Transportation

Minneapolis City Council To Reconsider Uber/Lyft Pay Ordinance 🚗

The Summary: In a sharp reversal, Minneapolis City Council members are considering adjustments to the recently implemented rideshare driver pay ordinance, while statewide legislative efforts are underway to address the issue.

Notice for Reconsideration: Council Member Andrea Jenkins proposed revisiting the ordinance to explore additional solutions for ensuring drivers meet minimum wage requirements, despite initially supporting the ordinance.

"Absolutely I'm willing to compromise.” -Council Member Katie Cashman, who supported the ordinance, told the Star Tribune

New Data Incoming: The city council is expected to receive additional Minneapolis specific rideshare data on April 15th that members have indicated will inform the final pay minimums.

State Lawmakers Weigh In: There are bills at the Capitol that address statewide rideshare driver pay but at a slightly lower rate than what the Minneapolis City Council. Governor Walz has continued to urge state lawmakers to take up the issue.

What’s Next: The reconsideration of the ordinance is expected to be discussed at the council’s next meeting on April 11. Meanwhile, Uber and Lyft have stood by their plans to leave Minneapolis.

📈 Survey Results

In last week’s newsletter we asked our readers how you would vote on this issue. View the final results here.

One reader who voted in favor of the ordinance said: “If a company can't afford to pay workers minimum wage, it shouldn't exist.”

A reader who opposed the ordinance had this to say: “Uber and Lyft were supposed to be a side business, not a full replacement for taxi's.”

Weather

A March Snowstorm….What Else Is New? ❄

The Summary: By the time you’re reading this newsletter, the first of this weekend’s snowstorms has likely wrapped up. Anywhere from 3-7 inches of snow was expected to fall Thursday evening into Friday morning.

Wave Two: There will be a short break before Minnesota braces for round two which is expected to hit Sunday night. The latest forecasts predict the metro has a 70% chance of receiving 6 inches of snow.

A Snowless Winter: After a winter with just 14.3 inches of snow thus far, the combination of these two storms could come close to matching the Twin Cities’ total snowfall.

Watch out for April: You know what’s worse than a March snowstorm? An April snowstorm. And the Twin Cities has a strong history of April snow.

Education

Minneapolis Public Schools Faces Budget Crisis, Contemplates Major Staff Cuts 🏫

The Summary: Facing a substantial $110 million budget deficit, Minneapolis Public Schools plan to make significant cuts across various departments.

Scope of Cuts: District leaders have detailed plans for at least 200 full-time job reductions. The cuts impact positions such as music teachers, nurses, custodians, and more.

Enrollment Decline and Financial Challenges: The district's enrollment has declined significantly since 2000-01, posing financial challenges exacerbated by open enrollment and demographic shifts.

Union Negotiations and Response: As negotiations between the teachers union and the district continue, labor unions have pushed back against proposed cuts.

Business

❯ Job Cuts at North Memorial: Facing financial challenges, North Memorial announced the elimination of 103 jobs and the discontinuation of outpatient mental health services at its Robbinsdale medical center due to growing patient numbers with government-sponsored health plans, which offer lower reimbursement rates.

❯ $20M to MN Non-Profits: Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, announced donations totaling $20 million to 10 Twin Cities nonprofits. Since 2020, Scott has donated more than $129 million to 34 Minnesota nonprofits as part of her pledge to give out a majority of her wealth over her lifetime.

❯ Declining Property Values: Minneapolis homeowners are facing a surprise as property tax assessments revealed a decline in property values. While home valuations dropped modestly by 1.2%, commercial values saw a significant decrease of 8.7%.

What Else We’re Reading…

Proposal At The Capitol Would Give State Land Around Upper Red Lake to Red Lake Nation

While not in the Twin Cities, I’ve been tracking this story given its historic nature. To get you caught up quick, legislation has been introduced in both the Minnesota House and Senate that would allocate all state-owned land within 1 mile of Upper Red Lake to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. The proposed bills have raised concerns among local taxpayers and the Department of Natural Resources sparking discussions about public access to the lake and potential implications for surrounding communities and businesses.

Sports

🏀 Gophers Advance: In the first round of the NIT, the Gophers upset 4th seeded Butler and will now face top seeded Indiana State on Saturday.

🐺 Wolves Ownership: Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore have reportedly submitted financial documentation to complete their acquisition for majority control of the Wolves and Lynx from current owner Glen Taylor.

🏒 Wild Lose: In a game that would have moved them within one point of a playoff spot, the Wild lost to the Kings in a 6-0 blowout.

🏀 Ex-Wolves Employee Arested: Sachin Gupta, the head of the Wolves' analytics department, had over 5,000 files of sensitive team data stolen last month by an employee who has since been fired, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

🏀 Former Lynx player Maya Moore will have her jersey retired during the Lynx upcoming season

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities ✔

❯ Trump administration denied Minneapolis nearly $1 million over 'defund the police' comments (Star Tribune)

❯ State Fair Grandstand lineup was announced this week featuring Chance the Rapper, Mötley Crüe and Kidz Bop Live (MPR)

❯ Mall of America is set to begin using K-9’s to monitor for guns (WCCO)

❯ Police are investigating a shooting that took place at an Edina LA Fitness (Bring Me The News)

❯ St. Catherine University in St. Paul named a new president this week (KSTP)

❯ The St. Paul Downtown Alliance has released a plan to bring more people back to downtown (KSTP)

Beyond the Twin Cities

Headlines From Greater Minnesota ✔

❯ Three people avoided injury in a Rochester host air balloon crash (MPR)

❯ A new report shows Otter Tail County Jail witheld meals from an inmate for over 50 hours (KSTP)

❯ A new study revealed that homelessness declined slightly in Minnesota in 2023 (Star Tribune)

❯ Minnesota roads were ranked #1 in a new report from the Consumer Affairs (Fox9)

The Final Word: Can’t Escape the Snow

Is this how everyone is feeling right now with a fresh coat of snow on the ground on March 22nd?

-Patrick