Progressive Council Delivers on Climate Change

The Mayor’s attempts to stall action on climate change was rejected by the City Council as they overrode his veto and kept fees on the city’s largest polluters.

MINNEAPOLIS — For the third time this year, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey attempted to use his veto as a political tool, vetoing a council action that passed with a veto-proof majority. And for the third time this year, the City Council held their ground and upheld their original votes. 

Last week, the mayor accused the City Council of showmanship after they added carbon emissions to the list of pollutants for which the city collects fees as part of its PCAR program. While the mayor said he had legal concerns, the City Council has since outlined the ways in which those concerns can and will be addressed before the implementation of the new carbon emissions fees in 2025.   

Mpls for the Many Chair Chelsea McFarren had this to say about the City Council delivering this win for the climate and Minneapolis communities:

Climate change is real. And climate change is here. Everyone, including Mayor Jacob Frey, agrees that the city should collect carbon fees in order to reduce carbon emissions in Minneapolis. Despite what the mayor would have people believe, this is not a fight over carbon fees or proper procedure. This is about politics and who gets to take credit for delivering real progress for the people of Minneapolis

In almost seven full years as mayor, Jacob Frey has failed to deliver meaningful change. Instead of working with the City Council to strengthen the good work he once did as a Council Member when he created the PCAR program, he used his veto, attempting to complicate a simple process. 

We are grateful to have a City Council that refuses to be distracted by his antics, focusing their attention on addressing our community’s concerns and reducing carbon emissions in Minneapolis.