Our picks for Minneapolis' 10th, 11th and 12th Wards

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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A high-intensity City Council race has unfolded in the high-intensity 10th Ward of south Minneapolis, a densely populated urban enclave encompassing Uptown and adjacent neighborhoods.

Incumbent Aisha Chughtai carries endorsements from both the DFL and the Democratic Socialists of America, but she declined to seek the Star Tribune Editorial Board's endorsement or to interview with editorial writers (aishaforward10.com). She explained in an email that the Editorial Board had made clear its "disagreement with my agenda."

While the Editorial Board would have valued exploring Chughtai's views, it is true that her positions on key city issues often differ from ours. She told the Star Tribune voter guide that she favors a strict rent control regime, opposes removal of homeless encampments and sees no need for additional funding for police.

Challenger Nasri Warsame, a Somali immigrant and aspiring police officer, regrettably became known to the public mainly through a well-publicized fracas at the 10th Ward DFL endorsing convention last spring (nasriwarsame.com). The party assigned blame for the confusing and embarrassing disorder to Warsame's supporters and expelled him. He has apologized forthrightly for any misbehavior among his purported backers.

Meanwhile, as a candidate, Warsame is clear, well-informed and focused intently on the increased crime he says is plaguing his ward (the 10th Ward leads the city in car thefts and carjackings so far this year, and ranks second in robberies). He wants to see increased police funding directed to hiring minority officers. He opposes rigid rent control.

Dachis is direct, plain-spoken and pragmatic. Every issue ultimately concerns public safety, he says. Police in his view need more funding, more reform and more support. He would push a major effort to fight the opioid crisis and with it the homelessness crisis. He opposes rent control and other policies that make building and owning affordable housing more difficult. He calls for more attention to roads and parking and more support for small businesses, particularly in the Uptown area where so many have closed in recent difficult years.

Also on the ballot is Greg Kline, an information security analyst who declined to seek the newspaper's endorsement.

The Editorial Board recommends Bruce Dachis. His energy, sensible views on the issues, deep community roots and hands-on understanding of business realities in Minneapolis would be a uniquely valuable addition to the council.

Residents of the south-central 11th Ward in Minneapolis are well represented by City Council Member Emily Koski, who earns the Star Tribune Editorial Board's endorsement for a second term (emilykoskiformpls.com.) Elected with our backing in 2021, Koski has deepened her understanding of key issues and policymaking processes in two years, becoming something of a bridge builder as well as a leading pragmatic voice on key choices facing city leaders.

DFL-endorsed, Koski is a champion of affordable housing, including its development in the 11th Ward, where single-family homes dominate. But she opposes rigid rent control, arguing that abundant evidence shows it to be ineffective and counterproductive. She calls for efforts to address the underlying causes of homelessness and provide safe and stable housing for all, but says allowing homeless encampments to remain is not a solution.

Koski is upbeat and energized, long active in community affairs and organizations, and a familiar presence among the residents, neighborhoods and business owners in the 11th Ward. She sees a fulfilling opportunity in the new strong-mayor governance structures put in place in City Hall in recent years, a chance for council members to play a key and better-defined role in charting a new course for Minneapolis. She resists the image of a council divided between ideological factions, promising to consider issues on their merits and forge alliances wherever they serve the common good.

Also seeking the 11th Ward seat is Gabrielle Prosser of the Socialist Workers Party. A baker and union activist, Prosser is an ardent advocate for working-class solidarity and organization, calling for working people to fight for their common class interests and end the capitalist system. She has few specific positions on current city issues, although she opposes calls to defund or abolish the police.

Three candidates stepped up in the race to succeed three-term Council Member Andrew Johnson in this southeastern Minneapolis ward when he decided not to run for re-election. The winner will take the seat earlier than other elected candidates because Johnson is leaving the position early to take another job.

Of the choices, foundation fundraiser Luther Ranheim stands out as the best fit for the ward and the council (lutherforward12.com). Ranheim grew up on the South Side and has three decades of experience with financial services, social services, arts organizations and community volunteering. His experience raising money and understanding budgets is a plus. Ranheim told editorial writers that he believes in "progressive but pragmatic governing" — not grandstanding.

On rent control, he rightly opposes a strict 3% rent control cap with no exceptions because it would work against the significant progress Minneapolis has made on maintaining and developing affordable housing.

He takes a sensible approach to the problem of homeless encampments, arguing that the city shouldn't allow them because of the dangers they pose but must also find ways to provide more dignified shelter. He also favors increasing the Minneapolis Police Department's budget, including enough to bring the sworn force up to a minimum of 731.

Also running are DFL- and Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed Aurin Chowdhury, who has been a community organizer and policy aide to two City Council members, and Nancy Ford, owner of a repair shop in the ward (aurinchowdhury.org, nancyforward12.com).

Chowdhury has a well-organized campaign and knows the inner workings of city government. She has done some impressive work on climate issues. She has not committed to a particular percentage but believes the city should have a rent stabilization policy. During the campaign, she has said she supports deep police reforms and funding for 731 sworn officers; however, some of her past social media posts called for fewer officers and reducing the police budget.

Ford also knows city issues well and says that affordable housing, crime and the opioid and fentanyl crisis are top concerns in the ward. She opposes rent control, supports adding police officers and would be a good second choice after Ranheim.

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