Minneapolis City Council is revving up for some serious changes to the way ride-share companies operate in the Twin Cities, and taxi drivers might finally see some cash back in their pockets. After a report smacked down Uber and Lyft for underpaying their workforce, the Council is on track to adjust licensing laws to ensure drivers earn at least the city’s minimum wage. In a newsletter from March 22, the Council noted that they will discuss the amended policy on April 25th, pending further data from an incoming report.
The pressure from the city has nudged some ride-share players to the negotiating table. "Several ride-share companies have reached out to Council offices, and one is actively working with the City's Business Licensing team to be fully operational before May 1st — Drivers Coop, a worker-owned rideshare company currently operating in New York and Denver," according to the Ward 7 Newsletter. The council member behind the wheel of these changes also reiterated her dedication to pumping up Minneapolis’s multimodal transportation mix, aiming to add more juice to public transit options and community accessibility.
But it's not just ride-shares getting a tune-up. A massive $10M is getting thrown into the Climate Legacy Initiative, which parks $4.7 million for weatherization and other green goodies. Citizens have until March 28th to shout out their ideas for the project. The council is also putting forward an expansion of its vacancy abatement program, according to the same newsletter from the councilor's office.
Social consciousness is also in high gear at City Hall, where honchos passed a trio of resolutions recognizing the International Transgender Day of Visibility, commemorating a week dedicated to slashing food waste, and shining the spotlight on the hard work of the Minneapolis Immigrant Refugee Alliance. "Coffee with Katie" is brewing up at Big Hill Books come March 28th, said the Ward 7 Newsletter.
Minneapolis is slapping down the scaffolding for a fistful of infrastructure projects. From Cedar Lake Road Bridge to the reconstruction of First Avenue North, there's a buffet of redevelopment on the city's plate. Road warriors and sidewalk superintendents can chime in at a series of open houses, giving their two cents on everything from street improvements to pedestrian access.
Meanwhile, St. David's Centre is making a home run to the former YWCA digs, where the organization is prepping to serve children and families better, as reported by the councilor's newsletter. It’s all systems go in Minneapolis, with the city pushing the pedal to the metal on community development and transportation reforms.
