Voter Guide 2023

Vying for this position are Emily Koski and Gabrielle Prosser.

 

www.emilykoskiformpls.com 

Please introduce yourself.

I’m Emily Koski, the current Ward 11 City Council Member in Minneapolis, seeking re-election this November. I’m a mother of 2, a wife, and a lifelong resident of Minneapolis. My foremost priority is and will remain public safety, focusing on the concerning rise in youth crime and auto thefts in our city. I am proud of my work to tackle this issue so far. I recently organized a public safety meeting where residents could engage with our county attorney. Establishing connections with the county to collaborate and seek solutions is a step forward. Addressing this challenge remains a goal in my second term.    

As a council member, you are responsible to both your ward specifically and the city as a whole. How will you manage priorities that may be competing at times?

As a Council Member, it’s crucial to balance the needs of Ward 11 & the broader city. I’ve taken a proactive approach by creating a strategic plan for Ward 11 upon taking office. This plan serves as a guide to navigate the competing priorities that arise. I consistently engage with Ward 11 residents in regular meetings which have been instrumental in reviewing our progress and refining our strategic plan. By actively engaging the community, we can adjust priorities to accommodate evolving needs and preferences. The plan isn’t static; it’s a dynamic document reflecting the voices of Ward 11 residents. By staying committed to this inclusive approach, we can ensure that the interests of my ward and the city are thoughtfully addressed.  

The city council approved the court-enforceable MPD consent decree. What is the role of the city council in overseeing the implementation and compliance with the decree and what are 2-3 initiatives that you will support to improve public safety and affect police misconduct?

The City Council places a vital role in overseeing the MPD Consent Decree’s implementation, ensuring positive changes in public safety and police conduct. Communication is key; we must keep the community informed, fostering trust through transparency and open dialogue. Additionally, the Council must actively support essential funding to effectively execute the decree’s requirements. This includes funding for reforms, law enforcement training, and community policing initiatives. Adequate funding is fundamental for achieving the intended improvements in public safety and addressing misconduct.  

What are specific strategies for housing people who are currently unhoused and creating affordable, sustainable housing opportunities for the future?

To effectively address homelessness, we need tailored solutions recognizing each person’s unique situation. Initiatives like Avivo Village South and low barrier shelters provide immediate relief. However, sporadic encampment sweeps are ineffective and create unsafe conditions. A new Director of Regulatory Services is dedicated to solving the homelessness crisis, and I fully support their efforts. We need coordinated, compassionate approaches, transitioning individuals to stable housing and providing necessary services. We need to prioritize human dignity and foster healthier, inclusive communities through strategic partnerships and thoughtful policies.

 

No website listed

 

www.jasonchavez.org 

 

No website listed

WARD 12

Vying for this position are Luther Ranhiem, Aurin Chowdhury and Nancy Ward.

 

www.aurinchowdhury.org 

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Aurin, I live in the Hiawatha neighborhood near Minnehaha Falls. I am a first-generation Bengali American, the eldest child of working-class Muslim immigrants. I spent my earliest years in Ward 12, where I learned English in Minneapolis public schools. I am a renter, a community organizer in our City for the last eight years, and an experienced policy aide at City Hall. I have served as a policy aide at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic & continue to serve to pass policies that center the needs of everyday people in our City. I am the only candidate running who has experience in working to build out a comprehensive public safety system, that includes policing, prevention strategies, alternatives, & stronger policy accountability.   

As a council member, you are responsible to both your ward specifically and the city as a whole. How will you manage priorities that may be competing at times?

The intersection of policymaking & community building is the place where I shine. I have taken on challenging problems such as unhoused homelessness, and safety on our buses and trains, & brought together community members to engage in a dialogue with each other and City officials. This has developed community-centered solutions that become the compass for policymaking decisions in the Council offices I have served. I will do this in Ward 12 so our priorities are derived from the community and when there are competing priorities I will come back to the community with transparency, active communication, and honesty so we can come to a sound decision. My charge is to ensure what we decide to do as Ward 12 ensures the health and safety of all. 

The city council approved the court-enforceable MPD consent decree. What is the role of the city council in overseeing the implementation and compliance with the decree and what are 2-3 initiatives that you will support to improve public safety and affect police misconduct?

The implementation of the dual consent decrees is crucial to building the deep reforms necessary to put an end to unaccountable, racist, ableist, and unconstitutional policing in Minneapolis. We need a Council Member on day one who has the experience and the values necessary to help shepherd this process. As a Council member, I will push the City Council to use the full weight of our audit power in conjunction with funding an independent monitor to spot-check the work of the MPD to ensure compliance, push for unrestricted access to all data collected by the monitor, require a regular status report on implementation. The initiatives I support and my platform on police accountability can be found in further detail on my website. 

What are specific strategies for housing people who are currently unhoused and creating affordable, sustainable housing opportunities for the future?

Everyone in our City deserves a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live. Unfortunately, the City's current response to homelessness has not helped unhoused residents get to housing, it is setting us back. I have been working to change this as a policy aide and I know we reduce homelessness if we have the political will. As the 12th Ward Council Member, I will use my experience on this issue to create a humane and dignified process to justly move people out of encampments, instead of doing harmful surprise sweeps that only shift people around. Also, we need investments in deeply affordable and mixed-income housing, and increased renters' protections that prevent displacement. Please view my platform on my website to see my full plan.

 

www.nancyforward12.com 

 

Please introduce yourself.

I’m Luther Ranheim. I’m a lifelong resident of South Minneapolis and a 22-year resident of Howe. I’ve worked for 27 years in financial services and the nonprofit industry. My top priority in office will be to create a comprehensive and accountable public safety system that serves everyone. We have increased crime levels compared to 2019, and a police force in need of deep, structural reform and wholesale culture change. I will help to build a holistic and transparent public safety system.   

As a council member, you are responsible to both your ward specifically and the city as a whole. How will you manage priorities that may be competing at times?

My top priority will always be the needs of Ward 12 residents. At the same time, Council Members serve the entire city. Where competing interests exist between the Ward and the City, I will vote according to the wishes of the majority of Ward 12 residents. When citywide action is needed, I will carefully consider and communicate my decisions to residents of Ward 12 through regular newsletter communications and at public office hours. I will engage with residents who agree and disagree with me. 

The city council approved the court-enforceable MPD consent decree. What is the role of the city council in overseeing the implementation and compliance with the decree and what are 2-3 initiatives that you will support to improve public safety and affect police misconduct?

We know that MPD requires wholesale culture change and to rebuild the community’s trust. Three initiatives that I support are: Ensure that misconduct, brutality & excessive force claims are reviewed by the Precinct Inspector. Advocate for a change in state law to strengthen the CCPO to have binding rulings. Establish community safety hubs in the 3rd precinct geography. We can’t rebuild trust with MPD without opportunities for residents to engage with officers in positive environments. 

What are specific strategies for housing people who are currently unhoused and creating affordable, sustainable housing opportunities for the future?

We must center the humanity of residents. We must take a double approach: housing-first and addiction treatment. We must set up safe, city-sanctioned sites for sober residents. We must also provide adequate funding for opioid treatment programs. Homelessness is a complex issue that we must address at the combined city, county, state, federal levels & the nonprofit and private sectors. I will use my relationships in social service and private sector organizations to invest in housing solutions.