Longfellow Rising

10/02/2026

Public budget hearing dates: Oct 7., Oct 19., & Dec. 15 all at 6:05pm at City Council Chambers at City Hall on the Third Floor.

The Minneapolis 2027 City budget process is one of the most consequential city has faced in years. It’s not too late to learn about the city budget and get engaged. Let me level set with you and give you baseline and encourage you to participate in the upcoming public hearing opportunities.

Oct 7., Oct 19., & Dec. 15 all at 6:05pm at City Council Chambers at City Hall on the Third Floor.

The Mayor proposed one of the largest levy increases the City has seen in years at 11.3% meaning on average residents will see $409 increase more per year on taxes (this is even more for Ward 12 Residents where 6,000+ will pay on average 20% more in prior years).

On 9/29 the Board of Estimate and Taxation voted to approve a maximum 11.87% levy increase on the taxpayer, this the ceiling not the floor. The budget is not yet adopted now the City Council is handed the City Budget to deliberate as we hear department presentations, listen and engage with community members for feedback, and make changes on what we will invest in, what will we be cut, and how much we will levy the taxpayers to invest in services on their behalf.

Toplines on this budget process:

This is a 2.3 billion dollar proposed budget. Yet, this is an austerity budget proposed by the Mayor.

Even though taxes will be raised several programs and about 100 job positions will be cut, along with restructuring parts of the City Government.

There is a more than 60 million dollar budget gap. Meaning there is more city dollars invested to keep up current services and programs than dollars coming into the City this year.

We are mandated by state law to balance our budget, therefore we will need to prioritize and make tough choices.

This gap is driven by rising labor and operating costs, inflation, the end of pandemic-era federal funding, and declining downtown commercial property values— and large unforeseen spending by the Minneapolis Police Department on overtime spending due to staffing numbers and vacancies among sworn personnel, city emergencies, time taken for leave, and mismanagement of overtime spending resulting in the investigation of six officers.

I will continue to unpack this City Budget with you, share my positions on it, and of course be eager to hear from Ward 12 residents and all the people of Minneapolis.

Resources:

You can view the proposed city budget: https://city-minneapolis-mn-cleardoc.cleargov.com/26434/1137486/d

Watch all of our recorded and live streamed budget meetings: https://youtube.com/?si=T3x6hjY_L1ktsr4O

Levy Impact Estimator Dashboard: https://data.minneapolismn.gov/pages/mpls-data-dashboard-page-template-1-1

10/02/2026

Ward 9 Budget Meeting with the City of Minneapolis Finance & Property Services Department on Monday, October 5th at Corcoran Rec Center

My office is hosting a Ward 9 Budget Meeting with the City of Minneapolis Finance & Property Services Department on Monday, October 5th from 6:00 to 7:30pm at the Corcoran Recreation Center (3334 20th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407).

Join us to learn how the city budget is developed, what's in the 2027 Mayor's Recommended Budget, and what resources are available to you. My hope is to make the budget process accessible and transparent for residents.

I know many of you have questions about MPD's overtime and overspending, the proposed cuts that will impact our neighbors, and the levy increase. Please bring those questions with you. I look forward to hearing your questions, thoughts, and priorities for our city.

Jason Chavez

10/02/2026

This is welcome progress! A drop-in center in Downtown Longfellow open two mornings a week now - Tuesdays and Thursdays at The Valiance

Community Drop-In hours are available at The Valiance! 🧡

Starting today, Drop-In hours are available every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Valiance, 2810 27th Ave S.
People can access showers, laundry, hygiene supplies, lunch and more.

Mobile medical care is available on Thursdays.

Help us spread the word so more people can get connected to support!

09/28/2026

If you've never been to ReEntry Lab's "Better Things 5x5 Reading" at Moon Palace Books, consider going on October 6. You won't regret it!

09/24/2026

This Sunday! We’d love to see you at our Fall Harvest Gathering for free food, music, stories, comedy, activities, and community.

And we have a LOT happening:

Food from Jaidee, bringing traditional Lao flavors and creative fusion to the table.

A book reading with Erin Sharkey & Friends. Erin is a Minneapolis-based educator, writer, arts and abolition organizer, and cultural worker.

Live klezmer music from Di Bayke, a collective of Minneapolis musicians performing the traditional dance music of Eastern European Jews.

And yes, Council Member Aurin Chowdhury is doing stand-up comedy. We’re as curious as you are.

Plus, activities for all ages, including the Longfellow Whatever VR Time Machine, Twisted Balloon, make-your-own crop art, and photos with the giant loon!

Come hungry. Bring your neighbors. Hang out for the afternoon. Celebrate fall and the community that makes Longfellow, Longfellow.

It’s free, and the food is on us!

09/24/2026

Did you know there are organizations, programs, financing options, technical assistance providers, and other resources available to help entrepreneurs navigate challenges and grow?

Join Redesign, Longfellow Business Association, and Seward Civic and Commerce Association on September 30 for a FREE Business Resources event - a chance to learn about organizations and resources available to help your business.

September 30 | 4-5:30PM | At The Historic Coliseum Building

More Info + Register: https://redesigninc.org/events/

✨ This is the first in a new monthly series of opportunities for business owners to connect with resources, learn something useful, and meet other entrepreneurs. Funding provided by the City of Minneapolis to honor and celebrate community resilience. ✨

09/23/2026

Several folks have asked about City Budget hearings at our monthly convening, "Conversation & Action for the Common Good." We want to know what the commitment will be next year for publicly funded safety interventions, like ambassadors, diversion programs and violence interrupters. It's not yet clear when the Budget Committee will be seeking public input, but here is the schedule for all the upcoming Budget Committee meetings (which the public may attend): https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Calendar/citycouncil/upcoming/Budget #

09/21/2026

Pangea World Theater's fall production is happening in Downtown Longfellow at the site of their future home theater.

09/19/2026

For Wilmar Delgado, the story of El Nuevo Campo started long before he became its developer.

Wilmar remembers the former El Nuevo Rodeo as a place where Minneapolis’ Latino community gathered for concerts, food, and time together.

Then he watched it burn.

About a year later, a friend told him the lot was for sale. That conversation would eventually lead Wilmar into a years-long effort to bring something back to this corner of Lake Street.

Today, El Nuevo Campo is still a work in progress, but the story behind the empty land is one worth knowing.

**Watch our full interview with Wilmar to learn how he became the developer behind El Nuevo Campo, why the site remains vacant, and what he believes needs to change to help emerging developers succeed.**

Full interview on our website.

https://www.longfellowrising.org/wilmardelgado