
ECONOMY
We deserve a vibrant, worker-centered economy.
Not long ago, Minneapolis led the state in worker protections. Our city government–both the City Council and the Mayor’s Office–worked together to pass innovative worker protection ordinances and an increased minimum wage because our elected officials recognized that our city is powered by workers. Our economy works best when we put workers and locally-owned small businesses first. Unfortunately, as mayor, Jacob Frey has prioritized the interests of wealthy developers and large corporations instead. When he vetoed the Labor Standards Board, he showed without a doubt he cares more about profits than people.
We deserve better.
We deserve a mayor who understands workers are the foundation of our economy. That means supporting workers in existing unions and ensuring that workers who want to unionize in Minneapolis are able to do so. It means standing up to businesses that engage in union-busting tactics and supporting the creation of a Labor Standards Board. Unionized workers earn higher wages and have better benefits and stronger job protection. I will help expand union membership as much as possible.
We deserve a mayor who knows that locally-owned small businesses are an essential part of thriving neighborhoods all over the city. Small, neighborhood businesses create jobs folks can get to without owning a car or losing hours of their day to a commute. Walkable neighborhoods with stores and restaurants not only make it possible for us to meet our needs close to home, they also give us opportunities to connect with neighbors. These kinds of interactions that benefit our community can’t happen if buildings and lots are vacant–usually due to land speculation or for tax write-offs for landlords. As mayor, I’ll prioritize policies that ensure our locally-owned, small businesses can thrive in every neighborhood in our city, including a commercial vacancy tax; collaborating with state and county government to promote entrepreneurship, especially among communities who have the lowest rates of business ownership; and tax incentives for small and medium businesses to encourage growth throughout the city.
We deserve a city that works for all of us. As mayor, I will prioritize economic policies that are worker-centered and promote the small businesses that support vibrant neighborhood communities.