residents by using city funds as effectively as possible without resulting to large increases in property taxes.

Broberg: My goal for my term city wide would be to see a year when property taxes stay level or decrease and any future increases limited to inflation.