Happy New Year to my neighbors, friends and Ward 7 residents:
At this time of year, I usually reach out to seek your support for another term on the Minneapolis City Council, but today I am writing to tell you of my decision not to seek reelection: 2023 will be the last year I serve as your representative at City Hall.
It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to represent the Seventh Ward for the past 25 years. Paul Wellstone once told me that walking into the Capitol was something that always filled him with awe, and I can say that every day I walk into the beautiful Richardsonian Romanesque building that is City Hall I am filled with incredible pride and a deep sense of responsibility to do my best to represent you.
Over the years I have worked hard to live up to the pledge I made to do right by the residents of the Seventh Ward, to the oath I took to represent the city honorably and to responsibly manage the fiduciary duty with which we are charged.
When I first took office in 1998 Minneapolis was a very different city than it is today. It has been my great fortune to work with a diverse group of amazing people through some of the hardest things we have ever faced as a community — a recession, a bridge collapse, a destructive tornado, the horrific murder of George Floyd, civil unrest and the economic and societal upheaval caused by the COVID pandemic.
But I have also been part of some of the most positive changes our city has ever seen, including unprecedented investment and growth in downtown, the development of an affordable housing trust fund that has invested over $250 million and leveraged over $1 billion in affordable housing and changes in every department of our city government, with the goal of being a more inclusive and equitable city.
I am proud to have worked on many policies and projects, large and small, that have enlivened our city and resulted in more than doubling the residential population of downtown. Because of my work we now have food trucks, green roofs and sidewalk cafés throughout the city, something that was not allowed under previous ordinances. It may seem like a small thing, but it took three years to get that done, and now we can’t imagine a time without them.
In my 25 years on the City Council, I’ve had the good fortune to work with four mayors and over 50 city council members, many of whom I have great relationships with to this day. I have attended over 1,000 neighborhood meetings, more than 100 ice cream socials and multiple neighborhood events and community gatherings. I’ve made sure your garbage gets picked up, worked through your disagreements with your neighbor, helped get your street or alley plowed, helped you maneuver through the bureaucracy that is government and tried to maintain an open dialogue with all of you. I will also admit that I’ve taken more calls about goose poop, loud crows (and even louder leaf blowers and motorcycles) and parking issues than I care to share!
Best of all, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know so many of you, celebrating your happiest moments and grieving during your deepest sorrows. We’ve worked together to envision and create a greater city, and even when we’ve missed the mark, we know it’s a city we can be proud of.
The city is facing some big challenges, that also present incredible opportunities. But now is the time for me to step back from my role in city governance to allow someone else the chance to lead. I’m excited about what can come next, for the city and for myself, as I chart my new course.
I leave humbled, grateful and confident that Minneapolis will overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities at hand. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constructive criticism, kindness, love and support for over 25 years, and for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the city I love so much. Lisa.
