Highlighting Frey’s leadership, a growing coalition of support includes
Attorney General Keith Ellison, Labor, and community leaders
Frey has advanced record levels of affordable housing investments, implemented targeted economic policy to help create a more inclusive economy, and worked collaboratively to guide the city through competing crises
Minneapolis, MN — With endorsements from Attorney General Keith Ellison, Teamsters Joint Council 32, and community leaders including former Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jonathan Weinhagen, and American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC) CEO Mike Goze, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced today that he will seek another four-year term as city leader.
“Over the last four years, we’ve confronted opportunity and hardship together,” said Frey. “We’ve cemented our values in policy by building and preserving record levels of affordable housing throughout our city and spearheading new, targeted initiatives that help create a more inclusive economy. We’ve also faced unprecedented challenges and calls for necessary structural change. I look forward to continuing to serve Minneapolis as we move into a new era with a shared commitment to build a more vibrant and just city.”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced his support of the mayor, stating: “I center my political convictions around the idea that everybody counts and everybody matters. For a lot of our leaders, it’s easy to have that attitude on sunny days, when things are easy and our problems seem small. But our nation, our state, and our beloved city of Minneapolis face crises unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. In the most difficult of times, Jacob showed true, collaborative leadership — working to bridge our differences to move our city forward — and this characteristic and determination of leadership is why I am so proud to support our mayor now and as he seeks reelection.”
Frey was elected mayor in 2017 after defeating a crowded slate of candidates in both first-choice votes and total votes under Minneapolis’ rank choice voting balloting. Prior to his election, he represented Minneapolis’ Third Ward on the City Council and earned praise and support from diverse leaders and groups based on his ability to reach across divisions and bring multiple stakeholders together to solve problems. In that 2017 race, Teamsters Joint Council 32 was the first union to endorse, throwing their support behind Frey. Representing workers in both the public and private sector, once again they’re the first union to endorse in the 2021 campaign.
Edward Reynoso, Political Director for Teamsters Joint Council 32, said the union is “Proud to once again stand with Jacob Frey for Mayor of Minneapolis. We are honored to continue our partnership with him in advancing the rights of working men and women, and are confident that in him we have a strong ally to endorse and recommend to the thousands of Teamster families that reside in Minneapolis.”
Frey’s first term as mayor has focused on three top priorities — affordable housing, economic inclusion, and public safety — and has marked major accomplishments while weathering unprecedented challenges and setbacks, including the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the May 25, 2020 killing of George Floyd and the ensuing civil unrest across the city and nation.
Frey’s first two annual budgets invested a record $70 million of city funding in affordable housing with new support for financial assistance for affordable homeownership. His flagship initiative Stable Homes Stable Schools, launched in 2019, helped prevent homelessness or provided stable housing for over 2,500 Minneapolis Public School students from close to 900 families.
Mike Goze, Chief Executive of AICDC, an organization that provides help to Inidgenous community members as they navigate housing and economic challenges, said, “The City of Minneapolis under Mayor Jacob Frey has been a tremendous partner in addressing the needs of the American Indian People currently experiencing homelessness. Through his leadership we were able to create housing and programming to help address the homeless crisis facing us all.”
Frey has worked closely with Minneapolis Police Chief Arradondo to enact structural changes to the Minneapolis Police Department. He revised the department’s body camera policy in 2018, adding disciplinary measures for failure to comply, and resulting in increased compliance among officers from 55 percent to over 90 percent. He prioritized shifting the department’s culture and put in place the nation’s first ban on warrior-style training for both on- and off-duty officers. More recently, he overhauled the department’s use of force policy, brought accountability to the department’s use of “no-knock warrants,” and put in place new reporting standards that help ensure de-escalation tactics are the foundation for police encounters.
The mayor has withstood calls from some Council Members to abolish the police department. Frey also successfully prevented a Council push to permanently reduce the number of sworn MPD officers from 888 to 750 by threatening to veto the measure. Frey has consistently advanced a “both and” approach to public safety that includes additional funding for violence intervention initiatives and support for expanding the number of community-based police officers within the city.
Former Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton said of Frey, “Serving as mayor requires an unwavering devotion to the city, and acting with integrity and a commitment to telling the truth even when that truth is hard to hear. Mayor Frey has led with those values at the forefront, both during easier times and during the unprecedented year of 2020.”
Amid the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and following the killing of George Floyd, Frey’s attention turned quickly to working with his partners at the state level, including Ellison and Governor Walz, as well as with local community groups and businesses. He took quick and decisive action, making Minneapolis the first locality to enact a mask requirement to control the spread of the virus. Frey has directed tens of millions in city, state, and federal funding to support struggling small businesses and provide shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness. Frey also partnered with council members to launch Minneapolis Forward, an initiative designed to both recover and transform following COVID-19 and civil unrest.
On the mayor’s economic development initiatives, Jonathan Weinhagen, CEO and President of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, said, “Whether it’s a first-generation, BIPOC-owned small business or major Fortune 500, Mayor Frey has been a champion for our business community and has consistently pushed to build a more inclusive local economy. As Minneapolis begins to rise from challenge and loss, I know that Jacob Frey is the type of steady, determined leader we need to bring this city into an era of greater opportunity, equity, and prosperity for everyone. That’s why I’m so proud to support his reelection.”
More information about Frey’s reelection campaign will be made available in the coming weeks, including additional endorsements from community leaders, elected officials, and labor unions. Details about a campaign kick-off event in early 2021 will be forthcoming. Updates can be found at jacobfrey.org.
Media requests can be directed to media@jacobfrey.org.
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