By affiliation
47-573: The Minneapolis City Council is the legislative branch of the city of Minneapolis in Minnesota , United States . Comprising 13 members, the council holds the authority to create and modify laws, policies, and ordinances that govern the city. Each member represents one of the 13 wards in Minneapolis, elected for a four-year term. The current council structure has been in place since the 1950s. In recent elections, council membership has been dominated by
94-418: A quorum . Some of the responsibilities of a legislature, such as giving first consideration to newly proposed legislation, are usually delegated to committees made up of a few of the members of the chamber(s). The members of a legislature usually represent different political parties ; the members from each party generally meet as a caucus to organize their internal affairs. Legislatures vary widely in
141-446: A 3 in order to comply with a state law designed to require city council elections in years ending in 2 or 3 after a census. Each city council member represents one of 13 wards. Ward boundaries are redrawn after each census and approved by the court-appointed Charter Commission. For elections, the 13 wards are subdivided into a total of 137 precincts . Council Members have a base salary of $ 109,846 in 2024. Raises for council members and
188-646: A communication and public relations assistant for eleven months for Minneapolis Public Schools and worked on the staff of Councilmember Robert Lilligren . Cano ran to represent Minneapolis's 9th ward in the Minneapolis City Council in 2013 against Ty Moore to replace retiring incumbent Gary Schiff . She won and was sworn in on January 6, 2014. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party . On December 19, 2020, Cano announced that she would not seek re-election to
235-447: A dozen of her supporters and DFL volunteers were physically assaulted in the chaos, while Warsame claimed his campaign manager had been hospitalized due to an injury sustained by a member of the opposing campaign staff. Later that month, leaders of the DFL voted to permanently bar Warsame from seeking the party's endorsement for any elected office. In 2006, Minneapolis voters approved the use of
282-641: A legislature: One of the major functions of a legislature is to discuss and debate issues of major importance to society. This activity can take place in two forms. In debating legislatures, such as the Parliament of the United Kingdom , the floor of the legislature frequently sees lively debate. In contrast, in committee-based legislatures like the United States Congress , deliberation takes place in closed committees. While legislatures have nominally
329-691: A resolution in March 2015 making fossil fuel divestment city policy. With encouragement from city administration, Minneapolis joined seventeen cities worldwide in the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance . The city's climate plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent in 2015 "compared to 2006 levels, 30 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050". In 2018, the city council passed the Minneapolis Comprehensive 2040 Plan and submitted it for Metropolitan Council approval. Watched nationally,
376-526: A single unit is unicameral , one divided into two chambers is bicameral , and one divided into three chambers is tricameral . In bicameral legislatures, one chamber is usually considered the upper house , while the other is considered the lower house . The two types are not rigidly different, but members of upper houses tend to be indirectly elected or appointed rather than directly elected, tend to be allocated by administrative divisions rather than by population, and tend to have longer terms than members of
423-435: Is indirectly elected within the context of a one-party state . Legislature size is a trade off between efficiency and representation; the smaller the legislature, the more efficiently it can operate, but the larger the legislature, the better it can represent the political diversity of its constituents. Comparative analysis of national legislatures has found that size of a country's lower house tends to be proportional to
470-545: Is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country , nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government . Legislatures can exist at different levels of government–national, state/provincial/regional, local, even supranational (such as the European Parliament ). Countries differ as to what extent they grant deliberative assemblies at
517-654: The Americas have more independence in drafting and amending bills. The origins of the power of the purse which legislatures typically have in passing or denying government budgets goes back to the European assemblies of nobility which the monarchs would have to consult before raising taxes. For this power to be actually effective, the legislature should be able to amend the budget, have an effective committee system, enough time for consideration, as well as access to relevant background information. There are several ways in which
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#1732847955184564-683: The European Union . The upper house may either contain the delegates of state governments – as in the European Union and in Germany and, before 1913, in the United States – or be elected according to a formula that grants equal representation to states with smaller populations, as is the case in Australia and the United States since 1913. Tricameral legislatures are rare;
611-489: The Federal Parliament of Somalia ) tied for least powerful. Some political systems follows the principle of legislative supremacy , which holds that the legislature is the supreme branch of government and cannot be bound by other institutions, such as the judicial branch or a written constitution . Such a system renders the legislature more powerful. In parliamentary and semi-presidential systems of government ,
658-643: The Massachusetts Governor's Council still exists, but the most recent national example existed in the waning years of White-minority rule in South Africa . Tetracameral legislatures no longer exist, but they were previously used in Scandinavia. The only legislature with a number of chambers bigger than four was the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia ; initially established as a Pentacameral body in 1963, it
705-429: The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). As of 2024, 12 members identified with the DFL, while four identified with Democratic Socialists of America (three members identify as both DFL and DSA). Until the 2021 Minneapolis City Council election , the city's government structure was considered a weak-mayor , strong-council system. However, a charter amendment was passed that gave the mayor more power and reduced
752-546: The YIMBY agenda" and "the most wonderful plan of the year." In July 2001, DFL Council Member Brian Herron pleaded guilty to one count of felony extortion. Herron admitted to accepting a $ 10,000 bribe from business owner Selwin Ortega who faced numerous health and safety inspection violations at his Las Americas grocery stores. Herron served a one-year sentence in federal prison. On November 21, 2002, ten-year DFL Council Member Joe Biernat
799-526: The cube root of its population ; that is, the size of the lower house tends to increase along with population, but much more slowly. Alondra Cano Alondra Cano (born September 26, 1981) is an American politician, activist, and former member of the Minneapolis City Council from the 9th Ward. Cano was born in Cokato, Minnesota and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico before moving to Litchfield, Minnesota at
846-401: The executive is responsible to the legislature, which may remove it with a vote of no confidence . On the other hand, according to the separation of powers doctrine, the legislature in a presidential system is considered an independent and coequal branch of government along with both the judiciary and the executive. Nevertheless, many presidential systems provide for the impeachment of
893-492: The single transferable vote for its municipal elections. The first use of ranked-choice voting was in the 2009 municipal election . However, since the City Council uses single-member districts , the single transferable vote functions the same way as instant-runoff voting . This system of voting is commonly known in the United States as ranked choice voting. Each member's term is normally four years, and there are no limits on
940-492: The 2009 elections. The council has 12 DFL members and one from the Democratic Socialists of America . Election issues in 2013 included funding for a new Vikings stadium over which some incumbents lost their positions. That year, Minneapolis elected Abdi Warsame , Alondra Cano, and Blong Yang, the city's first Somali-American, Mexican-American, and Hmong-American city councilpeople, respectively. The city council passed
987-466: The City Council's three Muslim members at the time, issued a statement calling Rainville's comments "incorrect," "inappropriate," "disturbing," and "dangerous." Rainville has since apologized for the comments. At the Minneapolis DFL caucus for Ward 10 on May 13, 2023, supporters of challenger Nasri Warsame rushed the stage when incumbent Aisha Chughtai was scheduled to speak. Chughtai claimed that over
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#17328479551841034-804: The Whole Settlement Agreement & Consent Decree Subcommittee Ward 1 Elliott Payne Ward 8 Andrea Jenkins Ward 2 Robin Wonsley Ward 9 Jason Chavez Ward 3 Michael Rainville Ward 10 Aisha Chughtai Ward 4 LaTrisha Vetaw Ward 11 Emily Koski Ward 5 Jeremiah Ellison Ward 12 Aurin Chowdhury Ward 6 Jamal Osman Ward 13 Linea Palmisano Ward 7 Katie Cashman 44°58′38″N 93°15′56″W / 44.97722°N 93.26556°W / 44.97722; -93.26556 Legislature A legislature
1081-569: The age of 10. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota , where she studied management, Chicano studies , popular education, and the politics of identity. She also began working as an activist. As a college student, Cano worked with the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network’s board. Cano also worked with Rose Brewer, a professor and activist, to organize events against police brutality. Cano worked as
1128-682: The amount of political power they wield, compared to other political players such as judiciaries , militaries , and executives . In 2009, political scientists M. Steven Fish and Matthew Kroenig constructed a Parliamentary powers index in an attempt to quantify the different degrees of power among national legislatures. The German Bundestag , the Italian Parliament , and the Mongolian State Great Khural tied for most powerful, while Myanmar's House of Representatives and Somalia's Transitional Federal Assembly (since replaced by
1175-445: The city's charter to remove the requirement for a minimum number of officers, along with replacing the MPD with a broader public safety agency. The city council was then discovered to have been utilizing private security at a cost of $ 4,500 per day for three of their members. The plan made it to the ballot in 2021, but ended up failing with only 43% of votes in support of it; along with six of
1222-410: The council to purely legislative duties. The city has never had more than 13 wards, but at one time there were three representatives from each area, for a total of 39 members of the city council. The city council assumed its current size in the 1950s. The Minneapolis City Council represents the city's thirteen districts called wards . The city adopted instant-runoff voting in 2006, first using it in
1269-808: The country. Among the earliest recognised formal legislatures was the Athenian Ecclesia . In the Middle Ages , European monarchs would host assemblies of the nobility, which would later develop into predecessors of modern legislatures. These were often named the Estates . The oldest surviving legislature is the Icelandic Althing , founded in 930 CE. Democratic legislatures have six major functions: representation, deliberation, legislation, authorizing expenditure, making governments, and oversight. There exist five ways that representation can be achieved in
1316-403: The duration of their entire term, or for just those related to their legislative duties. A legislature may debate and vote upon bills as a single unit, or it may be composed of multiple separate assemblies , called by various names including legislative chambers , debate chambers , and houses , which debate and vote separately and have distinct powers. A legislature which operates as
1363-421: The executive are also used, particularly for bicameral legislatures featuring an upper house . The name used to refer to a legislative body varies by country. Common names include: By names: By languages: Though the specific roles for each legislature differ by location, they all aim to serve the same purpose of appointing officials to represent their citizens to determine appropriate legislation for
1410-406: The executive for criminal or unconstitutional behaviour. Legislatures will sometimes delegate their legislative power to administrative or executive agencies . Legislatures are made up of individual members, known as legislators , who vote on proposed laws. A legislature usually contains a fixed number of legislators; because legislatures usually meet in a specific room filled with seats for
1457-446: The legislators, this is often described as the number of "seats" it contains. For example, a legislature that has 100 "seats" has 100 members. By extension, an electoral district that elects a single legislator can also be described as a "seat", as, for example, in the phrases " safe seat " and " marginal seat ". After election, the members may be protected by parliamentary immunity or parliamentary privilege , either for all actions
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1504-436: The legislature can hold the executive branch (the administration or government) accountable. This can be done through hearings, questioning , interpellations , votes of confidence , the formation of committees. Parliaments are usually ensured with upholding the rule of law, verifying that public funds are used accountably and efficiently as well as make government processes transparent and actions so that they can be debated by
1551-406: The lower house. In some systems, particularly parliamentary systems , the upper house has less power and tends to have a more advisory role, but in others, particularly federal presidential systems , the upper house has equal or even greater power. In federations , the upper house typically represents the federation's component states. This is also the case with the supranational legislature of
1598-491: The lowest fine possible. In 2015, DFL Council Member Alondra Cano used her Twitter account to publish private cellphone numbers and e-mail addresses of critics who wrote about her involvement in a Black Lives Matter rally. In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd , nine city council members announced their highly controversial goals to disband the Minneapolis Police Department . Their plan included amending
1645-936: The mayor are based on "averaging out the increases included in the union contracts they approved the previous year." The rate was $ 106,101 in 2021. In 2018, all Council Members were paid a base salary of $ 98,696 annually, plus mileage, free parking, and the usual employee benefits. This salary included an increase of $ 10,000 approved in late 2017. The council is made up of 13 members. The DFL holds 12 seats, while one member ( Robin Wonsley ) sits as an independent democratic socialist . New members took office January 2024. The Minneapolis City Council operates through several standing committees, each focusing on specific areas of city governance. Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee Business, Housing & Zoning Committee Public Health & Safety Committee Climate & Infrastructure Committee Budget Committee Committee of
1692-441: The nine city council members who wanted to disband the police department either voted out or having not ran for reelection. In 2021, while leaving a Pride Day event, a car containing Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins was surrounded by protesters who blocked her from leaving until she signed a list of demands, which included not interfering with the occupied George Floyd Square and the resignation of Mayor Jacob Frey . Jenkins
1739-402: The number of terms a member may serve. In 2020, voters approved a plan to amend the city charter to establish city council elections in 2021 and 2023 for two-year terms instead of the regular four-year terms, with four-year term elections restarting in 2025. The amendment also granted the ability for the city to use this method whenever regular city council elections do not fall in a year ending in
1786-563: The plan rezones predominantly single-family residential neighborhoods for triplexes to increase affordable housing, seeks to reduce the effects of climate change , and tries to rectify some of the city's racial disparities. After the Metropolitan Council approved the plan, in November 2019 the city council voted unanimously to allow duplexes and triplexes citywide. The Brookings Institution called it "a relatively rare example of success for
1833-488: The public and its representatives. Agora notes that parliamentary systems or political parties in which political leaders can influence or decide which members receive top jobs can lead to passivity amongst members of the party and less challenging of leadership. Agora notes that this phenomenon is acute if the election of a member is dependant on the support of political leadership. In contrast to democratic systems, legislatures under authoritarianism are used to ensure
1880-411: The sole power to create laws, the substantive extent of this power depends on details of the political system. In Westminster-style legislatures the executive (composed of the cabinet) can essentially pass any laws it wants, as it usually has a majority of legislators behind it, kept in check by the party whip, while committee-based legislatures in continental Europe and those in presidential systems of
1927-400: The stability of the power structure by co-opting potential competing interests within the elites, which they achieve by: Each chamber of the legislature consists of a number of legislators who use some form of parliamentary procedure to debate political issues and vote on proposed legislation. There must be a certain number of legislators present to carry out these activities; this is called
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1974-442: The subnational law-making power, as opposed to purely administrative responsibilities. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as primary legislation. In addition, legislatures may observe and steer governing actions, with authority to amend the budget involved. The members of a legislature are called legislators. In a democracy, legislators are most commonly popularly elected , although indirect election and appointment by
2021-530: The warrant revealed that the FBI had Zimmermann on video and audiotape accepting bribes for a zoning change. Zimmermann subsequently lost his re-election campaign, and was convicted in federal court on three counts of accepting cash from a developer and found not guilty of soliciting property from people with business with the city. Zimmermann was released from prison in July 2008. In 2009, Council President Barbara A. Johnson
2068-425: Was accused of misusing campaign funds for personal spending. An administrative hearing was held January 26, 2010. The administrative judges at the hearing dismissed six of the eight charges; it upheld two charges—that AAA services were paid for both her and her husband's vehicle and that not all charges for hairstyling or dry cleaning were reasonably related to the campaign. Johnson paid a $ 200 fine for these violations,
2115-472: Was convicted of five federal felony charges, one count of embezzlement, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of making a false statement. Biernat was found not guilty on extortion and conspiracy to extort charges. In September 2005, Green Party Council Member Dean Zimmermann was served with a federal search warrant to his home by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The affidavit attached to
2162-709: Was stuck for over 90 minutes before signing the list so she could go. In July 2022, City Council Member Michael Rainville said during a meeting with his constituents that he was going to go to a mosque in Northeast Minneapolis to "meet with Somali elders and tell them that their children can no longer have [poor] behavior," in response to incidents on the 4th of July in downtown Minneapolis, during which groups of younger people were seen launching fireworks at buildings and passerby. His comments drew criticism, including from fellow City Council members who attempted to censure him. Jamal Osman, Jeremiah Ellison, and Aisha Chughtai,
2209-508: Was turned into a hexacameral body in 1967. Legislatures vary widely in their size. Among national legislatures , China's National People's Congress is the largest with 2,980 members, while Vatican City 's Pontifical Commission is the smallest with 7. Neither legislature is democratically elected: The Pontifical Commission members are appointed by the Pope and the National People's Congress
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