RECENT PRESS Sahan Journal MPR: What's on your ballot? Find out here!
An endorsement of sorts
NAOMI KRITZER
Naomi Kritzer is a regular blogger on local politics. She leans a little more left than I usually do, but she did give credit where due. To be honest, I was not her first choice, but she said I might be others’. I’ll take it. (FYI, I served on the Race Equity advisory because they were not getting applicants. On the second round of requests, I applied. They accepted. Maybe nobody tried for the W11 seat. It was my first glimpse behind the curtain of Mpls. City Hall. It was. . .interesting.
Jim Meyer sent me an e-mail last month making a case for himself that included the amusing and honestly kind of accurate line, “I don’t know if I am exactly your cup of tea, but Ward 11 doesn’t produce too many Our Revolutionaries.” I mean, yeah, this is valid. Jim is a former journalist turned LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and running as a budget hawk. Unlike a lot of fringe candidates Jim has some actual civic service experience; he serves on the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on Aging. This makes sense (he worked at a nursing home) but he also served on the city’s Racial Equity Advisory in 2018; this makes less sense to me (he’s a white guy). Anyway, if what you want is a budget hawk, he might be your pick; he at least has a little political experience and is not coming at this 100% from a “how hard could politics possibly be? I’ll just do what The People want!” perspective.
MPR asked me ...
Why are you running?
In addition to poor crime prevention, aging infrastructure and questionable new streets, elected leaders are in denial about our financial health. Minneapolis has become business-hostile/tax-friendly. Tax increases are larger than ever and will likely remain so because leaders take taxpayers for granted. But I sense they are losing patience with a council out of focus. I also fear our endorsed candidate may join a supermajority of free-spenders at a time when we need moderate balance.
What life or professional experiences led you to seek this position?
I was on the Minneapolis Racial Equity Advisory in 2018. With a peek behind the curtain, I felt the city had lost focus on the essentials and we've seen the effects. Downtown development was lowest among the council's priorities then and it still shows. I also worked at the State of Minnesota where I saw bloated, ineffective and strange mismanagement. When I door-knock, locals are really fed up with the waste and fraud. I get it. I think faith in our once-proud governments is fading.