It's easy to see why the Metro Gang Task Force might have been disbanded when the most ruthless posse in Minneapolis plotted their Christmas surprise assault on the MPD. The Gang of Thirteen likely feared folks toting guns would be less than amused by their cost-cutting measures and might kick in the Council doors. I'd call them Scrooges, but at least the crotchety Dickens character shared the austere lifestyle he demanded of everyone around him. I expect my elected officials to be able to make tough decisions, but not ones that leave them unscathed. There's no shortage of spineless, belly crawling weasels in any community. We just don't expect them to concentrate all in one building. 
After November’s re-election, the City Council decided to hunker down and focus on balancing the City’s budget. It seems they were suddenly shocked to discover that the numbers weren’t coming out right. Having awoken from their re-election victory celebrations suddenly gave them 20/20 vision. Where do I begin to describe the chaos our City Council has created since November?
It first came to my attention with a discussion between 8th Ward CM Elizabeth Glidden and Police Chief Timothy Dolan. The first question that pops into my head is, “Why didn’t any of this budgetary drama come to light before elections?”
As I listened to the November 20th budget hearings, my mouth fell open and I felt the blood vessels popping in my temples. CM Glidden eviscerated Dolan over discrepancies in his budget from just a couple of weeks earlier. Clearly she was playing to the gallery. Glidden and the rest of the City Council must think Minneapolis residents are moonshine brewing backwoods rubes, incapable of understanding the complexities of how a city operates and only the superior intellect of the enlightened elected few are able to grasp the vastness of it all. She started out in attorney mode with the question, “Chief Dolan, can you remind me when was the most recent time you presented to the Ways and Means Committee?”
“The 14th of this month,” the Chief responded. http://shows.implex.tv/Qwikcast/Root/minneapolis/3028/preflight.htm?AutoLoginComplete=1 $636.00 Dental $4,522.80 Vacation if working 5-10 years And let us not forget the golden parachute that provides handsomely for former city council members who completed at least two terms in office. For a really good time, ask yourself "Where are they now?" I don't have the heart to track down every former council member's subsequent career(s), but there are some remarkably successful individuals who have parleyed their insider status quite energetically in the lush fields of finance and commerce.
With her best attorney's hard thinking look on her face, chin resting on her hand, Glidden repeated, "The 14th of this month.”
Hello! She knew when he was there last; she went on to recall the presentation. She recounted that she thought the Chief had stated that he would come in within budget and demanded to know what had changed during the last seven days. The Chief clarified that what he actually said was that he "hoped to be within 2 million dollars of that budget.”
The Chief went on to explain that the discrepancy was due to an unexpected increase in fleet costs. Glidden, clearly not buying the explanation, wanted a better one. She rationalized that she thought of the fleet as a basic operational issue, easy to track, a basic contract management issue.
You can view the complete hearing by clicking on the link below. The interaction between Glidden and Dolan is about 1 hour and 15 seconds into video.
Could it be that the incumbents who were re-elected by the lowest voter turn out in nearly 100 years were fearful of even a whisper of downsizing of the Police Department prior to the election? If we had only known before election what they had up their collective sleeve, I wonder if the results would have been the same? I'm guessing not.
They’ve forced the Police Department’s hand, while they’ve left theirs wide open to continue to pay themselves a $400/month car allowance (if they want to use it), and granted themselves a 2.5% raise for their stellar performance, rationalizing that they’re “tying their average pay hike as those of unionized employees,” according to the Strib. Perhaps someone can explain this to me considering the council members aren’t part of a union and we're in the worst economic times in decades. As reported today on Minneapolis Issues Forum, in addition to their $400/month car allowance, the council member salaries are also augmented by a benefits package that pushes their individual remuneration well over $100K.
$78,400.00 Salary +
$13,672.32 Medical
$2,280.00 VEBA (Medical Reimbursement)
$15.60 Life and AD&D
$162.72 Long term disability
$414.59 Holiday pay
$452.28 Sick Time
$4,900.00 Pension
=$27,433.51 +
$3,015.20 Vacation if working 1-5 years
$6,030.40 Vacation if working 10-15 years
$9,521.70 Vacation if working 15-20 years
Of all the City’s departments, why the Police Department, when those same elected officials seem to have no problems frittering away our tax dollars on their fanciful, life is beautiful projects? They seem to think nothing of the expenditures of other departments that seem to be flourishing with their help.
In making the case for laying off the 19 MPD recruits that just graduated on December 17th, they certainly wished to downplay the $5 million spent training them versus the $6 million savings by cutting them. Now that's my tax dollars being wisely spent. I wonder what other brilliant ideas these magicians have up their sleeves?
The ever-thoughtful CM Don Samuels offered his deepest and most heartfelt apologies to the group. He explained in a KSTP interview his feeling regarding the recruits:
http://kstp.com/news/stories/s1302620.shtml
He added insult to their injury by showing up at their graduation and giving a speech congratulating them. He actually had the nerve to say that the City Council and their charter "is to make public safety our number one priority."
He added, “We are also very proud of you and the attitudes you demonstrate today in this difficult time when you have been essentially cut.”
The restraint the recruits and their families showed, along with all the other officers present at the ceremony, was beyond admirable when less then 24 hours later he voted to keep his $400 car allowance and gave himself a raise. Such hypocrisy is inexcusable and extremely arrogant.
The media also reported on Rybak’s speech to the graduating class. The "man who would be governor" didn't even have the spine to show up until the ceremony was well over and people were already mingling.
City residents created uproar at the first mention of eliminating the Crime Prevention Specialist (CPS) positions. It seems to have caused the Council to change their head-lopping tune a bit. Why is that? Why did they see the CPS's as indispensable and not the officers? I understand the residents concerns over the positions, but why the Council's change of heart? Could it be that CPS's field so much of the emotion between residents and the Council? If the Council didn't have the CPS's in place they'd be bombarded with phone calls from their constituents. They obviously don't want that. I seriously doubt that council members are doing this in the best interest of the taxpayers. Clearly their decision works best for them.
It seems commonplace to draw attention to the shortcomings of others, whether on the job or someone else's home life. Frequently it serves to take focus away from one's own inadequacies. That's what I believe was the rationale behind Council Member Glidden's decision to publicly dress-down Chief Dolan over his departmental budget shortfall.
She seemed to enjoy her little public grandstanding performance at the Chief's expense, throwing him under the proverbial wheel of her public transport bus. She might believe that belittling him and his financials were like the general disregard her and her fellow council members seem to harbor for the tax paying boobs that drink the back yard moonshine, but she might want to go to her own Transportation/Public Works Department and ask them why they charge the Police Department what they do? Better yet, why are they charging the police at all? It seems that getting a bill from Public Works is like spending the night with a hooker and expecting to come home with money still your pants pockets.
According to a report on Fox 9 News:
The department leases its cars from the public works department, which also performs maintenance. The three-year lease for a Crown Vic squad car cost $820 a month, that's nearly $10,000 a year. That is more than the lease on a new Mercedes Benz. An oil change on that same squad runs anywhere between $100 and $170. The department is also looking at its computer budget. The city charged police $5,400 for every desktop or laptop and any computer repairs a flat $225.
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/MPD-Budget-Battle-Continues-dec-02-2009
What kind of desktop computers are worth $5,400? Why would they force the MPD to pay $820 per month when the base MSRP on a brand new 2009 Crown Victoria is $27,685? What the Hell!?! What makes the Public Works oil changes so special? It sounds to me like they're getting robbed, which translates to the taxpayers. Are they putting some type of magic fluids in squad cars that will make them fly, shrink or convert into Transformers to get the criminals? The numbers from the Fox 9 report should infuriate everyone. Where's the logic behind making one city run department pay to pad the budget of another city run department?
It gets worse though. What were excluded are the a la carte charges for repairs which means additional costs to MPD vehicles, such as sirens, radios, computers, light boards, etc.
The flap over the downsizing of the Minneapolis Police Department has taken on a life of its own. The MPD is left standing alone to field the scorn of the Council and now even the Police Federation has gotten into the mix. Sgt John Delmonico, President of the Minneapolis Police Federation, has launched an ad critical of the Mayor’s handling of the budget. This is all in effect to protect department jobs. Once again, the City government is portrayed in a negative light. Sgt. Delmonico told me that Park Police outfit their cars for about $2,500 less than the MPD.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“The Park Police put theirs out for bids and Dolan is forced to do theirs with Public Works.”
He also added that the Business Information Services (BIS) handles their computers.
“They charge the police $1500 to move a computer. If we move from office A on the first floor to office B on the second floor they charge the police department $1500.”
What we found out in our digging is that when it comes to moving the computers even a few inches BIS charges $220, and if they find out that the computer was moved without opening a ticket, the department is penalized up to $1,500.
Whatever the case, the department budget is screwed no matter which way they turn. Why are they restricted from getting their own bids? The Mayor and City Council put out bids all the time for projects, supposedly to save the taxpayers money. BIS is a contracted service for the City, which is a story for another day, but get a glimpse of some BIS charges on PDF below. Also check out the links that give a better insight to the partnership between BIS and the City.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2009-meetings/20090814/docs/BIS_BudgetReport_RCA.pdf
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bis/job-opportunities.asp
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/results-oriented-minneapolis/docs/BISBusinessPlan_2007.pdf
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bis/11-30-09agenda.pdf
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bis/8-26-09minutes.pdf
Delmonico added, “They’re forcing the Chief to balance the budgets of Public Works and BIS.”
So where does the money go? The money from the fleet goes back into the Public Works' fleet department. So you might be wondering what the Mayor recommends for the fleet service budget?
Fleet Services - The Mayor recommends Fleet reduce the number of truck drivers and equipment operators placed in reserve status and the number of seasonal rented equipment (- $781,000). This results in a reduction to charges to Transportation Maintenance & Repair for snow and ice removal.
The apparent price gouging seems even more questionable when you consider the Minneapolis City Charter, the constitution governing the municipal government. The charter defines the powers the citizens agree to give their city government and how the government is to be structured:
Section 2. Buildings, Etc., Salaries and Bonds of Police Officers. The city council shall provide all buildings, facilities and equipments, and all other public property as may be necessary or deemed essential to the efficiency of said police force and department, …
http://library2.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=11490&doc_action=whatsnew
So what other departments are getting fleeced for the benefit of another? City leaders know that police and fire are essential services and must be funded; it says so in the Charter. With all the negative publicity the MPD has garnered in recent years the Council might believe the department to be an easy target to draw focus away from their own questionable appropriation of funds. Keep in mind this is not about liking or not liking the police. This has nothing to do with police brutality or anything affiliated with the daily doings of a police officer’s job. This is about the mismanagement of our tax dollars. Such creative stewards of the public purse appear to continue to funnel funds to their favorite departments like CPED or their pet projects like fancy dick-shaped water fountains or in the case of CM Glidden, the Fire Arts Center and the unholy host of non-profits that do little or nothing but suck up tax money.
Let me give you a couple examples of how I believe city leaders are fleecing us over our tax dollars. The Fire Arts Center, which seems to be CM Glidden’s pet project, is one that really has me boiling. According to the Minneapolis Charter, the Arts have a legitimate place in our city:
CHAPTER 36. ARTS COMMISSION*
36.20. "Arts" defined. As used in this chapter, "arts" means architecture and environmental arts, creative writing, dance, film/video, music, theatre and visual arts. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 951.020; Ord. of 12-20-74, § 1)
36.30. Commission established; purposes. A Minneapolis arts commission is hereby established as a commission of the government of the city with responsibility to foster development of the arts; to stimulate participation in and appreciation of the arts by all city residents; to encourage cooperation and coordination between artists and the various arts; to seek financial support for the arts; to act as an advocate for the arts before private and public agencies; to advise the city council with respect to arts related matters; to strive for high standards of quality in the arts; and to represent the arts whenever possible. (Ord. of 12-20-74, § 1)
36.80. Duties. (a) The commission shall develop policies, procedures and standards for evaluating offers of gifts of art made to the city and shall from time to time recommend that gifts of art be accepted by the city council.
(b) The commission shall advise the city council on the commissioning, placement and maintenance of works of art within the city.
(c) The commission shall advise the city council on the placement and maintenance of works of art throughout the city which have been purchased or accepted by the city or which are owned by the city because they have been produced or created with public funds. (78-Or-099, § 1, 6-16-78) http://library2.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=11490&doc_action=whatsnew
With all the publicity Fire Arts Center has gotten, everyone seems to keep missing the financial connections between this group and the City. This is becoming a real trend with pet non-profit organizations and City officials. The Fire Arts Center was a shoe-in to get public money. Some of its board members are on the 38th Street Development Board, which implemented the design, and Heather Doyle who leads the Fire Arts Center is on the City of Minneapolis Art’s Board Commission. http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/dca/artscommissioners.asp
For those who are unfamiliar, here's a quick history on this project. The building was up for sale for $700K at 3749 Chicago Ave S. Six neighborhood residents wanted their dream to come true of creating an "art space" but had no money or if they did, were unwilling to part with it.
According to Steve Brandt of he Star Tribune:
"We figured we were going to jump off a cliff with a parachute and figure out how to open it on the way down," Maren Christenson, one of the six, said recently as they marked the pending purchase with an open house. http://www.startribune.com/local/70190027.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU
Well the council got the zone redistricted so that the Fire Arts Center could whip up a deal with the City. Due to the rezoning, it allowed the City to do pretty much whatever it wanted going forward without input from residents.
On October 8th 2009, the building was purchased by the City for $500K and gave the seller a reported $200K tax credit. Artspace, acting as the broker between the City and Fire Arts Center, planned to buy the building from the City and then lease it to the Fire Arts Group. My understanding was Artspace was suppose to pay back the City within six months of the City purchasing the building, but because they couldn't come up with funding, the arrangements found at the link below emerged. It seems that when the parachute opened, no money fell out; no funding translates to no payback. So back to City Council they went to whip up a deal which happened on July 7th, 2009. That's all pretty slick for cash strapped city that can't seem to find enough money to fund essential services like police and fire.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2009-meetings/20090717/Docs/ArtSpace_Projects_RCA.pdf
Let's see, they are already past the 6-month deadline, but hey, the City owns the building that they bought with our tax dollars and it looks like our friends at CPED, (which we'll get into later). According to documents in the above link, the City would be able to give 6 people with no income to support the business a $75K loan at 2%. It seems somehow they must have secured a loan through a bank, as this deal was finally sealed Friday December 4th, 2009, just a few days after CM Glidden ripped Chief Dolan a "new one" for his fiscal irresponsibility. Now here's the icing on this political cake. They'll also receive $275K in Federal Stimulus money with these guidelines:
Dollars Leveraged Description
The total project cost is approximately $965,000.00. Therefore, the $275,000 ARRA funds leverage $690,000, comprised of a (i) $425,000 CDBG loan from the City of Minneapolis, (ii) $150,000 acquisition loan from TCF Banks, (iii) $75,000 Commercial Node loan from the City of Minneapolis, (iv) $5,000 Great Streets Facade Grant from the City of Minneapolis, (v) $5,000 NRP facade grant, and (v) $29,000 in equity.
Can you smell the gravy train? If you're doing the math, it seems like a pretty hefty price tag to make the dream of these six individuals a reality. Keep in mind, we still haven't found money for the police department. Maybe Glidden and the Mayor can talk to the folks over at Public Works to give us a break on oil changes. I can't help wondering how these folks managed to get a $150K loan from a bank without putting up any of their own money. They must have been watching one of those late night infomercials that tell how to use other people's money to fund dreams. I thought all along those ads were a scam; I guess the scam was really on us.
Supposedly this project will create 33 jobs. Of course they're temporary since 30 of them are to be construction positions remodeling the building. I guarantee you that I'll be following up to see if they're following their agreement. If the past is any indication of their lack of transparency, it won't be going to pay the kids they've used to promote their feel good events. What's really bothersome to me is the failure on the part of the Fire Arts Group to raise funds themselves. My understanding is that in over three years they've only managed to raise $26K. When I had asked one of the Fire Arts people how much money the group had raised to fund the venture the response came back, “Some.” I wonder if they were equally as vague about the amount they told the bank?
Read our article at:
A large portion of the money is being loaned by CPED and the City of Minneapolis to a business that I believe will never break even, but more likely will always need more of our money. Apparently all they had to say was the magic word, "Arts", and the money fell out like candy out of a piñata.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/recovery/s-proj_105.asp
So while people are losing their homes throughout the city or can't get loans from banks for school tuition or emergencies, the banks are willing to invest in a business that is a non-profit venture during the worst economic times, some say since the Great Depression. I'm willing to bet that no bank is willing to bet even one dime of their investors' money on such a risky venture without assurances from someone that the debt is covered. I think I smell more of my money. I'd like to know how I get on the City's business plan. I have all sorts of ideas to suck up your tax money.
Speaking of Federal Recovery funds, there are funds earmarked for the police department, but their deal isn't as sweet. If they decide to take it, they'll be awarded $3.2 million. Of course, with all government money there's a catch. According to TwinCities.com (Pioneer Press):
Vice President Joe Biden today announced that Minnesota law enforcement agencies will get $11 million in federal economic stimulus grants to hire 53 police officers and sheriffs' deputies. St. Paul will get the largest grant in Minnesota, $6.2 million to hire 28 cops. Minneapolis will receive $3.2 million to fund 13 new officers. The funds pay the salaries and benefits for the new officers for three years. Police departments that receive the grants are required to retain the new officers for a fourth year.
http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/2009/07/mn-to-get-53-cops-under-federa.html
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/recovery/c-proj_97.asp
Can the City carry the additional cost of the added officers during the 4th year? If not, I guess we could ask the folks at the Fire Arts Center to protect our streets. Having lived most of my life just blocks from the 38th and Chicago Avenue intersection, I have a feeling that the Fire Arts people will be utilizing the police more than anyone else on that corner. Maybe they'll gladly pick up the slack in gratitude for City leaders indulging their dream over insuring the safety of residents.
Was the Fire Arts Center the best decision for the community? When I look around the neighborhood I see tons of community and youth gardens. There’s one right across the street from the new Fire Arts Center. Clearly urban farming and horticulture is a common passion in the neighborhood. I think a hardware store/garden center would have been perfect for the spot, considering we have neither in the neighborhood. That would have benefited more in the community as a whole. Perhaps that's just too practical for this cake eating council.
So while they’re throwing money away at this fantasy for the few and over-billing the MPD, quietly they cut the Police Activity League (PAL) Program. God forbid the kids reap the rewards of anything positive. The Juvenile Detention Center is where the City sees real value. You just can’t put enough kids in jail. After all, the kids can’t do anything for the Council. They’re only good for occasional photo opportunities with them and their cronies.
The department of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) is the mega-agency that merged the MCDA, the city's Planning Department, the Empowerment Zone and the Minneapolis Employment and Training Program. I object to any department that believes it has so much money that it can throw it at the Fire Arts Center. In many ways, CPED is nothing more than a glorified real estate broker, buying and selling property. They even have their own lawn signs like private realtors. I've questioned the numbers of the Workforce Center that the Mayor's office parades out for the press. I've questioned the Empowerment Zone's handling of the millions provided by the Clinton Administration.
Years ago, before former Council President Jackie Cherryhomes was elected to the council, she was #2 at the MCDA. I used to refer to it as the Minneapolis Criminal Development Agency. In my opinion, CPED isn't any better at handling taxpayer money now than they were back then. This is essentially the same department that allegedly drove Fuji Ya founder Reiko Weston to an early grave by annexing part of her original restaurant parking lot, effectively closing her doors. Their strong-arm tactic was described to me as retaliation for refusing to move her thriving business across the Mississippi to the now nearly dead Saint Anthony Main Shopping Center. I was told that the move was a vindictive gesture to punish her for refusing to bend to the City's plan to revitalize the other side of the riverbank. Mrs. Weston died before the court finally ruled in her favor.
Ah yes, this is the same department responsible for the City throwing millions at an idea that after nearly 25 years has never taken hold. Saint Anthony Main sit virtually empty as does River Place just down the street. From my vantage point, even though decades have passed and the name has changed, but the tactics remain the same.
How ironic that the Mayor praised the City Council for passing a 2010 City budget, claiming that it is "helping businesses grow, helping people find work."
Mayor Rybak was also pleased that the Council left intact his proposal to increase funding for two key economic recovery efforts that are already showing results:
$4.3 million to expand the Great Streets program that provides innovative and unique low-interest loans and financing tools to help small businesses develop and grow. This program helps businesses acquire and redevelop property, expand their business, or improve their storefront.
Help for more adults to find and get quality jobs through the City’s Workforce Centers. Minneapolis is one of the few cities in the country that coordinates its own Workforce Centers, and last year, these Centers have helped 60,000 people brush up their resumes or acquire new job skills. Since 2002, the City has directly helped place 10,000 people into jobs.
One of the long-term complaints with the department is its head, Mike Christenson; he’s a lawyer, not a planner. CPED should be thrown into the blender on puree. This is a City department with too much power. In my opinion, the Mayor simply took a department that was out of control and made it bigger. So many layers of City employees sucking up our tax dollars and running amok, terrorizing residents, needs to be put to an end. What follows is an example of the complicated layering effect going on down at City Hall:
Under Public Works: Condemnation:
24.310. Commissioners' bills. When the commissioners have completed their work, each shall present to the city engineer an itemized bill showing the number of days actually spent in performing the duties required of the commissioner by law. The city engineer shall examine and either approve or disapprove said bill. If disapproved, the city council may require that the commissioner presenting the same shall appear at a time and place to be fixed by the council and submit such information as the council shall deem proper to enable it to determine the reasonableness of said bill. The amount determined by the council to be the reasonable compensation for the services of each commissioner shall be the amount estimated by the city engineer and authorized by the city council. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 510.040; Pet. No. 249854, § 79, 7-14-89)
3. Provide engineering services and technical assistance for site preparation.
CPED’s engineering activities include site environmental and geotechnical investigation, pollution remediation, surveying, demolition and various engineering, architectural and other professional services for the evaluation and redevelopment of sites.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/city-budget/2010recc/27-CPED.pdf
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/docs/section_two_06.pdf
So what's going on here? If I am reading this right, the Police have to pay Public Works, but CPED bills Public Works. Even the City's Planning Commission is under the direction of CPED.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/boards-and-commissions/Planning-Comsn.asp
CPED buys lands, sells land, gives out loans, just this week Community Ways and Means approved Property Management Costs for Properties in CPED’s Inventory:
a) Approve additional expenditures in 2009 from existing fund balances in the total amount of $816,172 to pay eligible property management expenses related to properties held by the City in CPED’s inventory; b) Approve appropriation increases.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2009-meetings/20091204/WM_agenda20091130.asp
Let me give you another example of why I disapprove of CPED's handling of our money. Several months ago a Northside blogger bragged on his website that he purchased a home for $8,500 in April of 2008. Someone came along and paid him $17K for the property, doubling his investment in just four months. The buyer was CPED. So was the blogger a really good negotiator, CPED really poor negotiators or is there more to the story? The blogger is a pretty outspoken fan of CM Samuels and the Mayor, but who wouldn't be for making conditions perfect for such unprecedented profiteering. I wonder how many others have gotten that kind of deal from the City? I'm sure most investors would like to double their money like that. I wonder why CPED didn't buy the property for $8,500? Do we know that CPED knew that the property was for sale for $8,500 when the blogger bought it? No, but it was in the area of the Hawthorne EchoVillage plan which was in the works for some time. For me, the bright side of the story is the blogger took the money and rolled into another house on the Northside, keeping him out of my neighborhood. I just love stories with happy endings.
So while Elizabeth Glidden goes on a tirade over Chief Dolan's budget, it seems that all the money in this city is being funneled into CPED, which oversees just about every damn thing that goes on in this city. But strangely I don't feel like I'm living in the Emerald City, only that we have some charlatans hiding behind a curtain pulling strings and that are using a whole lot of smoke and mirrors to make me believe that I'm in Oz. My tax dollars shouldn't be going to finance the big giant Hoover vacuum sucking up every available penny to fund pet projects and double your money deals for pals of politicians.
In the end of the entire cutting from essential services areas, Minneapolis will still have CPED, the shiny and intact mega-department. If you clicked on the links to their budget, you know what I mean.
Police pink slips are signaling an end of their pay, It's a fine way of saying, "Have a happy holiday." So 'twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house; not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there. The council is nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums dance in their heads. You can bet that they'll be having a happy holiday knowing their pockets are full without a past due mortgage to pay. They'll be celebrating Christmas with families and friends; free of all worries, unlike so many Cratchits they claim to defend.
Merry Christmas to all the Minneapolis Cratchits and God bless everyone!
Update: 4:55pm: Federal grant allows MPD to put officers back to work on January 1, of total 25 laid off last week According to the news release : City Council Member Don Samuels, chair of the Public Safety Committee, said, “For a city whose primary function is public safety, this is the best Christmas gift we could receive. This grant allows us to keep our commitment to the citizens of Minneapolis by retaining police officers.”
