Looking back at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s 2024 vetoes
The mayor used his veto power eight times in 2024, which was a one-year record during his tenure. Four of those eight vetoes were overridden. The post Looking back at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s 2024 vetoes appeared first on MinnPost.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a record number of vetoes in 2024, clocking in at year-end with a total of eight vetoes.
Since he was first elected mayor in 2018, Frey’s has used his veto power 19 times, with eight coming last year.
The 2024 record was the result of a unique year in Minneapolis politics. For the first time, the City Council did not only have a progressive majority, but often a supermajority able to override the mayor’s vetoes.
These vetoes also were leading into a major city election year. The mayor and all 13 council members will be on the ballot in November — a political reality that provided the backdrop for last month’s budget proceedings and Frey veto. Even though it appeared likely that a council supermajority would succeed with an override vote, it didn’t stop the mayor from vetoing their budget. As expected, the council rejected his veto with a 9-4 vote.
Meanwhile, members of the council’s progressive majority have called attention to the mayor’s increased use of vetoes, labeling it political overreach. In a recent social media post campaigning for her reelection in November, Ward 10 council Vice President Aisha Chughtai called the year “historically productive” but said Frey “continues to stand in the way of progress, recklessly vetoing more legislation than any Mayor in recent history.”
The mayor has exercised his veto power more than his last two predecessors combined. Former mayor R.T. Rybak only used 12 total vetoes during his 12-year mayoral tenure, and former mayor Betsy Hodges didn’t issue any vetoes during her single four-year term.
Here’s a look at all of Frey’s vetoes in 2024 and whether or not they were overridden by the City Council:
Ceasefire resolution (overridden)
In February, Frey vetoed a council-passed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The council overrode the veto 9-3.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Elliott Payne, Robin Wonsley, Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman, Katie Cashman, Andrea Jenkins, Jason Chavez, Aisha Chughtai, Aurin Chowdhury
No: Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Linea Palmisano
Abstain: Emily Koski
Rideshare ordinance (overridden)
In March, the council passed a city-specific minimum rideshare pay ordinance, which was vetoed by the mayor.
The council overroad this veto 10-3. However, ultimately the Minnesota Legislature stepped in with its own statewide standard rates for rideshare companies, including the national duopoly Uber and Lyft. The final law that passed in the mega 1,400-page omnibus bill on the last day of the legislative session included preemption, which means cities now cannot set their own rideshare rates in Minnesota.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Osman, Cashman, Jenkins, Chavez, Chughtai, Koski, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Palmisano
Carbon emission fees (overridden)
The council passed a carbon emission fees ordinance in October. In his veto of this action, Frey said even if council overroad the veto, he would not enact the fees on the council’s timeline because he and city staff said doing so would lead to illegal action by the city.
In the council’s override of the mayor’s veto — which passed 9-2 — the council amended the ordinance to extend the implementation date of the fees by about six months. The council also brought forward an ordinance to establish a funds system within the city’s health department.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Osman, Cashman, Chavez, Chughtai, Koski, Chowdhury
No: Vetaw, Jenkins
Absent: Rainville, Palmisano
Affordable housing right of first refusal ordinance (sustained)
In October, the council passed an ordinance that would give nonprofit groups or individuals with experience maintaining affordable property, known as qualified organizations, the right of first offer and first refusal when buying. This means sellers who receive an offer from a group or person outside of these “qualified organizations” would need to accept one of these organization’s offers if they match the price.
Frey vetoed this ordinance, arguing that it would make it more difficult to attract investment in Minneapolis housing stock.
Ordinance supporters — needing nine votes to override — fell two short.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Cashman, Chavez, Chughtai, Koski, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Palmisano, Jenkins, Osman
Absent: Wonsley
Labor Standards Board (sustained)
The council passed a resolution to create a labor standards advisory board in 2025.
The resolution passed 9-4. But after a Frey veto, an override effort failed 8-5. The two council members who changed their vote in the override were Osman and Jenkins.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Cashman, Chavez, Chughtai, Koski, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Palmisano, Jenkins, Osman
Amnesty for University of Minnesota protesters (sustained)
Frey vetoed a November council ordinance providing amnesty for students arrested during a University of Minnesota protest calling for the university to end investment in Israel amid the mounting violence in the Middle East. Students were arrested after barricading themselves in Morrill Hall.
Frey vetoed this measure, and with 7-6 votes the council did not have enough votes to override.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Wonsley, Ellison, Osman, Chavez, Chughtai, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Palmisano, Koski, Cashman, Jenkins
The Minneapolis 2025 budget (overridden)
The council passed a budget last month with a record 71 amendments to the mayor’s proposed budget.
Frey vetoed this budget a day after the council passed it. The next day, the council overroad Frey’s veto 9-4.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Chughtai, Wonsley, Ellison, Osman, Cashman, Chavez, Koski, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Palmisano, Jenkins
Denial of cost of living salary adjustments for appointed employees (sustained)
In December, the council voted to deny a 4% “cost of living” wage adjustment for 160 of the city’s highest paid employees.
Frey vetoed this denial, and the council ultimately did not receive the votes to override with a 7-6 vote.
Final council member vote on override:
Yes: Payne, Chughtai, Wonsley, Osman, Cashman, Chavez, Chowdhury
No: Rainville, Vetaw, Ellison, Koski, Palmisano, Jenkins
Winter Keefer
Winter Keefer is MinnPost’s Metro reporter. Follow her on Twitter or email her at wkeefer@minnpost.com.
The post Looking back at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s 2024 vetoes appeared first on MinnPost.
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