Minneapolis Mayoral Election 2017

[amiller92]

Hoch had promoted FB posts about it too (actually never saw any from Dehn), and generally all the same talking points as the "worst mayor" article on his campaign FB page. Some was also speculating that "Anyone but Betsy" might be connected to Hoch on Twitter this morning too (coulda been one of you as I have trouble connecting y'all to real world names).

Regardless, I find Hoch's negative campaigning off putting.

But the whole field is underwhelming.

[David Greene]

I too have had the sense that Anyone but Betsy is a Hoch outfit.

Hoch is super annoying, I wish he'd just go away. All he does is complain and has yet to put forward any ideas at all.

[David Greene]

BTW, I went to Dehn's event in Whittier and liked what I heard. He's talking pragmatically. His answer to an affordable housing question was great, basically, "rent control has real problems but here are some other ideas," which of course I can't remember off the top of my head. Unfortunately I could only stay for a short while.

[amiller92]

Rent control should be totally off the table.

If you haven't done so, check out the responses to the WedgeLive MSP YIMBY surveys: http://www.wedgelive.com/2017/03/2017-w ... idate.html

Dehn's is generally decent, although this could be a terrible idea, depending on what he actually means: "Target increasing density to neighborhoods with no to low risk of gentrification" as could the bit about not "changing the tapestry/fabric of diverse neighborhoods."

I've focused more on the Ward 11 candidates on affordable housing. Mauter says she's for "all of the above," which I agree with as long as that doesn't include rent control (which I don't think she means to include) and both she and Schroeder have stressed more money for the housing trust, inclusionary zoning (done right, not sure on specifics), greater protections for renters, and building more. I swear Schroeder basically said "upzoning" during the convention Q&A without actually saying it.

[Didier]

Sorry I might have mixed up Hoch and Dehn. Can't remember which one it was. I was just surprised because I hadn't seen that specific complaint used against her.

[EOst]

I too have had the sense that Anyone but Betsy is a Hoch outfit.

Somehow I just don't think Hoch is this dumb:

[Silophant]

The Humphrey School had a business-focused mayoral forum today. Adam Belz live tweeted it.


Lol at running for mayor without having any idea how the property tax levy works.

[David Greene]

Bad link?

[amiller92]

Here: https://twitter.com/adambelz/status/872155757751541760

[FISHMANPET]

Looks like (from those tweets) that Hodges is the only person who actually understands property taxes.

[hiawather]

I'm more and more seeing the Nicollet Mall reconstruction being used against Betsy Hodges politically. ....Until recently I'd known there was a lot of frustration about the topic, but is this a relatively new thing that she's being directly blamed for it? And is it fair to blame her? I'm genuinely asking because I don't know; until now I'd never really connected her directly to the delays.

These are the questions that I've been asking myself all along. Minneapolis has a weak mayoral system and a strong city council, the project was pretty much planned out before her tenure, there were issues with bidding on part of the project, etc. But a well-reasoned, solid analysis of the Nicollet Mall reconstruction project is nowhere to be found unless one of you folks has some info. People are certainly taking stances and assigning blame, I just don't know that they're being fair.

And actually, wasn't the project always expected to last a long time given the amount of infrastructure work needed underground? Is it REALLY that far off-schedule? I've read several articles where people say it is actually on schedule but I'm skeptical of taking those statements at face value...is it on the original schedule or a revised schedule created after the bidding delays? I've been looking for the original projected timeline but am having little luck finding it. I see this article from 5/19/2015 projecting a grand opening this year...which seems to me that it's on schedule

http://nicollet.wpengine.com/wp-content ... 19.15-.pdf

I don't know if people have a legitimate gripe or if the realities of this project necessitated it taking a long time and people are exploiting widespread false impressions of it being behind schedule for political gain.

Once I have a solid, trustworthy answer to several questions about, I'll decide who to support for mayor. I like Hodges, Frey, Dehn so far but see no compelling reason to choose one over the other. Anyone misusing this long, complex project as a political weapon is disqualified in my eyes.

[amiller92]

I like Hodges, Frey, Dehn so far but see no compelling reason to choose one over the other. Anyone misusing this long, complex project as a political weapon is disqualified in my eyes.

Agreed on that last point, although the main person I've seen trying to do that is Hoch and he's said a bunch of things that are disqualifying in my eyes.

Dehn's "hunger strike" was also pretty much disqualifying. You're an elected official, you don't need a hunger strike to advocate for your position.

Which leaves me with Frey and Hodges. They young "progressive" who just happens to be tied into the existing power structure and the incumbent who occasionally stands up to it.

[David Greene]

People are certainly taking stances and assigning blame, I just don't know that they're being fair.

Politics isn't about being fair.

Dehn's "hunger strike" was also pretty much disqualifying. You're an elected official, you don't need a hunger strike to advocate for your position.

That wasn't the point of the action. It was an action of solidarity and I for one greatly appreciate what he did. I already supported Dehn and his actions reinforced my perception of him as someone who "gets it" with respect to race relations and other social challenges we're facing. Contrast what he did with what Dayton did and it's night and day.

[amiller92]

That wasn't the point of the action. It was an action of solidarity and I for one greatly appreciate what he did. I already supported Dehn and his actions reinforced my perception of him as someone who "gets it" with respect to race relations and other social challenges we're facing. Contrast what he did with what Dayton did and it's night and day.

He gets it. I don't think he gets how to get anything done.

[FISHMANPET]

Activists are important in our public life, as are Politicians. They perform different roles. I think activists make poor politicians, especially when they're more focused on drawing attention to issues than they are at actually legislating those issues.

[David Greene]

That wasn't the point of the action. It was an action of solidarity and I for one greatly appreciate what he did. I already supported Dehn and his actions reinforced my perception of him as someone who "gets it" with respect to race relations and other social challenges we're facing. Contrast what he did with what Dayton did and it's night and day.

He gets it. I don't think he gets how to get anything done.

People throw things like that out but I never really know what they mean in a particular context. We have a weak mayor system so it seems to me the best way for the mayor to "get things done" is to use the bully pulpit. Rybak did this very well, Hodges not so much. Hodges was great at creating responsible budgets. Being mayor is very different. I don't think "getting things done" or not at the legislature translates. In fact I would argue that in some ways a so-called "activist" might be better than a policy/procedure wonk in the mayor's office.

This is actually one of the reasons I'm puzzled at Frey's campaign. He seems to do well getting things done in the areas of policies and ordinances and the mayor's office could be frustrating for him if he thinks that's the route to do more of the same. If he wants to be mayor to push a larger vision but maybe not be super involved in the small details, then that is a good place to do that.

Activists are important in our public life, as are Politicians. They perform different roles. I think activists make poor politicians, especially when they're more focused on drawing attention to issues than they are at actually legislating those issues.

The mayor doesn't legislate and doesn't have much direct power to influence legislation. The mayor's primary tool is the bully pulpit - using public speeches and actions to encourage the community to push for things.

Ray got a *lot* done on the Northside in terms of working with the county to get true community participation on Bottineau and other transportation projects. He wasn't the only one of course but he played a significant role. I value that community-building skill way more than policy achievements in the mayor's office. He knows how to rally the community to influence policy-makers, which is exactly what the mayor in Minneapolis needs to do.

[FISHMANPET]

This was all over a budget thing, one of the few direct powers the mayor has. Would I rather my mayor in the room negotiating, or out of the room starving themselves? It was an outsider activist stunt done when he was an insider. It seems like the kind of thing that plays great to people that love gestures, not so well people that prefer concrete actions.

[EOst]

In fairness to Dehn, as a candidate he wouldn't be in the room whether he hunger-striked or not. If there's ever a time to make symbolic gestures, it's during the campaign for an office you don't hold.

[David Greene]

NONE of the rank-and-file legislators were at the negotiating​ table. Even DFL legislative leadership had little influence on the governor from what I've heard. Literally the only thing most legislators could do is work with the public to apply pressure from the outside, which is exactly what Dehn did.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[hiawather]

People are certainly taking stances and assigning blame, I just don't know that they're being fair.

Politics isn't about being fair.

This misses the point. Since the discussion was about who is and is not worthy of support, the fact that people are trying to hang something on Hodges that really isn't her fault and that no mayor would likely do better is a worthwhile consideration. I'm rather lukewarm about Hodges, and I feel the same about pretty much all the candidates, but I think nipping false narratives in the bud is an important thing to do in any discussion like this.