Families have been put in an impossible position; they should never have to decide between paying rent and putting food on the table. I’m ready to raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2028 and pass a rent stabilization policy that still incentivizes new construction and tenant protections. I won’t bow to corporate interests or political pressure, because you deserve a mayor who fights for you.
It’s past time for true public safety. The political strategists have manufactured a myth to pit us against each other about our own safety. To that I say, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. That’s why I secured $19 million in public safety funding for Minneapolis and called for real accountability in policing. Safety means no longer asking officers to take on every problem leading to residents waiting on the phone with 911. Real public safety means investing in officer wellness while freeing up their capacity to focus on violent crime and clear the case backlog.
The MAGA talking heads, the dog whistles and the millions of dollars being spent to put my face in your mailbox, insisting that I’m too young, too radical, too idealistic — are afraid I’m too close to you. The worker, the immigrant, the renter, people in this city who are just trying to make it. If fighting to house people, protect immigrants and keep you safe is radical, then count me in, because Minneapolis is worth fighting for. For my son, for you — because we have the people, the power and the potential. Now, we need a mayor ready to meet the moment.
Omar Fateh is a member of the Minnesota Senate and candidate for mayor of Minneapolis.
