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MINNEAPOLIS 2001 CITY CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE:
BRIAN HANNINEN
Candidate for City Council, Ward 2
Neighborhoods of Cedar-Riverside, Como, Downtown East, Elliot Park, Marcy-
Holmes, Prospect Park East River Road, Seward, and University
Comments:
I envision Minneapolis becoming a city that provides opportunities for all of its
residents to achieve fulfilling lives. The individual defines fulfillment whether
it is
defined by career, religion, family, art, physical exercise, music, philosophy, or
other fields of human endeavor. Government can assist individuals by investing
in public infrastructure, parks, commercial districts, housing, education,
consumer protection regulations, the courts, and all other facets of civic life. The
City of Minneapolis must continue to maintain and invest in the civic life of the
City. Residents must be engaged in the decisions that occur within their
neighborhoods and communities. Greater participation by individuals in civic life
will create the Community that all of us seek.
Under what circumstances would you support any public funding for sports
facilities intended primarily for the use of private professional teams?
I will support the public financing of sports facilities if both 1) the sports
facility
will advance the creation of community among the residents of the City and the
region; and 2) the City of Minneapolis receives a reasonable return on its
investment. For condition #1 to occur, the sports facility will have to work with
the residents of the surrounding neighborhood to identify how the facility could:
support the commercial success of community business; reduce concerns of
safety around the facility; provide meeting space for community events; and
support the philanthropic organizations within the neighborhood and Twin Cities
region. For condition #2 to occur, the professional sports team and the City
would have to reach agreement on the City's share of: concessions' sales,
revenue generated from luxury boxes, proceeds from advertising within and
outside the sports facility, as well as any other revenue-generating activities. The
project would also have to return to the property tax rolls as soon as financially
possible.
Under what circumstances would you support subsidies or special tax
breaks for for-profit corporations engaged in commercial development?
Business subsidies can be provided to strengthen the long-term economic
success of the residents and businesses within the City of Minneapolis. Among
the goals to be supported by business subsidies include: 1) new employment
opportunities; 2) livable wages; 3) support of local entrepreneurs; 4) brownfield
cleanup and redevelopment; and 5) repairs to the City's physical infrastructure.
Ideally business subsidies would go to local businesses that will create linkages
with several other local businesses. Development on brownfields is desired
because of the infrastructure already present at these sites and the need to
reduce the commercial development on farmland and natural areas in the
metropolitan region. The fiscal constraints faced by the City of Minneapolis and
the Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA) will require careful
selection of business subsidies and their recipients.
What is your position on domestic partner benefits for city employees?
Domestic partnerships, regardless of sexual orientation, should receive
medical and retirement benefits from the City. All workers must be able to help
support their families. Guidance from the State of Minnesota for a legal definition
of a domestic union would be helpful. However, the City should proceed to apply
benefits equally among its employees even if the State does not provide
guidance in this matter.
What, if any additional civilian oversight for the Minneapolis police
department do you support?
Will comment at a later time.
Do you have any proposals to address racial profiling and other racial
disparities in police encounters with citizens?
The elevation of racial profiling to public awareness has revealed the
underlying racial biases within the City of Minneapolis. The City and the region
have never acknowledged the discrimination that its residents, businesses, and
governments have practiced. I say "have practiced" because the stereotypes
with which we use to hire employees, to direct renters and homebuyers to
particular neighborhoods, and to inform clients of available services, are still
used. While discrimination is not as overt as it once was in Minneapolis, it still
exists. Racial profiling is, I think, more a reflection of the behavior of the
people
in the region rather than a reflection of Police Department policy. This is not to
say that I excuse the police for its treatment of citizens. On the contrary I
condemn both the actions of the Minneapolis Police Department and the actions
of the residents, businesses, and governments in the City and the surrounding
region.
I propose that the racial tensions among all parties in the City be dealt with
openly. A Citywide discussion of our racial past, present, and future should be
done. The City of Minneapolis should act as coordinator of such a community
discussion. The media outlets must be engaged to publicize the issue. Citizens
must be actively recruited to discuss and then act upon the proposals from such
discussions. The City of New Orleans had gone through just such an effort and
can be used as a model for us to consider.
As for the Minneapolis Police Department, all efforts should be made to
continually reinforce through training and management's actions that race can
not be used as a tool for providing public safety. I believe that the City of
Minneapolis should have a police department that continuously seeks to improve
its performance. I support investing in training, professional development, and
technology that can give the City a police department that serves its residents
effectively and equally.
What support or criticism do you express for current police department
practices such as the following:
- CODEFOR
- SAFE program
- Responses to political protests
Will comment at a later time.
Do you believe that police department leaders should have a role in
setting policy for the city government? If so, what do you believe
should be the scope and extent of that role?
Police department leaders should have a role in setting internal policy for the
Police Department. The City Council and the Mayor have responsibility for
establishing policies for the police department with regards to emphasis on public
safety initiatives, i.e. SAFE, community policing, CODEFOR, et cetera. Police
department officials have the responsibility for providing the city leaders with
information necessary to base decisions upon. This is true for all city agencies --
agency managers and staff provide information to the City Council and Mayor on
which sound and reasoned decisions can be based. All City agencies, including
the Police Department, are responsible for determining internal policies and
procedures that support the City Council's and Mayor's policies.
Do you support the city's policy of holding landlords and their property
accountable for the criminal actions of tenants, non-tenants and
passerby? What changes or enhancements to this policy, if any, would
you support?
Will comment at a later time.
How do you feel about the city's physical appearance?
The City of Minneapolis is a striking city. Its downtown and neighborhoods
are comparatively clean. The abandoned commercial and industrial buildings
can be magnets for arson and catalysts for neighborhood blight. These
properties must either be demolished or, preferably, be securely boarded up until
the properties can be sold for redevelopment. The aging sewer and water
system, which we can not see, should also be of concern to the City.
Do you believe that there is any problem with the amount of trash and
graffiti on the streets? What solutions would you propose?
Both trash and graffiti contribute to the perception of decline of a city.
Communities within Minneapolis will benefit as the occurrences of graffiti and
trash in our parks and on our streets decrease. I support waiting to allow the
City's current anti-graffiti program to have sufficient time to accurately evaluate
the results of the program. After an evaluation of the program is conducted, the
City Council and the Mayor can judge how to proceed.
I am a little wary of the City's attempt to have businesses sponsor trash
containers in front of their businesses. I hope that succeeds in keeping those
areas free of trash on the streets. If not, the City Council and the Mayor will have
to find money to provide this as a public service.
What initiatives would you propose to increase the supply of affordable
housing?
Will comment at a later time.
Do you support strengthening the living wage ordinance? If so,
describe.
Will comment at a later time.
What solutions or initiatives would you propose to improve the quality
of life in the most impoverished areas of the City?
Will comment at a later time.
Do you believe that the City should be committed to social
responsibility in determining its investments and business
transactions? For example, would you support the following:
- Refusal to contract with or invest with companies that use sweatshop
labor
- Refusal to contract with or invest in companies that are actively
involved with oppressive governments
The City should be socially responsible when using its financial resources.
The City should not encourage the use of labor practices that destroy the human
spirit such as sweatshops and child labor. I would support that the City refuse to
contract or invest with companies that use sweatshop labor.
The second suggested policy is more problematic. The problem arises in
defining oppressive governments. Is it a government without democratically
elected leaders, i.e., Vatican City? How does one define democratic -- is it
election by popular vote (Iran) or election by representatives of the people (the
U.S. Electoral College)? Is it oppressive when police confessions are the typical
means in determining guilt (Japan)? Is an oppressive government defined as
one with a large segment of a nation's population imprisoned (the U.S.)? Is an
oppressive government one that spends more money for its military than
reasonably needed for national defense (France)? I would support a policy that
forbids City agencies to have any business dealings with companies that are
actively involved with oppressive governments only if there is a universally
accepted definition of oppressive government. By "universally accepted" I mean
that this definition is not exclusively defined through Western belief systems.
What proposals would you advance to reduce the high levels of air
pollution in the city?
Will comment at a later time.
What level of priority and what initiatives would you support for
maintaining the quality and integrity of the lakes, creeks, and rivers
in the City?
Will comment at a later time.
Would you support any initiatives to encourage the use of organic
foods? If so, please describe.
Will comment at a later time.
Do you support the current noise plan for the airport? Do you support
moving the airport to another location? How would you go about
addressing the noise issues?
Will comment at a later time.
What is your analysis of the current process for distributing NRP funds?
Will comment at a later time.
What are your feelings and assessment of the diversity of people that
you would be representing, in terms of ethnicity, income, values, life
styles, age, and physical appearance? How will you be able to respect
and serve their needs? How will you balance the needs of different
groups whose concerns or interests my at times be in conflict?
Will comment at a later time.
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