Local gatherings among residents, policy-makers, and experts on topics relevent to civic life in Southwest Minneapolis:

Oh, the City & the Suburbs Should Be Friends. . .
But how, as competition for scarce resources heats up?

As power at the Minnesota Legislature shifts away from the Twin Cities to other parts of the state, how can we work together on common issues? Gail Dorfman, Hennepin County Commissioner representing Southwest Minneapolis and the neighboring suburbs, Representative Paul Thissen, and Eric Willette, policy research manager for the League of Minnesota Cities, will host a discussion of the relationships among metropolitan municipalities.

Violence in Minneapolis . . .
A region-wide solution to a local problem.

As gang violence has heated up in Minneapolis this summer, local leaders have defined the problem as metro and even statewide in its impact and solutions. Council Member Don Samuels, representing the impacted Jordan neighborhood, has led the response to this problem by calling on members of the larger community to pay attention, allocate resources, and participate in change. Samuels will lead a discussion on the roots of the violence and how the entire city is challenged with becoming part of the solution.

Follow the Money II . . .
From the State Deficit to the City Budget

Click here for information about the State budget . . .

Click here for more information about the City budget . . .

We Voted 'Yes for Kids' . . .
So why is that not enough?
Tuesday, March 18th - 7 pm to 9 pm

Go to these sites for more information about the school budget:

www.mpls.k12.mn.us - Minneapolis Public Schools
www.sosmn.org - Save our Schools
www.parentsunited.org
www.allianceforstudentachievement.org
www.minnspra.org - Minnesota School Public Relations Association

Ride the Bus Lately?
Making Better Use of Transit Advantages in Southwest
Compared to the sprawling suburbs, Southwest neighborhoods with their bus lines, a grid street system, sidewalks, bike lanes and a solid residential/retail mix, ride high on the transit evolutionary scale. But do these transit advantages mean that our job is done? Are we really less likely to hop in the car than our suburban neighbors? And how will the budget deficit impact transit potential in Minneapolis? While the next generation of state power brokers sorts out regional transit issues, join us in a discussion with State Senator Scott Dibble and local transit experts. Our goal: Identify concrete, first steps we can take individually and collectively to reach our potential in Southwest as an example in livability and smart transit planning.

Where Will All the People Go?
Can you imagine 15% more people living in our developed area?
The Metropolitan Council has projected that this will happen in the next thirty years.
Could you afford to buy your own home at today's prices?
Many Southwest residents who previously bought here could not do so today. Density and Affordability stand to affect our lives greatly in the near future. Join with a few locally elected officials to take a big-picture look at how these two urban issues intersect in southwest Minneapolis. Former State Senator Myron Orfield, State Senator Scott Dibble, State Representative Frank Hornstein, and City Council Member Dan Niziolek will help us get a handle on this complex urban planning issue.