In addition to the Action Agenda of the Minnesota DFL, the Minneapolis Area Chapter advances the following:
2023 Resolutions
Courts, Justice and Public Safety
Currently, the MPD has 571 police officers to provide police services. The city charter requires 723 police officers. The Community Safety Commissioner and Chief of Police reported to the City Council that currently, there are NOT sufficient police officers to provide basic public safety services and has requested the use of one-time retention and recruitment payments to achieve the number of police officers needed to provide basic safety services.
Not providing the requested retention and recruitment payments will increasingly endanger the safety of Minneapolis residents. because there are currently several on leave and 168 eligible for retirement or early retirement in the coming year.
As a result, the Minneapolis Area Chapter of the DFL Senior Caucus approved this Resolution on Saturday, November 20, 2023:
"The Minneapolis Area Chapter of the DFL Senior Caucus supports the proposal of the Minneapolis Police Chief and the Community Safety Commissioner as part of the negotiated agreement for funding of recruitment and retention of officers of the Minneapolis Police Department.”
Since 2021, the Public Safety Committee of the Minneapolis Area Chapter of the DFL Senior Caucus has studied issues & problems in public safety. Their second report, on improving Courts and Justice approaches to Public Safety, is linked below.
Courts, Justice, and Public Safety Report
Mn Department of Aging
Whereas: Seniors will very soon be over one fifth of the population of Minnesota, and
whereas the programs and needs of seniors are spread throughout at least 20 state agencies and offices that are designed mainly for other populations than seniors, and
thus senior issues get short shrift and don't get the attention of highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals, therefore
Be it Resolved that the Minneapolis Area Chapter of the DFL Senior Caucus supports legislation authorizing the creation of a Department on Aging.
2022 Resolutions
Metro Fossil Fuels and School Buses
Whereas:
We are all affected by climate change. In 2021, in the U.S., there were 20 disasters costing more than $1B, equaling $152.6B in damages. 2017, with Hurricane Harvey, had $366B in damages. In addition to financial costs, there are human costs to people displaced, injured or killed.
The elderly, the young and those with chronic impairment are most affected by rising temperatures and pollution.
Historical red lining has resulted in African Americans, Native Americans and other People of Color to be more likely to live in neighborhoods with older housing, more vehicle traffic and more industry. This exposes generations of People of Color to lead, air and other pollution at a higher rate than residents able to live in wealthier neighborhoods and continues a historical injustice.
Children's developing brains are susceptible to toxins in the air. Children waiting for, riding on, or walking near school buses are exposed to high levels of pollution. Diesel trucks and buses produce more nitrogen oxides and particulate pollution than any other highway vehicles. About 1 in 5 new asthma cases in children in the U.S. is due to traffic pollution.
Minneapolis Public Schools are struggling financially. The high cost of fossil fuel is an added burden.
Minneapolis and Minnesota have set goals aimed at drastically reducing carbon pollution.
There are now grants available to assist schools with changing to electric buses. The Inflation Reduction Act, alone, includes $6B for electric school buses.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Minneapolis Area Chapter of the DFL Senior Caucus:
- Supports cleaner air for the residents of all our neighborhoods.
- Cares for the health of the young, the elderly and chronically vulnerable.
- Supports racial justice through decreasing air pollution in at risk neighborhoods.
- Calls for assisting school budgets and taxpayers through lower transportation costs, thus helping our schools increase money for teaching.
- Calls for the reduction of carbon emissions by the rapid transition from polluting fossil fuel burning school buses to clean electric buses.
Long Term Care Insurance
Whereas there is a large population of Minnesota residents in their 60s-90s who do not have long-term care insurance
And whereas a large percentage of this population may need to be placed in assisted care and/or nursing homes (at an approximate cost of well over $144,300 per year in 2022 (https://www.caring.com/senior-living/nursing-homes/minnesota), to be obtained by selling all of the people’s assets and then using state appropriations to supplement that amount).
And whereas most people in this age range would prefer home care, rather than assisted care and/or nursing home care
Then be it resolved that the Minneapolis Area DFL Senior Caucus supports the use of
(1) a study to determine how many people in their 60s-90s have had to stop payments to long-term care insurance companies because of exorbitant fees,
(2) a study of how many Seniors could be diverted into a state managed long-term care insurance program, and
(3) an analysis of how community-based home care organizations can be financially supported.
And be it further resolved that the net result of this study should be for the Minnesota Legislature, based upon this study, to set aside sufficient funds to operate a state-run Long Term Care insurance program but specifically for seniors (modeled after the Washington State program that is being implemented in 2025).
Public Safety Assistance
BE IT RESOLVED that the Minneapolis Area DFL Senior Caucus strongly encourages efforts by the City of Minneapolis to request aid from other Minnesota city jurisdictions as well as the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department and the State Patrol to adequately patrol downtown Minneapolis (the economic engine of the state of Minnesota) as well as the neighborhoods of the city, and to ensure that all citizens are protected from those people who currently use the Minneapolis city streets as a free fire zone.
Improving Policing in Minneapolis
Late in 2021, the Minneapolis Area DFL Seniors formed a Public Safety Committee to study issues & problems in public safety. Their first report, on Improving Policing, is linked below.
Improving Policing in Minneapolis
MN Department of Aging
Whereas, Minnesota is Aging Rapidly - the number of older adults in Minnesota will double from 680,00 in 2010 to 1,3000,000 in 2030 with 1M in 2022 making seniors the largest demographic in the state,
Whereas, Minnesota seniors and women are the fastest growing population of homeless according to a Wilder Foundation study often due to one health crisis;.
Whereas, Greater Minnesota has the largest share of seniors in 15 counties;
Whereas, current services for Minnesota’s aging population is housed, funded, and provided by many existing state agencies as well as county and local governments and non-profits with little coordination, cooperation or collaboration;
Now therefore be it resolved, that Minnesota Seniors must ask the legislature the question: HOW WILL MINNESOTA PREPARE FOR A MAJORITY AGING POPULATION?
Be it further resolved, the Minneapolis Area DFL Senior Caucus supports HF 4306 Klevorn and SF 4309 Rest, to establish a Legislative Task Force on Aging charged with reviewing state demographics and other issues affecting healthy aging in the community toward recommending whether a state Department on Aging is necessary;
Be it further resolved, that support for HF 4306 and SF 4309 be referred to the State DFL Senior Caucus for support and tracking.
Policing & Public Safety
Be it resolved that the Minneapolis Area DFL Senior Caucus will support policing reform which:
- Is multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional, appropriately involving peace officers, mental health professionals, social workers, and other disciplines that promote public safety.
- Is planned well and, subsequently, executed well.
- Is transparent and accountable.
- Is strongly oriented to communities and to neighborhoods; with jobs designed to enable this.
- Builds a culture around the propositions of sanctity of life, and respect for all citizens.
- Provides for peace officer training that is based on these values.
- Uses the hiring opportunity that now exists, with about a third of MPD positions vacant, to select peace officers who will embrace the desired culture.
- Recognizes and supports MPD and its officers when they provide equitable and compassionate service to our community.
2021 Resolutions
Resolution on motorized vehicle use of Parkways and River Roads
Whereas once again there is a threat to close or limit access for motorized vehicles on Parkways and River Roads.
Whereas in the current draft of Parks for All Comprehensive Plan, nearly all other forms of mobility are listed, but there is no mention of the use of motorized vehicles.
Whereas a current Park Commissioner has stated a preference to frequently limit access, and a Park Commissioner candidate supports “efforts for the transformation of our parkways into pedestrian-oriented community space.”
Whereas the attempt was made to close or limit access to Minnehaha Parkway during the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail strategic planning process.
Whereas if motor vehicle access is eliminated or severely limited, it will have these effects:
- All or significant sections of Parkways and River Roads will become inaccessible to many residents including seniors and those with physical disabilities.
- Access will be made more difficult for many residents to their homes and to neighborhood businesses, schools and churches.
- Public safety will be diminished.
- The mental health benefit of drives along Parkways and River Roads will be denied.
- Over one-third of our polling places (45 of 132) are located in Minneapolis Park buildings, many of which are easily accessible only from the Parkways.
- The Grand Rounds and historical design and common use of the Parkways and River Roads will be diminished.
- The Parkways and River Roads, for more than a century a civic asset that has helped attract tourism, businesses and residents to the City of Minneapolis, will largely cease to provide that important benefit.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Minneapolis Area DFL Senior Caucus strongly opposes current and future efforts to limit motorized vehicle access to Parkways and River Roads, beyond the temporary closures to accommodate events as occurs currently under park use policy, on the grounds that it discriminates against seniors and those with physical abilities while giving preferential access to a segment of the population. Further, it needlessly diminishes the value of a great civic asset, one that few other metropolitan areas can claim.
Resolution on Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction Plan
Given that the City of Minneapolis’s Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction plan removes up to 92 percent of street parking — including parking for people with physical disabilities — on Hennepin Avenue,
- Rendering the Uptown commercial area inaccessible to the many older people who, because they have moderate or extreme difficulty walking, depend on cars for transportation — a situation much exacerbated during the winter months; and
- Depriving many older residents of access to normal and needed services and amenities provided by establishments that don’t have their own parking lots, including restaurants, hair salons, hardware stores, bookstores and many shops, and at times to establishments that have only limited parking, such as Walgreens and the Library; and
- Resulting in these residents’ likely permanent lack of access to the many establishments whose owners said in a survey that they will have to move their businesses if these parking limits are imposed,
Be it resolved that the Minneapolis DFL Senior Caucus strongly opposes the City of Minneapolis’s Hennepin Avenue Plan on the grounds it discriminates against older people and people with physical disabilities; and we request that Public Works department develop a third option that would assess the needs of people with disabilities, older people and Hennepin Avenue businesses and include consultation with these groups, people and business owners in the design of this third option.