FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2021
NEWS RELEASE
Community, Faith, and Environmental Organizations Launch New Ad Campaign Urging Minneapolis Residents to Vote No on City Question 1
(Minneapolis, MN) — TakeAction Minnesota, Faith in Minnesota, Sierra Club North Star Chapter PAC, OutFront Minnesota Action, and Our Revolution Minnesota launched a new ad campaign (30 second, 30 second, 60 second – CW: police violence) urging Minneapolis residents to vote no on City Question 1 this November.
The mayoral control charter amendment, put on the ballot by the unelected Charter Commission, is backed by “All of Mpls,” the dark money group with deep pockets which is also backing Jacob Frey’s re-election campaign and opposing City Question 2, the public safety amendment.
City Question 1 would shift Minneapolis from a strong, local democracy to a strict mayoral-control structure of government. The ad campaign points out that Minneapolis has seen what mayoral control looks like under Jacob Frey: the Mayor already has complete control over the Minneapolis Police Department.
Under Frey, Minneapolis police officers hunted protesters in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd, brutalized peaceful protesters, and targeted journalists with no accountability. Frey’s MPD is currently under investigation by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and Department of Justice. With exclusive control of the police department under Frey, MPD operates with impunity and has failed to keep us safe. Mayor Frey cannot be trusted to manage one city department. Why should we trust him to manage all of them?
If Question 1 passes, the Mayor would gain complete administrative control over all city departments. The Executive Committee would be eliminated and its democratic power would be shifted to the Mayor.
A series of ads will run on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and were paid for by TakeAction Minnesota, OutFront Minnesota Action, Our Revolution MN, Sierra Club North Star Chapter PAC, and the Faith in Minnesota Political Fund.
You can learn more about the Minneapolis Government Structure Amendment, who decides, and who benefits from mayoral control in Minneapolis HERE.
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TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide, multiracial grassroots organization advancing justice and equity through organizing, policy, and campaigns. Offices are located in St. Paul, Duluth, and St. Cloud.