Minneapolis City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Story
Minneapolis approves $2.03 billion 2026 budget after heated debate
Public Safety and Police Accountability
Immigrant Community Support and Worker Rights
Economic Development and Neighborhood Vitality
Environmental Action and Climate Resilience
Housing and Homelessness
Votes (9)
Resolution Proposing 2025 Property Tax Levies Payable in 2026
Dissent: None
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:23:00] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This resolution sought to formally approve the city's property tax levies for the upcoming fiscal year. There was no public discussion on this specific motion.
2026 General Appropriation Resolution (and associated amendments)
Dissent: None
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:24:00] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This overarching resolution fixed the maximum amounts to be expended by city operating departments. It incorporated several amendments that had been debated and passed by the council prior to the final vote. Key amendments included changes to financial policies requiring settlement agreement cost reporting, funding for the City Auditor's office, a new cultural activation grant, protected funding for civilian investigators, and revised allocations for immigration legal services and housing vouchers.
Six-Year Capital Improvement Program (2026-2031)
Dissent: Council Member Jenkins, Council Member Palmisano, Council Member Vita, Council Member Osman (changed vote from Aye to Nay after initial recordation).
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:46:30] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
The program outlines capital projects for the next six years. A primary point of contention was the police training facility, which was a significant component of the plan. Council Member Palmisano expressed her inability to support the entire plan due to this facility, highlighting a previous close vote on the specific item.
Bonding Resolutions ($213,11,460 total)
Dissent: None
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:49:00] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
Three resolutions were presented to authorize the city to incur indebtedness and issue bonds for various purposes, as reflected in the capital program.
Resolution Setting Rates for Municipal Utility Services (Effective Jan 1, 2026)
Dissent: None
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:50:00] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This resolution established the new rates for water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste services for the upcoming year.
Budget Committee Report: Legislative Directives and Resolutions (Package Vote)
Dissent: None
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:51:00] · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
A package of directives and resolutions from the Budget Committee was considered, excluding items pulled for separate votes. This included legislative directives on emergency housing vouchers, updates on the non-fatal shooting task force, procurement of an enterprise policy management system, and reclassification of City Clerk's office employees.
Resolution and Legislative Directive: Community Connections Conference (Item #2 from Budget Committee Report)
Dissent: Council Member Cashman
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:51:00] (as part of package, then pulled) · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This item pertained to a future community connections conference.
Resolution: Urging termination of the city's contract with Zen City (Item #3 from Budget Committee Report)
Dissent: Council Member Palmisano
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:51:00] (as part of package, then pulled) · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This resolution urged the termination of the city's contract with Zen City.
Resolution: Setting annual salaries for the Mayor and Council members for the 2026 through 2029 term (Item #7 from Budget Committee Report)
Dissent: Council Member Chavez
Moved by Vice President Chugai [01:51:00] (as part of package, then pulled) · Seconded by Not explicitly stated, but implied as motion carried.
This resolution set the salaries for the Mayor and Council members for their upcoming term.
Notable Quotes (6)
This financial policy is a common sense way to ensure that there is accurate centralized regular reporting on all costs uh related to the settlement agreement implementation uh processes. Taxpayers need to know that we are stewarding public resources responsibly as we implement the settlement agreement. And the agreement will bring our police into compliance with human rights law as well as constitutional law um should the DOG uh pro provisions also be adhered to. Um but while we're making sure that we're prioritizing that compliance, it should also be done in a cost-effective way and not treat it as a blank check to MPD.
This program is designed to strengthen local economies, activate commercial corridors, and celebrate a rich cultural diversity that defines our city. Cultural celebrations such as but not limited to Junth Somali Heritage Month, Indigenous People's Day, Latino Heritage Month, and communitydriven celebrations. Um, these events generate academic activity, attracting foot traffic, supporting local vendors and entrepreneurs, and creating opportunities for artists and performers, and expanding markets for small and emerging businesses.
I will be reluctantly supporting this um this amendment. I want to point out, if I'm keeping track right, that this is now $2.4 million taken from the downtown assets fund so far in the amendments. And um yesterday, city controller Hargrave cautioned us that this fund is softening. Let's be careful with um how often we dip into it. Let's be careful how much we're transferring.
I have heard loud and clear from residents across the city as well as from my colleagues that we want to see both a growth in our sworn um and civilian investigative staff in order to advance the city's overall goal of helping MPD solve its more than 5,000 backlog cases um and ultimately improve safety for all communities across the city. Uh MPD currently budgets for 29 civilian investigators, 11 of which are assigned to the use of force internal affairs division. Uh the budget for these investigators, including the two civilian FTE positions that council restored last Friday, equals to $3.6 million for the 31 positions. uh this budget earmarks funding so that these positions are prioritized within MPD's budget and are not sacrificed again as justification for implementing other uh budget amendments or safety uh programs um at the discretion of the mayor and MPD.
The funding source we we chose was uh by working with council vice president Chucktai and the administration on uh extra reserves funds that we found. So I just wanted to at least add that reasoning. We are increasing this funding stream uh based on the conversations we have had with various immigration legal experts into the need that we have right now uh in our community.
Um a as we spoke about at length um this police training facility that has been worked on for six years is a big part of the capital program and a big part of our bonding ask that is important to me. I won't be able to support this capital plan. I know it is for many many more things than just that training facility.
Ordinances & Resolutions (39)
The city's overall fiscal plan for operations and capital expenditures for the upcoming year.
The proposed fiscal plan presented by the Mayor for city operations in 2026, totaling $2.03 billion.
Ordinance related to fees from energy bills, which advocates propose dedicating to climate action and energy savings.
Amendment proposed to focus franchise fee revenue on energy savings programs like Green Cost Share.
Amendment proposed to support energy utilities and assistance programs.
Amendment proposed for zero waste initiatives, including composting and recycling, funding within the solid waste and recycling division.
A community-led plan for the 38th and Chicago corridor, advocating for infrastructure, economic tools, cultural programming, and memorial spaces.
Demands made within a week of George Floyd's murder, some of which are still unmet, related to George Floyd Square.
Existing city plans from 2017 with a goal of 80% recycling or composting by 2030.
State law governing public data, mentioned in the context of meeting recordings and broadcasts.
City system for accessing public records related to legislative actions, including the 2026 budget.
An amendment related to the city's financial policies.
An amendment to Chapter 10 of financial policies requiring quarterly reports on the full and forecasted costs of implementing the settlement agreement between the city and MDHR.
An amendment to accommodate the rollover of an appropriation for the city auditor's office remodel, enabling the team to be officed together in City Hall.
An amendment establishing a grant program to support culturally significant events and festivals across Minneapolis, aiming to strengthen local economies and celebrate diversity.
An amendment earmarking $3.6 million within MPD's budget to prioritize and protect funding for 31 existing civilian investigator positions, preventing their sacrifice for other budget amendments.
Agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, requiring significant reforms within MPD.
A revised amendment increasing one-time funding for immigration legal services, utilizing extra reserves from school-based clinics to meet rising community needs.
A revised amendment related to the 'Speak Minneapolis' initiative, with a change in the identified funding source.
A revised amendment related to cultural media programming, with a change in the identified funding source.
An amendment supporting a rollover of 2025 one-time costs for administrative needs related to the Emergency Housing Voucher program, making $400,000 available in 2026.
Resolution formally approving the property tax levies for the city for the 2026 fiscal year.
Resolution fixing the maximum amounts to be expended by various city departments for fiscal year 2026.
Program outlining capital projects and their funding over a six-year period.
Resolutions requesting the Board of Estimate and Taxation to authorize the city to incur indebtedness and issue bonds totaling over $213 million for specific purposes.
Resolution establishing new rates for water, sewer, stormwater, and solid waste services effective January 1, 2026.
An item from the Budget Committee Report pertaining to a future community conference.
An item from the Budget Committee Report proposing to end the city's contract with a specific vendor.
An item from the Budget Committee Report mandating regular updates on a public safety task force and police department performance.
Items from the Budget Committee Report dealing with appropriations and directives for emergency housing vouchers.
An item from the Budget Committee Report establishing future salaries for elected officials.
An addendum item from the Budget Committee Report related to funding for a new policy management system.
An addendum item from the Budget Committee Report concerning staffing changes within the City Clerk's office.
A program managed by Meet Minneapolis that provides funding for events, mentioned in comparison to a new cultural activation grant.
Neighborhood Revitalization Program, mentioned as a past successful funding source for neighborhood organizations.
A city project where neighborhood organizations assist with public engagement.
A city project implemented by neighborhood organizations.
Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, referenced in relation to emergency housing vouchers.
A program whose fiscal cliff is addressed by emergency housing voucher funding.