12 and Park District 5:
The 8th Ward will be holding its convention on April 29. Itâs a crowded
field contesting for Elizabeth Gliddenâs open seat. Glidden was a steady
and very serious progressive voice on the City Council. Four years ago she
ran for Council president and was supported by other progressive South
Minneapolis City Council members, but she was defeated by Barbara Johnson
from the Northside Machine with help from John Quincy from the 11th Ward.
Andrea Jenkins has to be considered the early favorite in this race. Sheâs
a nationally recognized transgender spokesperson and writer. She was the
aide to Glidden and spent 12 years working for the City Council, so she
clearly goes into this race knowing the job requirements.
John Quincy has at least two very strong opponents seeking the DFL
endorsement.
Southside Pride has been very critical of John Quincy because he refused to
allow citizens to vote on paying for the new Vikings stadium four years
ago, and he refused to allow us to vote on two referendums last year to
raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and to make our police more
accountable.
Jeremy Schroeder is currently policy director for the Minnesota Housing
Partnership, an organization that advocates for affordable housing. He
supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and he told Southside
Pride: âI previously served as executive director of the Illinois Coalition
to Abolish the Death Penalty. I am the only candidate in Ward 11 who has
worked with community members, victims of crime and law enforcement to
reform the criminal justice system. I am eager to use that experience to
improve relations between our cityâs residents and police officers. I will
leave it up to Ward 11 voters to decide which candidate is best equipped to
help our city heal from the tragic deaths of Mr. Clark and Mr. Franklin,
and prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.â
Erica Mauter, from Tangletown, across 35W, is executive director of the
Twin Cities Womenâs Choir and Twin Cities Girlâs Choir. She supports $15
an hour minimum wage. According to the Southwest Journal, âMauter also
supports policies that were originally part of the Minneapolis Working
Families Agenda,â originally proposed by Mayor Hodges.
The 11th Ward DFL Convention will be April 29.
Nothing happening in the 12th Ward. Everyone seems to love Andrew Johnson.
The location of ward conventions will be announced once ward conveners find
sites.
Delegates to the ward conventions will automatically be delegates to the
city convention on June 24. Delegates will endorse candidates for mayor,
park board and the Board of Estimate and Taxation.
Steffanie Musich is unchallenged at this point for her District 5 seat on
the park board. We asked Commissioner Musich: âWould you support dredging
Minnehaha Creek from 28th Avenue to Minnehaha Falls to lower the water
table in that area of South Minneapolis?â She did not answer by the time
we went to press.
For those who want to read about the Mayor and other items:
http://southsidepride.com/go-to-your-precinct-caucus-april-4-2/