LaTrisha Vetaw (Ward 4)

Detailed Responses

If elected, what will be your top three priorities?

If re-elected my top three priorities will be:

Better public safety for all. Boosting police recruitment & retention, reducing crime with initiatives like ShotSpotter, and addressing reckless driving with traffic light safety cameras.

Support Economic Development Focusing on job creation, local business support, affordable housing, and combating vacant properties.

Increase livability in Our Neighborhoods. Addressing issues like illegal dumping and property maintenance to ensure cleaner, safer communities.

What should the City do to generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall?

To generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall, we need to focus on revitalizing our downtown by leveraging our public-private partnerships. The city can collaborate with private developers, real estate investors, and non-profits to convert vacant office buildings into affordable and market-rate housing. With incentives like tax breaks or subsidies, we can encourage the redevelopment of vacant buildings into vibrant, mixed-use spaces. Additionally, we need to streamline our zoning laws and building codes to make it easier for developers. By increasing our housing stock and attracting more residents, we can boost our local business economy and property values.

Additionally, we need to break down the system to make it easier for businesses to start up and grow in our city. This could include simplifying business licensing and permitting processes, offering temporary tax incentives for new businesses, and investing in incubators to support local entrepreneurs. Cutting bureaucratic red tape will encourage investment, while creating a business-friendly environment that will attract startups and small businesses. We can create a more diverse and resilient tax base by equally focusing our efforts on residential, commercial, and retail spaces. These combined efforts will help reverse the downward trend in property values and lay the foundation for a sustainable and continuously growing tax base.

What is the appropriate role of the City Council in developing policy and providing services under the 'Executive Mayor' system?

Under our ‘Executive Mayor’ system, it is the City Council’s role to represent the interests of their residents and shape policy. While the Mayor holds the executive power to implement policies and manage the city’s day-to-day operations, the City Council’s primary responsibility is to work directly with residents to understand their needs and ensure those needs are reflected in policy decisions. The City Council serves as a liaison between the community and the executive branch, engaging with residents, listening to their concerns, and advocating for solutions that address localized challenges.

The City Council is also responsible for providing oversight of the Mayor’s policies and ensuring that city services are being delivered effectively. This means the Council should be active participants in setting priorities, passing the annual budget, and passing legislation that aligns with the community’s needs. Ultimately, the City Council’s role is to ensure that the voices of residents are heard and that their concerns are being translated into meaningful action while working collaboratively with the Mayor to improve the city’s overall governance and services.

What should the City Government do to support small and local businesses?

Minneapolis can and should do more to support small and local businesses. While some efforts have been made, there is a significant opportunity for improvement. The City should streamline the licensing and permitting process to reduce barriers for new businesses. Additionally, the City should offer more financial support, such as grants, low-interest loans, and tax incentives, particularly for minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Investing in programs that provide mentorship, training, and access to capital like our BTAP and DTAP programs will also help small businesses grow and thrive. Minneapolis needs to continue to actively prioritize policies that create a supportive environment for small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy and tax-base.

What is an immediate and urgent solution to encampments in Minneapolis?

An immediate solution to the encampment situation in Minneapolis doesn't exist, as it is a complicated issue that will require time, resources, and collaborative efforts. While temporary measures may band-aid the situation, the long-term solution will take continuous work and investment. Our partners at the County and State must step up and provide the necessary funding and resources to support this effort. Minneapolis and its taxpayers cannot and should not bear the full burden of solving this crisis alone. It requires a regional and state-wide approach to ensure that we provide meaningful and lasting support for those experiencing homelessness.

What role should the City Council have in improving public safety?

The City Council’s role in improving public safety should be to help tailor solutions to the specific needs of each ward, so that strategies are relevant and effective for the diverse communities we serve. Council members should work closely with the Office of Community Safety for a wrap-around approach that addresses both immediate and long-term public safety concerns. Beyond our own constituencies, the Office of Community Safety should be the City Council's go-to resource, as it encompasses all public safety-related departments, which allows for a coordinated and holistic response to our safety challenges.

Quick Hits

Property taxes?
Too high and should be reduced.

The City has committed to transforming George Floyd Square in a way that honors community values and vision for the future. What option do you support for this transformation?
A Flexible Open-Street concept that would support development at the People’s Way.

What concept do you support for 3000 Minnehaha Ave, the site of the former Third Police Precinct?
Election and Voter Services/Democracy center plus community space.

Do you support the City of Minneapolis moving forward a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction policy against Israel where possible?
No.

Do you support the removal of I-94 through Minneapolis and replacement with a boulevard and/or public transit?
No.

The City of Minneapolis has a Separation Ordinance in place preventing city employees from asking about immigration status. Do you support this ordinance?
Yes.

What would you prioritize in immediate future city budgets?
Focus more on core functions for which the city is currently primarily responsible like police, fire, and road maintenance.

Should a Labor Standards Board be revisited, its composition should be:
Business and Labor have equal representation.

Increased vibrancy and activity downtown is important for:
Everyone in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis small and local business owners receive:
Too little support from the City Council.

How important is economic health and the business environment in Minneapolis?
One of the top three most important issues facing our city.

Do you believe that Minneapolis currently has a hospitable business climate?
No.

I believe that perception of crime:
Has a real impact on local businesses and should be taken seriously by city policymakers.

Would you support the implementation of a strict rent control policy with rents capped at 3% annual increases, such as was passed in Saint Paul in 2021?
No.

Are you open to supporting a different version of rent control than a strict 3% cap?
No.

In general, what effect do you believe the production of market-rate housing have on other units in the area?
Decreases rent through increasing supply.

Do you support the Revised Affordable Housing Right of First Refusal Ordinance?
Yes.

Do you think we need additional renter protections? If yes, what protections would you support?
No.

The existence of homeless encampments is:
A public health and safety emergency. Harmful to those living in and near encampments.

Should encampment closures be halted?
No.

Do you support the minimum police officer mandate of 1.7 per 1,000 residents?
Yes, and I believe the City should continue working to fulfill it.

As a city council member, would you support increasing funding for recruitment, hiring, and retention of officers as the mayor proposed and City Council majority rejected in their 2024 and 2025 budgets?
Yes.

Do you support the Office of Community Safety Department of Neighborhood Safety’s (DNS) RFP process awarding contracts to organizations through a basic competitive bidding process with expert-informed “best practices” proposal evaluations?
Yes.

Do you support the Department of Neighborhood Safety requiring data-driven accountability and reporting by violence interruption/prevention groups?
Yes.

With regard to public safety do you feel like the city's more pressing issue currently is police accountability or staffing levels?
Staffing levels.

The City reached a federal consent decree with President Biden’s Department of Justice. Despite President Trump’s administration indicating it may abandon efforts to finalize the decree, Mayor Frey has stated he will support the city and the MPD complying with the agreement even if it’s not enforced by the federal courts. Do you agree?
Yes.

Do you believe Shotspotter is a valuable tool?
Yes.

Should ShotSpotter be expanded to include additional high-crime areas?
Yes.