Marques Jones (Ward 9)
Detailed Responses
If elected, what will be your top three priorities?
1. Lower licensing and permitting fees to support small businesses, especially for low-income entrepreneurs. Make Minneapolis the best city to start a small business.
2. Invest in evidence-based solutions like affordable housing and prevention programs to eliminate homelessness.
3. Ensure first responders have proper resources—our fire response times exceed safety standards, and the 3rd Precinct has only three squad cars. We must equip police, firefighters, and public safety teams to keep us safe.
What should the City do to generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall?
Encourage small business and population growth. We can grow our way out of this crisis and cement ourselves as the best city in America to live in, but we must act, and we must act fast. This means working to bring more iconic small businesses to Minneapolis, and giving low-income entrepreneurs a chance through grants and an easier and less expensive licensing process. Small business owners work hard to bring jobs to their communities; as a city council, we have to work just as hard for them. We should also explore transforming office space downtown into housing, though it seems as though this may be too expensive to be feasible.
What is the appropriate role of the City Council in developing policy and providing services under the 'Executive Mayor' system?
The City Council serves as the legislative body, responsible for passing ordinances, setting policies, approving the budget, and providing oversight of the mayor’s administration. The mayor manages city operations and departments, while the council ensures policies align with community needs, holds the executive accountable, and advocates for constituents. I see the council as needing to work hand in hand with the mayor to ensure our policies match the mayor's enforcement. We need to work with the mayor, and the mayor needs to work with us. I don't see that sort of positive relationship between the mayor and the current city council, and I want to change that, regardless of who the next mayor is. Let's work together for a better Minneapolis.
What should the City Government do to support small and local businesses?
Reduce Barriers for Small Businesses: Twin Cities businesses struggle with staffing—especially finding trained workers. Training grants and incentives for hiring entry-level workers could help.
Lower Startup Costs: Minneapolis imposes high licensing and permitting fees. A restaurant can pay nearly $14,000 before opening including liquor licenses and a SAC permit, and there is an abnormally high 20% late fee on permit renewal. Flexible fee schedules and reduced late fees would make entrepreneurship more accessible. We should also consider grants for low income entrepreneurs to defer or avoid permitting fees.
Cut Red Tape: Starting a business in Minneapolis requires navigating dozens of steps, forms, and agencies. Streamlining licensing and permitting would save time and encourage growth.
Remove Unfair Restrictions: Rules like the “clean hands” requirement block lower-income entrepreneurs with city and state debt from getting a license. We should allow people with debt to keep licenses in the short term; that way they can work to pay back the city and keep their businesses.
What is an immediate and urgent solution to encampments in Minneapolis?
Encampment Policy: Clearing encampments should be a last resort to protect public safety—used strategically, not aggressively. We must focus on implementing real, research-backed solutions to eliminate encampments all together without the use of force. The current council has avoided decisive action, compounding the problem--homelessness in Minneapolis reached a record level in 2024. Enough waiting for reports, lets focus on getting results.
More Affordable Housing, Not Less: According to HUD, Minneapolis manages fewer affordable housing units as of the end of 2023 (latest data) than in 2021--that's even as homelessness has consistently increased year over year! Recent increases are just a return to past levels. We need real investment, not the short-term fixes the current council has provided. We must also increase private-sector construction to increase supply and lower rent. For homeless families and the chronically homeless, we must consider the feasibility of what experts have long regarded as the best long-term solution: long-term housing vouchers, similar to section 8.
Prevention Works: Programs like NYC’s Homebase prevents homelessness by providing at-risk individuals with career resources and case management. Minneapolis lacks a similar approach, focusing largely only on those already homeless. Prevention saves money, and we need more of it.
Make Resources Accessible: Finding help on the Minneapolis website is difficult—if it's hard for me, it's even harder for those in crisis. We need a user-friendly system.
What role should the City Council have in improving public safety?
The City Council plays a critical role in ensuring Minneapolis is a safe place for everyone. Public safety should be a top priority, and that means taking a pragmatic, data-driven approach that combines effective investment with strong community partnerships. We need to ensure our police, fire, and public safety officers have the resources, training, and staffing needed to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively, while also prioritizing accountability and trust-building with the communities they serve.
Firefighters are essential to public safety, not just for responding to fires, but also for medical emergencies, disaster response, and public health crises. As a firefighter myself, I have seen how the city's current investment is putting residents at risk. Our fire response times are frequently above national safety standards; we are simply not prioritizing the foundational public safety issues a city needs to thrive under the current city council. The City Council must ensure that the Minneapolis Fire Department has the resources, staffing, and equipment needed to keep our city safe and meet national standards. That means fully funding our fire department, modernizing fire stations, and ensuring that our first responders have the best training and protective gear available.
I also support investing in law enforcement while also expanding proven crime prevention strategies, such as mental health crisis response teams, violence intervention programs, and youth engagement initiatives. The City Council should also work to improve recruitment and retention of well-trained officers, ensuring they are equipped to serve in a way that protects both residents and their rights. Importantly, officers must be held accountable if they violate their oath to the community.
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.
If yes, do you support exemptions for new construction?
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?
No.
Do you think we need additional renter protections?
Yes.
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.