Gary Schiff said recently in a mass email that he rejects any outside groups
campaigning in the 9th Ward. Even so, 93% of Gary’s campaign contributions
are from outside the 9th Ward. A great deal of this money is from restaurants
and businesses that would benefit from weakening the $15 minimum wage ordinance
in which Alondra Cano and our community has fought so hard to pass.
In his letter, Gary tries to distance himself from Steve Minn (who is helping
fund the conservative PAC in question, Minneapolis Works) Gary has received
campaign contributions from Minn in past elections and the purpose of this PAC
is to elect council members that are sympathetic to wealthy business owners who
want the minimum wage ordinance scaled back or trashed all together.
The thing that has bothered me so much about all this outside money coming into
Gary's campaign is a sizeable donation (over $3000) from Peter Hafiz. (see
attached screen shot) Peter Hafiz owns Deja Vu, Dream Girls, Sneaky Pete's,
Gay 90's, and the Brass Rail. As a single father raising a young woman in this
world, i find this contribution extremely distasteful. It goes against my
values to support a candidate who would take money from a man whose businesses
objectify and oppress women.
I call on Gary Schiff to publicly explain his logic for taking money from Peter
Hafiz. I do not believe in my heart that these are the values that best
represent the people of the 9th Ward.