DFL lawmakers want the state and federal governments to chip in to help repair the estimated $55 million in damage caused to Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and the Legislature’s People of Color and Indigenous Caucus called for “immediate legislative funding for Minneapolis and St. Paul rebuilding efforts” in a joint statement.
“The devastation that has hit Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding communities will require all of us to come together to do our part and ensure they have the help, access to resources, and infrastructure they need to rebuild and heal their community,” said the Monday statement.
“That is why we are calling for immediate access to legislative funds, for the community, to address this emergency situation. In order to ensure the security and well-being of the communities impacted it is imperative that we act promptly and do everything we can within our legislative power to help,” it added.
Lawmakers are expected to return to St. Paul this month for a special session and Gov. Tim Walz said he would like to see financial support for Minneapolis’s Lake Street included in a public infrastructure bill, The Star Tribune reported. The city’s Community Planning and Economic Development division informed city leaders this week that an estimated 220 buildings were vandalized or destroyed during the riots, causing at least $55 million in damage. The final figure will likely exceed the $55 million estimate and doesn’t include the damage in the neighboring city of St. Paul.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) announced that she will introduce a bill to create an “Emergency Relief Fund” specifically for “communities trying to rebuild after social and civil rights crises.” Omar, who represents the Minneapolis area in Congress, said the fund would allow cities and businesses harmed by civil unrest to apply for federal grants.
“We have a moral responsibility to help communities heal economically. Minneapolis’s economy has been ravaged. Families are struggling to find places to buy food, local shop owners fear they’ll never open their doors again, and many workers find themselves without a job to return to. The situation facing our city stems from a long history of discrimination, prejudice and violence in the community,” Omar said in a press release.
“It is no less worthy of federal relief than communities facing natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic,” she continued. “But we cannot rely on a Presidential Emergency Declaration to help direct FEMA resources to riot relief. Our current president has proven we cannot depend on such intervention. So Congress must step in.”
A local non-profit called Lake Street Council has already raised $4.9 million to help with the rebuilding effort.
“We are overcome with gratitude for the outpouring of support for our Minneapolis businesses,” the group said. “It will take millions of dollars to rebuild, and over 57,000 people have chipped in to make that a reality.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Minneapolis Damage from Riots” by Fibonacci Blue. CC BY 2.0.
This is a “learning” experience for those who allowed this to happen. You had the means to stop it but chose not to. Now you need to figure out a way to make up for your failures. It isn’t another person’s responsibility! I was taught this by wise parents while growing. This “learning” experience is going to be tough on you, but it’s necessary for you to learn from your mistakes. Next time something like this rears its ugly head you can remember the history of your mistakes and better deal with your situation. It makes good sense.
They can raise the funds themselves they caused the whole nation to have trouble. So, NO FEDERAL FUNDS to help them at all!!!!
Hell no! Why wasn’t something done to stop the looting? I believe Gov. Waltz’s words were “let them blow off steam”. So now let the looters pay for the damage. It’s time for Waltz to stand up for the law abiding citizens that had nothing to do with the damage.
Hell to da NO. Sue their mommies and daddies. That’s what would have been done to me had I let my children go on a destroying spree. Those punks should never have been allowed to throw the 1st brick. Entitled parentless dope head basement dwellers, need to blast them all.
If Federal aid is going to be used to rebuild this city from unprevented riots, what is going to stop the next worn out city/town from holding riots and burning down unwanted building so they can get federal aid to repair their city??!! This shit has gone to far! This is equal to letting your kid destroy your house and DEMANDING the neighborhood to pay to rebuild it!
NO !! PAY FOR IT LIKE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO IF IT WERE THEIR OWN HOME !! WITH INSURANCE !! YOU WILL NOT USE TAX PAYER MONEY TO BAIL OUT YOUR DISFUNCTION !!! PERIOD !!!!!
Fuck no. Go after the domestic terrorists who looted, burned, and rioted. Why should the taxpayers pay for their crime spree? If I was convicted of burning someone else’s home, I’d be expected to pay restitution. Those who have been jailed for rioting should pay for this.
Nope! They made their bed! All they had to do was hold a news briefing like Cuomo does every day to denounce this behavior. Then your telling everyone you don’t want police. Your own city council guy said that yesterday live on TV.
Absolutely, Hell No. We each are too involvev with dealing with our own State and its cities’ problems anf aftetmath. Being one of the majority who did NOT cause, assist, encourage, nor confone thid wanton destructive behavior, should not be responsible for the cost to clean up, nor re-build, nor replace any of the loss. But sadly we will end up being hampered with it. We are the real innocent victims!
I think that the burden of paying for repairs needs to fall on the people who did the damage and those who enabled them. I know that Black Lives Matters and Antifa are raising funds from celebrities and big corporations. Let them pay for it.
I agree wholeheartedly. Why should the American taxpayers pay for this. This needs to stop. It was poor leadership from the city of Minneapolis and the state that allowed this to happen.
Let Hollywood and Soro paid the bill
Just no. You elected officials didn’t do anything to stop this, you can pay for this mess yourself. Why should my tax dollars pay for something not in my state?
For certain!! I’m in PA and our governor is as horrible as your representative! Best thing you can do is to force the people that did the destruction to pay for it’s reapair. Then in Nov elections, change your leadership.