Counterpoint | Jacob Frey’s critics would rather see him fail than Minneapolis succeed

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We are living in severely polarized and divisive times. Make no mistake about it, our elected leaders can either contribute to this divisiveness or work to bring people together. Throughout his time in office and our years working together, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has always been motivated by his fierce optimism, his advocacy of what’s best for the city and bringing people together for the common good.

So, it was disconcerting to see a headline in the Minnesota Star Tribune laying the blame for the divisiveness at City Hall on the mayor (“Mayor Jacob Frey and his polarizing politics,” Eric Roper column, Sept. 18). That framing misses the reality: Too often, some on the City Council are more focused on seeing the mayor fail than on helping Minneapolis succeed.

As with all conflicts there are different perspectives by those involved, and I wanted to share mine.

In my previous roles working in the construction trades, the Metropolitan Council, and now the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District, I’ve learned how important it is to approach nuanced and controversial issues with common sense and balance to achieve the best possible result. This is true whether it’s dealing with the public and private sectors or business and labor. Frey has demonstrated a similar approach successfully employing poise, measured action and ultimately strong leadership to overcome the adversity our city has faced and positioned it for continued economic recovery.

In some of the most difficult policy discussions at City Hall in recent years, it was the mayor who reached out to all stakeholders, worked to find consensus and ultimately held the line on positions that would do imminent harm to Minneapolis’s economic growth.

What should have been hailed as an opportunity for consensus became a political football for council members who chose to play economic disrupter, risking convention and hotel business and wreaking havoc on drivers, tourists and businesses. Council members were openly hoping Uber/Lyft would exit the market, no matter the cost of the damage.

I am grateful that Frey continues to stand up to harmful policy ideas and works together when common ground can be found.

Now is the time to turn the page on ideological extremism. Now is the time to assert that Minneapolis will recover as the cultural soul, the social capital and the economic engine of the region and the state. And for that, we need leaders who can be resolute in their vision for the city and fuel change in these divisive times.