Your Daily Guide

Park Board Showdown Over Minneapolis Budget

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is in a standoff with the mayor’s office over how much funding from property taxes they’ll get in the proposed budget for 2027-2028. MPRB asked for a 5.86% increase in the property tax levy, but Mayor Jacob Frey is budgeting for a 2.5% increase instead. Officials are in a tough balancing act as they face a $60 million budget deficit. However, Commissioner Jason Garcia says MPRB’s 5.86% ask is as austere as they could make it. “ We didn't want to go into this and say, ‘Let's ask for 12% and then negotiate our way down to 5.86’,” Garcia told City Cast Twin Cities. “We said, ‘Let's come up with the budget that we need’ Not ask for extras, not ask for extravagance.” [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

• Why does MPRB need more money? Under the mayor’s proposal, the park board would receive about an extra $2 million in property taxes as opposed to the roughly $5 million they’ve asked for. Board leaders say the proposed budget would result in about a $3 million deficit, and costs are going up just to maintain the service and staff they have now. Another big factor, according to Garcia, are the start-up costs of opening new parks in north Minneapolis. The revamp of North Commons Park, a longstanding institution in the area, is the largest investment in a neighborhood park in Minnesota history. “ [MPRB] function[s] with a very high focus on equity,” Garcia said. “[North Minneapolis] had been suffering from underinvestment for 100+ years.” [City Cast Twin Cities / Insight News]
• A very Minneapolis fight: You probably wouldn’t see St. Paul’s mayor and its park commission clash like this. That’s because MPRB is a semi-autonomous body that gets to propose how much money they need (the Board of Estimate and Taxation sets the final rate). As part of cost-cutting measures, Frey also wants to consolidate the park board’s IT, HR, and payroll systems – and potentially cut Park Police. Commissioners have said this wouldn’t save money at all, because MPRB’s systems are more efficient than they city’s. [MinnPost]

Is banning someone from the fair…fair? Six alleged gang members agreed not to attend this year's State Fair ahead of a judge's decision on whether to bar alleged gang members from associating at the fair. Two others challenged the lawsuit from Ramsey County and Minnesota, arguing that such a ban would violate their constitutional rights. The county sought the injunction after plans for a large inter-gang brawl at the fair were advertised on social media. [Sahan Journal]

Shocking: MyPillow CEO and experienced election denier Mike Lindell is planning to personally finance an estimated $825,000 recount of votes after losing to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the Republican primary for governor. Without evidence, Lindell claimed there were irregularities in the results immediately after losing the election. [Pioneer Press]

Steal this birthday itinerary: I was out of office yesterday to celebrate my partner's birthday, and our all-Northeast Minneapolis itinerary was one of my favorite days of my life. We started with a bike ride to Up Coffee for a vanilla banana latte and a bangin' vegan breakfast burrito followed by a serene walk through Father Hennepin Bluff Park with our dog. We then spent about three hours relaxing at the Watershed Spa and hit the happy hour on the Jefe patio for tacos and drinks. We wrapped the day up with a punk show at Pilllar Forum and four different types of cake at La Colonia. It was like vacationing in our neighborhood.

Much ado about no action: A packed North Loop Neighborhood Association meeting on plans to turn the old Star Tribune printing facility into a data center ended with a "motion of no action" because developer Legacy Investing had not provided enough details about the project. The NLNA asked the Minneapolis Planning Commission to delay its hearing on Legacy Investing’s permit so the neighborhood group can gather more information and make a recommendation. [KARE 11]

Hand 'em over: A judge has ordered federal prosecutors to hand over all of the transcripts and evidence presented in the grand jury indictment of the 39 Cities Church protesters. The order comes after a different judge had previously denied defense attorneys' request for the transcripts, citing the need to preserve grand jury secrecy. The defense team hopes that the information will reveal some impropriety on the part of the prosecutors that will allow the indictments to be dismissed. [Star Tribune]

Friday, August 21

• 😆 Bonus Joy – A New Comedy Variety Show | Turf Club
• 💜 Bieber Night | Fine Line
• 💚 Shrek XCX | First Avenue
• 💃 Dances with Dalí | The Southern Theater
• 🐟 Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour | SeaLife
• ✨ August Star Party | Bell Museum
• 🫂 Break the Bubble with MPR | Dual Citizen Brewing
• 🏁 SKA Summer SKA! | Urban Growler

Saturday, August 22

• 📚 The Midwest Black Book Fair | U of M UROC
• 📼 Mix Tape Music Fest | Bumbling Fools Mead
• ☀️ Morning Banger | Dogwood Coffee
• 🪽 444 Suite Soft Opening | 444 Suite
• 🚴 St. Paul Nut Roll | Bang Brewing Company
• 🌳 Ballroom in the Park | Mears Park
• 🎤 THE BIG SHOW ft. Your Smith | Indeed Brewing
• 🇲🇽 Yolanda Del Rio | Pantages Theatre
• 🌎 Samambo World | Cruise

Sunday, August 23

• 🛍️ Local Love Market | Honour Coffee
• 🌽 CornFest | ValleyFair
• 🧘 Southside Wellness Expo | Hook and Ladder
• 🍞 Baker’s Field & Flour 10th Anniversary | Food Building
• 🍁 Family Harvest Festival | Sabes JCC
• 🐟 Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour | SeaLife
• 💃 Dances with Dalí | The Southern Theater
• 🐶 UpDog Double Feature | The Canine Coach
• 🎤 Gilbert & Sullivan Sing-a-Long! | MetroNOME Brewry

• Chief Financial Officer at Project For Pride in Living | $190k-$220k per year
• Managing Director of Events and Exhibits at the University of Minnesota Arboretum | 115k-124k
• Program Manager, Urban Debate League at Augsburg University | $55k-60k per year
• Director of Development at Northside Boxing Club | $60-70k per year