January 17, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS)--Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak today praised Governor Mark Dayton's bonding proposal that will create more than 21,000 desperately-needed jobs in the building and construction trades and will lay the groundwork for thousands more.
"Governor Dayton's jobs plan is right-sized and urgently needed," Mayor Rybak said. "Government has a role to play in creating jobs, and building badly-needed public infrastructure is one right way to do it.
First, because it puts people in the building and construction trades, where unemployment is at crisis levels, to work immediately on shovel-ready projects. Second, because it builds the common ground that helps everyone succeed. Governor Dayton’s jobs plan does both."
Minneapolis Offers Updated Plan for People’s Stadium at Downtown East
January 12, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson today offered an updated plan for a new People’s Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings that also secures the future of the Target Center and the Minneapolis Convention Center. The plan is a response to Governor Mark Dayton, State Senator Julie Rosen and State Representative Morrie Lanning.
Crime in Minneapolis Remains at Lowest Levels in Decades
Violent crime, down 6.3%, is at 28-year low; Part I crime stays at levels not seen since 1960s
“For several years now, we have made critical investments in our police — and for the fifth year in a row, violent crime in Minneapolis has fallen significantly compared to the year before,” Mayor Rybak said. “Committed officers, strong leadership, smart policing and engaged community members — not to mention the taxpayers who have invested in all of them — deserve our thanks for these encouraging results and for bringing crime down to levels not seen in decades.”
Rybak, Johnson: Minneapolis’ 3-for-1 Deal for People’s Stadium Remains Best Choice for Minnesota
January 5, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson today pledged to meet Governor Dayton’s January 12 deadline for submitting final proposals for a new Vikings stadium in Minneapolis, which offers a three-for-one deal for a People’s Stadium that is the best choice for Minnesota. They released the following statement:
“We appreciate Governor Dayton’s keeping the ball moving on the stadium issue and we are more than happy to provide him with the latest analysis and planning for a new Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis. We are confident that our plan is viable and that we are the only local partner with a local financing tool.
Mayor Rybak, Former STEP-UP Intern Speaking at White House Summer Jobs Event Today
January 5, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Hashim Yonis, a former STEP-UP intern, are speaking at a White House event today to kick off the Obama Administration’s new summer-jobs initiative for low-income youth, called Summer Jobs +. Summer Jobs + is “a new call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012.” (See full White House press release below for more details.)
Mayor Rybak will address the success of the STEP-UP summer-jobs program, a joint initiative of the City of Minneapolis and AchieveMpls, on a panel that includes national leaders in business, philanthropy and advocacy. Mayor Rybak and U.S. Bancorp Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Davis are co-chairs of STEP-UP.
“Providing meaningful summer employment and skills development for disadvantaged youth as a pathway for future success is both a moral imperative and an economic necessity,” said Mayor Rybak. “The thousands of youth who have succeeded through STEP-UP are not only building a bright future for themselves, they are the building blocks of the 21st-century economy of our entire region.
More. . .
Fire Chief Alex Jackson to Retire, Mayor Rybak to Nominate John Fruetel New Fire Chief
January 4, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Fire Chief Alex Jackson announced today that he is retiring after more than 30 years of service to the Minneapolis Fire Department and the residents of Minneapolis. Mayor Rybak announced that he will nominate John Fruetel (FREE-tel) to succeed him.
Chief Jackson’s last day as chief will be February 29, 2012. Mayor Rybak will nominate John Fruetel to be the next fire chief at the next meeting of the City’s Executive Committee on January 11, 2012.
Minneapolis Residents to See No Property-Tax Increase, Major Street Improvements and Focus on Jobs and Safety in 2012
December 14, 2011 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor Rybak’s 2012 budget, with no increase in the City’s property-tax levy, passed unanimously this evening at the Minneapolis City Council.
The newly-adopted 2012 City budget makes a major new capital investment in street improvements and invests in the coordinated One Minneapolis initiative to reduce racial inequity in unemployment. The budget also maintains investments in public safety that have lowered violent crime citywide to historic lows, and eliminates no positions in the Fire Department.
“This budget reflects many years of sustained work to pay down debt, cut spending, end a broken pensions system and restore the City’s fiscal health,” said Mayor R.T. Rybak.
Mayor Rybak, Council President Johnson Release Three Plans for a ‘People’s Stadium’ in Minneapolis
October 27, 2011 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson today released detailed financing plans for three different “People’s Stadiums” in Minneapolis. Each of the plans secures the future of three statewide facilities: a new People’s Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, the Target Center and the Convention Center — for the same cost or less than the plan to build a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills.
Earlier today, Mayor Rybak and Council President Johnson submitted these plans to Governor Dayton and legislative leaders.
Each Minneapolis site — Linden Avenue (previously referred to as the “Xcel” or “Basilica” site), Farmers Market and Downtown East — offers clear advantages to the Arden Hills site.
Mayor Rybak Delivers 2012 Budget with No Tax Increase, Major Street Improvements, Focus on Closing Racial Jobs Gap
September 12, 2011 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak today proposed a City budget for 2012 with no property-tax increase. He also proposed a major new street-improvement program, maintaining the City’s focus on public safety and reducing youth violence, and a new, consolidated effort to close the racial jobs gap in Minneapolis.
In his budget address, Mayor Rybak called Minneapolis “A City That Works,” saying that Minneapolis earns the title by managing its resources well, investing in the common ground and investing in putting people to work — as well as by solving problems “cooperatively and pragmatically.” The title of the speech echoes one of the City of Minneapolis’ six overarching goals.
Mayor Rybak Outlines 2012 Budget that Controls Property Taxes and Spending
August 11, 2011 (MINNEAPOLIS) — In a message to the City Council today, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak today outlined a City budget for 2012 that cuts the growth of property taxes and holds City spending nearly constant.
Mayor Rybak proposed a property-tax levy increase of only 2 percent, the smallest levy increase in the 10 budgets that he has delivered as mayor and significantly smaller than the 6.7 percent levy increase that was projected for 2012 less than a year ago. The Mayor’s proposed levy is $13 million smaller than it would have been under the previously-projected 6.7 percent levy increase.
In addition, spending for basic City services in 2012 is nearly flat relative to 2011 actual spending.
Mayor Rybak, Council President Propose Contingency Funds to Mitigate State LGA Cut
August 9, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS) — In a message to the City Council, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson today proposed transferring $1.75 million from the City of Minneapolis Contingency Account to the Fire and Police Departments to mitigate the effect of the State of Minnesota’s recent cut of $23.5 million in Local Government Aid to Minneapolis’ 2011 budget.
In the short term, this transfer will save 31 firefighter jobs that would be eliminated if the City took no action and will allow the Fire Department to continue to operate without closing a rig or a station. The transfer will also help the Police Department manage its cut with no layoffs.
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quot;Governor Dayton's jobs plan is right-sized and urgently needed," Mayor Rybak said. "Government has a role to play in creating jobs, and building badly-needed public infrastructure is one right way to do it.
First, because it puts people in the building and construction trades, where unemployment is at crisis levels, to work immediately on shovel-ready projects. Second, because it builds the common ground that helps everyone succeed. Governor Dayton’s jobs plan does both."