The Minneapolis City Council passes drug paraphernalia decriminalization and a pre-eviction notice extension, but the meeting exposed deep divisions over policy, process, and who speaks for the body
I’ve been pondering lately, maybe the city needs to completely implode before it can heal. My sense is that DSA-aligned council members believe their dogmatic approach is justified by the voters. I don’t see that changing until they’re voted out.
The pendulum swung too far left in Portland and SF. Both suffered, both corrected. Let’s hope we don’t have to go full Detroit.
Yes, though the concern I have about seeing a correction is that it is too easy to leave Minneapolis without giving up very much: go to St Paul or adjacent suburbs. (Further aided by the decline in retail, entertainment, and dining relative to the suburbs - Uptown is hardly the epicenter of nightlife it once was, Downtown's energy level is entirely dependent on sporting or concert events at this point.) Thus, many people who have had enough exit, and more who think the DSA path is a great plan enter.
SF shifted with the new mayor. Portland also corrected on the "legalize drugs" experiment it ran (which was based on Portugal, which also reversed itself).
But Portland is still a disaster and just started with a new strong mayor system in 2025.
I think the strong mayor system encourages games, not collaboration. I largely don't agree with the DSA, but they're playing the game the only way they can in a more "efficient" form of government.
@Mike I think what we should also wrestle with is that their approach is supported enough voters who participate in city elections. I live in Ward 10 that went something like 60% to the DSA aligned candidate despite a good candidate who made an opposing case. That's strong support. I don't like it because I disagree, but that's democracy!
The arrogance of Payne to think he speaks for the council is appalling. He and his group on the council are crushing our city, and they don’t care. I whole heartedly agree with your comments on Casey Carl, he has a really tough job, and does amazing work. How he keeps his cool demeanor is beyond me. We are so lucky to have him.
Based on your commentary I just watched the April 23 meeting; sort of like watching a car wreck, it's awful but you can't look away. Here's an observation I haven't seen yet in the comments: after an hour or so of debate on the council president's letter, CM Warren moved to call the question, a motion that passed 12-1. That result means no more discussion, but rather, moving directly to a vote. Instead of doing that, though, Council President Payne proceeded to make another statement, at least as long as any that had come before, defending his actions in writing the letter and including it in the file. No one called him on ignoring the call the question motion.
Well, within his lengthy soliloquy, he virtually admitted what the Palmvilles on the council accused him of, which is speaking for the entire council when his letter only reflected the views of the Chugleys. He said he only ran the letter by those members who had voted not to confirm the reappointment of Commissioner Barnette. In effect, he admitted to excluding six out of 13 council members from having any say in whether the letter would be written and if so what it would say. After extolling the virtues of democracy several times, Mr. Payne seemed proud of hushing the voices of six council members and the 198,000 Minneapolis residents they represent.
If the much-discussed council member team-building retreat actually happens, it will take facilitation talent comparable to the Camp David Accords to bring this Council majority into a posture of constructive and productive leadership.
If we are lucky some of our illustrious city council will be arrested for fraud, racketeering or some other anti-American activity. The Feds are tracing missing federal funds so there is always a chance some will have found it's way into either their pockets or someone they know. That being said, I suspect the bulk of the city leaders are just too stupid to understand that they are in the process of destroying our city through crime and bankruptcy. It's my belief that someone in the background is feeding their massive narcissistic egos with compliments and suggestions for more great groundbreaking ideas. If I am right they really are not capable of seeing it, at least not in a way that does not affect them personally.
The real question is how do we get voters to see the irresponsible city council leaders for what they are? How do we get them to see beyond the lies. To understand that a society requires give and take along with the idea that complete equal and fair does not exist, anywhere.
It’s a good thing that you and others are doing, trying to inform and enlighten the voters of the city. Is it possible that not enough people are paying attention?
It is quite unfortunately, related to the last local election, that there was not a different outcome in at least one, maybe two of the Wards, 1, 2, 8 9, 10, and 12, so we are just OFF one or two.
If the goal of members of the DSA is to disrupt, and ultimately break a city, whether through its work to demonstrate that capitalism does not work and that maintaining armed law enforcement and separating certain people from society is wrong and unnecessary, these DSA adherents are developing EXACTLY what they wanted, and why they got on the council in a city like Mpls.
Nothing this faction has done has been helpful for business and our the tax base. We see clearly, by their vigorous attempts to destabilize the MPD, which requires them to do damage to anything OR anyone connected to law enforcement, that they are involved in the activities that work for THEM, and their cause.
Without a recall function available for city council members, I know, personally, that people are planning on an exit from Mpls, really feeling forced out. St Paul, while impacted by everything that happens in Mpls, they are also going to benefit now by people setting up home and shop there instead.
Right about now, hard not to thoroughly ENVY the people of St Paul in having only 7 council members, all of which are part time.
You need good candidates who know how to play the caucus game. If you fly in outsiders, like what we saw in 2025 in Ward 1, 2, 12 and *maybe* 10, you're going to lose. The candidates in those races had no chance of swaying the local ward caucus goers because they were not known entities, to say nothing of their political beliefs.
Councilmember Chowdhury was a policy aide for Jason Chavez prior to winning election in 2023, and also was endorsed by her predecessor Andrew Johnson. Regardless of where she lived growing up, she was both an insider and a "known quantity" which helps in the endorsement process. I guarantee you there's at least 1 reasonable candidate in Ward 12, but that person needs to get active in the area, get known, and that will go a long way, even if the person is "moderate" in a DSA-accepting area like Ward 12.
Conflicts between platform positions of the DFL and DSA.
The DFL and DSA platforms conflict on key issues, including public safety, economics, foreign policy. For example, the DSA website says: “Capitalism is a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit”. (The Democratic Party does not reject capitalism). DSA platform positions have included abolishing police, ending incarceration, replacing the US Constitution with one that instantiates socialism. (The Democratic Party does not take these positions.)
The democratic party is a failure. They have invited the DSA in even though the party platforms are completely different. The DSA should not be part of the DFL! Far left socialist radicals do not belong in the DFL. Future elections will show how many people have fled the DFL and what a colossal failure of leadership has shown allowing DSA members to
I'd qualify that to say the CITY DFL is a disaster and has been taken over by the DSA. But the state DFL,while far from perfect, hasn't lost their marbles entirely. When I attend the annual DFL dinners I'm always heartened by the number of pragmatic leaders, often rural, who speak or receive awards, and by what a big tent party it still is.
In recent years I've noticed that those in the state legislature who represent Mpls or St. Paul now tilt much father left than the suburban and rural DFLers, and that is a divide seen all across the country. And it bodes ill, or at least a case of jitters, for the fall elections.
"Anya Smith-Kooiman, who serves as Fateh’s communications manager and a legislative assistant for a DFL senator, retweeted a post calling reports of sexual violence on October 7th “propaganda,” retweeted another post calling Oct. 7 and Hamas “the resistance” and celebrating their accomplishments, and – in a deleted Tweet – said “Zionists should fuck off.”
Susan, I would agree that some of the non-urban leaders are more pragmatic. Yet, when votes are taken on what might be viewed as more lefty policies, the DFL tends to vote in lockstep.
The DFL never should have allowed endorsements of DSAers. Now the DSA is running so many divisions of the DFL Party (including the Senior Caucus!), that the DFL is basically the DSA and its enablers.
It’s hard to fathom that the DFL actively helped a non-DFLer, socialist Wonsley, get elected in Ward 2. The DFL allowed the deck to be stacked so that no candidate would get the DFL endorsement and therefore mount a vigorous challenge to her, a situation that didn’t get nearly the attention it should have.
Ken Martin, the former state DFL chair, was complicit in the rise of the DSA/far left within the Democratic Party. Many lifelong DFL members warned him about this. So what do the national Democrats do? Make him the DNC chair.
I don't necessarily agree with all the characteristics of the DSA that are shared in these comments. I live in an extremely left ward, so I know a lot of people personally who hold these views. That said I do think the caucuses are playing a strong role in driving the State DFL left, and it would be better if the DSA and other strong left DFLers had to compete in a system more accessible to the median voter. I attended my local caucus last time and enjoyed it, but I didn't think it's currently healthy for the state party.
Sam, most or all of these statements of position are on the DSA’s own website.
Also, a lot of lefties defend the DSA, saying “even though I don’t agree with some of it.” The fact is, most of what the DSA stands for is far from where the general electorate stands. Thus, if the Dems don’t course correct, they are going to have a tough go of it nationally in the longterm, even if they do well in the upcoming midterms.
Hi Madeline, I agree that if the positions are public on the DSA website it's fair game! What I meant is that putting aside factual statements of DSA party positions, I don't agree with some of the descriptions of the DSA folks characters or motivations that are opinions of the writers.
Sam, thanks for clarifying. I see your point. I do think some of the people who are DSA or DSA-adjacent (and the people they claim to be helping) would not actually want to live in the world they are advocating for.
For any city council or mayoral candidate to get an endorsement by the DSA, after they have been vetted, they are required to agree to ADVANCE the clearly stated goals of the DSA.
Based on your commentary I just watched the April 23 meeting; sort of like watching a car wreck, it's awful but you can't look away. Here's an observation I haven't seen yet in the comments: after an hour or so of debate on the council president's letter, CM Warren moved to call the question, a motion that passed 12-1. That result means no more discussion, but rather, moving directly to a vote. Instead of doing that, though, Council President Payne proceeded to make another statement, at least as long as any that had come before, defending his actions in writing the letter and including it in the file. No one called him on ignoring the call the question motion.
Well, within his lengthy soliloquy, he virtually admitted what the Palmvilles on the council accused him of, which is speaking for the entire council when his letter only reflected the views of the Chugleys. He said he only ran the letter by those members who had voted not to confirm the reappointment of Commissioner Barnette. In effect, he admitted to excluding six out of 13 council members from having any say in whether the letter would be written and if so what it would say. After extolling the virtues of democracy several times, Mr. Payne seemed proud of hushing the voices of six council members and the 198,000 Minneapolis residents they represent.
If the much-discussed council member team-building retreat actually happens, it will take facilitation talent comparable to the Camp David Accords to bring this Council majority into a posture of constructive and productive leadership.
I see our city council is taking on another state legislation issue of data centers. Do they not understand that with a 50/50 congress there might be consequences for attempting to do their job? Do they care? Like the Feds, the state can cut funds as well.
Regarding the Payne letter and what CM Palmisano had to say about it...😯
Important viewing from this Council meeting on Thurs, 4/23, begins a little after 3:18 on the clock/ the counter, or 3 hours and 18 minutes into the mtg, below.
The structure of city council needs to change in order to weed out special interest groups. It isn’t DSA vs the rest. It’s special interest groups looking for their own wishes instead of running the government. Sorry, I can’t help, as I’m in Saint Small. Our city council is much better.
Shows you what I know. I used to live in Seward and didn’t understand why the DFL couldn’t or wouldn’t help a candidate there. We were not all DSA members, that’s for sure!
We have to look at the DSA influence on the Met Council as well, the manage or possibly miss-manage a lot of funds and they are seeking more power. If we are not careful they will take the power from our individual cities for the greater good of all.
I’ve been pondering lately, maybe the city needs to completely implode before it can heal. My sense is that DSA-aligned council members believe their dogmatic approach is justified by the voters. I don’t see that changing until they’re voted out.
The pendulum swung too far left in Portland and SF. Both suffered, both corrected. Let’s hope we don’t have to go full Detroit.
Yes, though the concern I have about seeing a correction is that it is too easy to leave Minneapolis without giving up very much: go to St Paul or adjacent suburbs. (Further aided by the decline in retail, entertainment, and dining relative to the suburbs - Uptown is hardly the epicenter of nightlife it once was, Downtown's energy level is entirely dependent on sporting or concert events at this point.) Thus, many people who have had enough exit, and more who think the DSA path is a great plan enter.
SF shifted with the new mayor. Portland also corrected on the "legalize drugs" experiment it ran (which was based on Portugal, which also reversed itself).
But Portland is still a disaster and just started with a new strong mayor system in 2025.
I think the strong mayor system encourages games, not collaboration. I largely don't agree with the DSA, but they're playing the game the only way they can in a more "efficient" form of government.
@Mike I think what we should also wrestle with is that their approach is supported enough voters who participate in city elections. I live in Ward 10 that went something like 60% to the DSA aligned candidate despite a good candidate who made an opposing case. That's strong support. I don't like it because I disagree, but that's democracy!
Quite impressive the changes being made in San Francisco, and after a short period of time....
SF's Comeback: What's Actually Changed in 2026 | Ask Me SF
https://askmesf.com/sf-comeback-2026/
*******
Video San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie reflects on first year in office - ABC News
https://abcnews.com/video/128889518/
*****
Watch "SFPD says drones have helped crime drop; some concerned over privacy" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/4lSb1sV5t9M?si=FwFYm0cqvDg0jUUW
No one covers this stuff the way you do Terry, thanks for suffering through it so the rest of us don't have to!
The arrogance of Payne to think he speaks for the council is appalling. He and his group on the council are crushing our city, and they don’t care. I whole heartedly agree with your comments on Casey Carl, he has a really tough job, and does amazing work. How he keeps his cool demeanor is beyond me. We are so lucky to have him.
Based on your commentary I just watched the April 23 meeting; sort of like watching a car wreck, it's awful but you can't look away. Here's an observation I haven't seen yet in the comments: after an hour or so of debate on the council president's letter, CM Warren moved to call the question, a motion that passed 12-1. That result means no more discussion, but rather, moving directly to a vote. Instead of doing that, though, Council President Payne proceeded to make another statement, at least as long as any that had come before, defending his actions in writing the letter and including it in the file. No one called him on ignoring the call the question motion.
Well, within his lengthy soliloquy, he virtually admitted what the Palmvilles on the council accused him of, which is speaking for the entire council when his letter only reflected the views of the Chugleys. He said he only ran the letter by those members who had voted not to confirm the reappointment of Commissioner Barnette. In effect, he admitted to excluding six out of 13 council members from having any say in whether the letter would be written and if so what it would say. After extolling the virtues of democracy several times, Mr. Payne seemed proud of hushing the voices of six council members and the 198,000 Minneapolis residents they represent.
If the much-discussed council member team-building retreat actually happens, it will take facilitation talent comparable to the Camp David Accords to bring this Council majority into a posture of constructive and productive leadership.
Your dedication to improving the city is to be applauded. Watching the meeting was a test.
would like be be a fly on the wall for that leadership retreat.
If we are lucky some of our illustrious city council will be arrested for fraud, racketeering or some other anti-American activity. The Feds are tracing missing federal funds so there is always a chance some will have found it's way into either their pockets or someone they know. That being said, I suspect the bulk of the city leaders are just too stupid to understand that they are in the process of destroying our city through crime and bankruptcy. It's my belief that someone in the background is feeding their massive narcissistic egos with compliments and suggestions for more great groundbreaking ideas. If I am right they really are not capable of seeing it, at least not in a way that does not affect them personally.
The real question is how do we get voters to see the irresponsible city council leaders for what they are? How do we get them to see beyond the lies. To understand that a society requires give and take along with the idea that complete equal and fair does not exist, anywhere.
It’s a good thing that you and others are doing, trying to inform and enlighten the voters of the city. Is it possible that not enough people are paying attention?
It is quite unfortunately, related to the last local election, that there was not a different outcome in at least one, maybe two of the Wards, 1, 2, 8 9, 10, and 12, so we are just OFF one or two.
If the goal of members of the DSA is to disrupt, and ultimately break a city, whether through its work to demonstrate that capitalism does not work and that maintaining armed law enforcement and separating certain people from society is wrong and unnecessary, these DSA adherents are developing EXACTLY what they wanted, and why they got on the council in a city like Mpls.
Nothing this faction has done has been helpful for business and our the tax base. We see clearly, by their vigorous attempts to destabilize the MPD, which requires them to do damage to anything OR anyone connected to law enforcement, that they are involved in the activities that work for THEM, and their cause.
Without a recall function available for city council members, I know, personally, that people are planning on an exit from Mpls, really feeling forced out. St Paul, while impacted by everything that happens in Mpls, they are also going to benefit now by people setting up home and shop there instead.
Right about now, hard not to thoroughly ENVY the people of St Paul in having only 7 council members, all of which are part time.
You need good candidates who know how to play the caucus game. If you fly in outsiders, like what we saw in 2025 in Ward 1, 2, 12 and *maybe* 10, you're going to lose. The candidates in those races had no chance of swaying the local ward caucus goers because they were not known entities, to say nothing of their political beliefs.
The ward 12 city council person is not from Ward 12. She is from Woodbury and was able to get the endorsement.
Councilmember Chowdhury was a policy aide for Jason Chavez prior to winning election in 2023, and also was endorsed by her predecessor Andrew Johnson. Regardless of where she lived growing up, she was both an insider and a "known quantity" which helps in the endorsement process. I guarantee you there's at least 1 reasonable candidate in Ward 12, but that person needs to get active in the area, get known, and that will go a long way, even if the person is "moderate" in a DSA-accepting area like Ward 12.
https://minneapolistimes.com/dual-dfl-dsa-endorsements-yes-or-no/
Excerpt...
Conflicts between platform positions of the DFL and DSA.
The DFL and DSA platforms conflict on key issues, including public safety, economics, foreign policy. For example, the DSA website says: “Capitalism is a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit”. (The Democratic Party does not reject capitalism). DSA platform positions have included abolishing police, ending incarceration, replacing the US Constitution with one that instantiates socialism. (The Democratic Party does not take these positions.)
The democratic party is a failure. They have invited the DSA in even though the party platforms are completely different. The DSA should not be part of the DFL! Far left socialist radicals do not belong in the DFL. Future elections will show how many people have fled the DFL and what a colossal failure of leadership has shown allowing DSA members to
be part of it.
I'd qualify that to say the CITY DFL is a disaster and has been taken over by the DSA. But the state DFL,while far from perfect, hasn't lost their marbles entirely. When I attend the annual DFL dinners I'm always heartened by the number of pragmatic leaders, often rural, who speak or receive awards, and by what a big tent party it still is.
In recent years I've noticed that those in the state legislature who represent Mpls or St. Paul now tilt much father left than the suburban and rural DFLers, and that is a divide seen all across the country. And it bodes ill, or at least a case of jitters, for the fall elections.
Check out the newly elected head of the Minneapolis DFL. She is known for anti-Semitic comments.
Yes...100 % DSA..speak
"Anya Smith-Kooiman, who serves as Fateh’s communications manager and a legislative assistant for a DFL senator, retweeted a post calling reports of sexual violence on October 7th “propaganda,” retweeted another post calling Oct. 7 and Hamas “the resistance” and celebrating their accomplishments, and – in a deleted Tweet – said “Zionists should fuck off.”
Susan, I would agree that some of the non-urban leaders are more pragmatic. Yet, when votes are taken on what might be viewed as more lefty policies, the DFL tends to vote in lockstep.
The DFL never should have allowed endorsements of DSAers. Now the DSA is running so many divisions of the DFL Party (including the Senior Caucus!), that the DFL is basically the DSA and its enablers.
It’s hard to fathom that the DFL actively helped a non-DFLer, socialist Wonsley, get elected in Ward 2. The DFL allowed the deck to be stacked so that no candidate would get the DFL endorsement and therefore mount a vigorous challenge to her, a situation that didn’t get nearly the attention it should have.
Ken Martin, the former state DFL chair, was complicit in the rise of the DSA/far left within the Democratic Party. Many lifelong DFL members warned him about this. So what do the national Democrats do? Make him the DNC chair.
Next step? Get rid of the caucus system. The DSAers would never win in a primary or general if they didn't get that early boost and endorsement.
I don't necessarily agree with all the characteristics of the DSA that are shared in these comments. I live in an extremely left ward, so I know a lot of people personally who hold these views. That said I do think the caucuses are playing a strong role in driving the State DFL left, and it would be better if the DSA and other strong left DFLers had to compete in a system more accessible to the median voter. I attended my local caucus last time and enjoyed it, but I didn't think it's currently healthy for the state party.
Sam, most or all of these statements of position are on the DSA’s own website.
Also, a lot of lefties defend the DSA, saying “even though I don’t agree with some of it.” The fact is, most of what the DSA stands for is far from where the general electorate stands. Thus, if the Dems don’t course correct, they are going to have a tough go of it nationally in the longterm, even if they do well in the upcoming midterms.
Hi Madeline, I agree that if the positions are public on the DSA website it's fair game! What I meant is that putting aside factual statements of DSA party positions, I don't agree with some of the descriptions of the DSA folks characters or motivations that are opinions of the writers.
Sam, thanks for clarifying. I see your point. I do think some of the people who are DSA or DSA-adjacent (and the people they claim to be helping) would not actually want to live in the world they are advocating for.
For any city council or mayoral candidate to get an endorsement by the DSA, after they have been vetted, they are required to agree to ADVANCE the clearly stated goals of the DSA.
Below, just one example..
https://www.dsausa.org/working-groups/abolition-working-group/
Excerpt...note the words ZERO and ALL.( the bolding is mine)
"We are committed to the horizon of abolition and the path leading us there. Our demands:
Defund the police by rejecting ANY expansion to police budgets or scope of enforcement while cutting budgets annually towards ZERO
End the criminalization of working-class survival
Freedom for ALL incarcerated people..."
Based on your commentary I just watched the April 23 meeting; sort of like watching a car wreck, it's awful but you can't look away. Here's an observation I haven't seen yet in the comments: after an hour or so of debate on the council president's letter, CM Warren moved to call the question, a motion that passed 12-1. That result means no more discussion, but rather, moving directly to a vote. Instead of doing that, though, Council President Payne proceeded to make another statement, at least as long as any that had come before, defending his actions in writing the letter and including it in the file. No one called him on ignoring the call the question motion.
Well, within his lengthy soliloquy, he virtually admitted what the Palmvilles on the council accused him of, which is speaking for the entire council when his letter only reflected the views of the Chugleys. He said he only ran the letter by those members who had voted not to confirm the reappointment of Commissioner Barnette. In effect, he admitted to excluding six out of 13 council members from having any say in whether the letter would be written and if so what it would say. After extolling the virtues of democracy several times, Mr. Payne seemed proud of hushing the voices of six council members and the 198,000 Minneapolis residents they represent.
If the much-discussed council member team-building retreat actually happens, it will take facilitation talent comparable to the Camp David Accords to bring this Council majority into a posture of constructive and productive leadership.
Thanks for the summary and explanation of what you are seeing.
I see our city council is taking on another state legislation issue of data centers. Do they not understand that with a 50/50 congress there might be consequences for attempting to do their job? Do they care? Like the Feds, the state can cut funds as well.
Regarding the Payne letter and what CM Palmisano had to say about it...😯
Important viewing from this Council meeting on Thurs, 4/23, begins a little after 3:18 on the clock/ the counter, or 3 hours and 18 minutes into the mtg, below.
https://www.youtube.com/live/bMFqyVi0FC0?si=boVqmlohCNYRLsup
The structure of city council needs to change in order to weed out special interest groups. It isn’t DSA vs the rest. It’s special interest groups looking for their own wishes instead of running the government. Sorry, I can’t help, as I’m in Saint Small. Our city council is much better.
It is the DSA vs the rest. Their agenda is radical and divisive
Shows you what I know. I used to live in Seward and didn’t understand why the DFL couldn’t or wouldn’t help a candidate there. We were not all DSA members, that’s for sure!
We have to look at the DSA influence on the Met Council as well, the manage or possibly miss-manage a lot of funds and they are seeking more power. If we are not careful they will take the power from our individual cities for the greater good of all.