PODCAST

Better Minneapolis Podcast

Terry White

Newsletter focused on local Minneapolis politics and resident stories. www.betterminneapolis.com

news news commentary

All Episodes

43:47

Interview: Mike Newcome, Candidate for Governor

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/12/14

Brief Introduction:Mike Newcome is running for Minnesota governor as an independent with the Forward Independence Party, motivated by a belief that partisan politics and special interests have left state government disconnected from everyday Minnesotans.Interview Summary:Mike Newcome is running for Minnesota governor as a candidate of the Forward Independence Party, driven by a sense that the state’s politics have drifted away from the people it’s meant to serve. A lifelong Minnesotan from White

34:30

Interview: Anders Folk, Candidate for Hennepin County...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/12/10

Hi,If you’re not a paid subscriber yet, now is a good time. Help support the interviews and political commentary you’ve come to appreciate. We’re able to do this work because of supporters like you!Interview SummaryAnders Folk, a lifelong Minnesotan and former federal prosecutor, is running for Hennepin County Attorney with a focus on restoring public safety and rebuilding the office’s reputation. Drawing on experience from the Marine Corps, the Department of Justice, and earlier work in the

8:51

The DFL Doesn’t Get It

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/12/07

Brief Summary:In today’s newsletter, we examine how Minnesota’s nonprofit fraud scandals have evolved from local oversight failures into a national political vulnerability for the DFL. With leaders slow to confront the scale of the problem, Republicans have stepped in with investigations, audits, and messaging that could shape the 2026 elections. A Party Unwilling to Police Its OwnIn October 2022, the Minnesota Reformer reported that a nonprofit connected to Ward 6 Council Member Jamal Osman’s

28:30

Interview: Rep. Angie Craig, Candidate for U. S. Senate

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/12/03

INTRODUCTIONToday on Better Minneapolis, we’re bringing you a conversation with Congresswoman Angie Craig as she launches her run for the U.S. Senate. We talked about the experiences that shaped her—growing up in a mobile home park without reliable healthcare—and how that fuels her push to lower costs, improve community safety, and reform Washington.We cover healthcare affordability, the $35 insulin cap, housing shortages, childcare costs, and what it will take for families to get ahead in every

7:48

Public Restrooms Downtown Are a Practical Test of...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/30

BriefAs Minneapolis leaders debate whether to add eight public restrooms downtown, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports that the City Council is considering a $700,000 budget amendment to build them. It’s a welcome recognition of a real need; private businesses shouldn’t be expected to function as the city’s bathroom system, but the proposed amount is far from the full cost.What Practical Governance Looks LikeGood governance means budgeting for the entire lifecycle of a project, not just the

6:39

Mpls Budget Increases by $140 million

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/26

The Bear BonesLet’s start with a disclaimer: we haven’t spent the dozens of hours it would take to fully dissect Minneapolis’s proposed 2026 budget. At nearly 500 pages, it’s a beast. But one thing is immediately clear: if the City Council approves the plan in December, Minneapolis will spend about $140 million more in 2026 than it did in 2025.To cover that increase, residents are being asked to pay higher property taxes. The impact isn’t uniform. Our own bill is set to rise by about 10%, while

34:45

Interview: Latonya Reeves, CD 5 candidate

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/23

IntroductionIn this interview, Latonya Reeves shares her background and the priorities driving her campaign to become Minnesota’s next representative for the 5th Congressional District.The seat has been held by Rep. Ilhan Omar since she won the DFL endorsement in 2018, defeating Margaret Kelliher. Any challenger—including Reeves—faces steep odds. Omar has demonstrated consistent strength in DFL primaries, winning by a wide margin over Antone Melton-Meaux in 2020, narrowly defeating Don Samuels by

59:38

Life at 46th & Hiawatha: A Conversation on Ongoing...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/21

IntroductionThis interview began after a chance conversation with Nancy Ford at her shop, Repair Lair. (Zelda, our dog, had chewed through a small shoulder pack we were dropping off for repair.) We started talking about how business was going and whether conditions in the neighborhood had improved. According to Nancy, the area around the 46th & Hiawatha transit station remains deeply troubled. Quick errands—like picking up dog food at 47th and Hiawatha—can involve witnessing public drug use, people

37:51

Interview: Becka Thompson — Reflections on the Park...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/19

IntroductionIn this interview, Becka Thompson and I discuss the upheaval at the Park Board, the realities of campaigning, and the growing strains on Minneapolis’s budget.One of the biggest surprises this election cycle was the defeat of longtime Park Board Commissioner Steffanie Musich by Kay Carvajal Moran in District 5. Moran, a recent Augsburg University graduate with degrees in sociology and history, works as a case manager assistant for Hennepin County, helping tenants access rental assistance,

53:20

Interview: A Primer on the Forward Independence Party

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/16

IntroductionOur interview with Phil Fuehrer and Bill Halter was a reminder that politics doesn’t have to look the way it does today. As we continue to search for a political home, we were reminded that there is another option beyond the current DFL/Republican duopoly. The newly formed Forward Independence Party is positioning itself as that alternative, with an emphasis on ethical candidates, problem-solving, and a willingness to work across traditional party lines.The Forward Independence Party

7:16

The DFL Listening Tour Arrives in Minneapolis

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/12

The TourThe state DFL Listening Tour stops in Minneapolis this Thursday, November 13, at the Sabathani Community Center (6:30–7:30 p.m.). We’ll be there — curious to see whether the event brings clarity to a party struggling to define its message and direction.If you’d like to participate but are unable to attend, you can still add your comments on the DFL website.Now is the TimeWe applaud State Party Chair Richard Carlbom for bringing the Listening Tour to Minneapolis. His effort comes at a time

9:35

2025 Minneapolis Election Review

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/07

Brief SummaryThe politics we’re seeing now will continue for another four years. The question is whether the results change, and Minneapolis experiences less crime, more investment, and a broader group of people reaping the benefits of our economy.Prediction ReviewWe did well in our pre-election predictions — correctly calling the mayoral race and 9 of 13 City Council contests. Here’s where we missed, and what those results tell us about the city’s political mood.Ward 2Robin Wonsley won with 3,825

11:22

2025 Minneapolis Pre-Election Predictions

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/03

IntroductionElection Day is tomorrow — Tuesday, November 4, 2025.What follows are our predictions, drawn from close observation over the past year and the surveys we’ve conducted. These are not endorsements, but simply our best attempt to forecast the outcomes.If you’re still finalizing your choices, we encourage you to revisit our many candidate interviews — available on the Better Minneapolis YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.MayorPrediction: Jacob Frey wins.Confidence level: 70 out of

54:32

Interview: Meg Forney, At-Large Park Board Commissioner

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/11/01

Brief SummaryCommissioner Meg Forney centers her re-election message on equity and accessibility, restoring the city’s tree canopy, and diversifying park funding beyond property taxes. She highlights expanding public access to water through North Side riverfront projects, activating parks like the new Graco “River Hub,” and major investments in North Commons Park. Forney contrasts Minneapolis’s well-programmed parks with other systems’ passive spaces, calls for fairer state funding, and praises

48:07

A Conversation with the Jungle Theater

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/30

IntroductionIt may seem unusual for Better Minneapolis to interview Christina Baldwin, artistic director of the Jungle Theater, and Rachel Murch-D’Olimpio, managing director. We’re not stepping into the theater review business, but we wanted to hear directly from them about how recovery is progressing four years after COVID. The city lifted its mask mandate on July 1, 2021, but the return to normal has been uneven.While much has improved, small businesses and arts organizations continue to struggle

61:58

Interview: Jim Rubin, Rental Property Owner & Central...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/28

IntroductionIf you watched the documentary Precarious State, you saw Jim Rubin, a longtime Minneapolis apartment owner, featured. Our decision to interview him isn’t an endorsement of the film or his views. It’s part of our ongoing effort to make Better Minneapolis a forum for open, sometimes uncomfortable conversations that move the city toward better solutions. What follows is one of those conversations.Hosting this interview challenged us for several reasons. After a friend passed along his

71:02

Guest Host Tane Danger Takes the Reins

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/26

For today’s Better Minneapolis podcast, Tane Danger joins us as moderator for a wide-ranging conversation about what we’ve learned from a year of interviews and newsletters. Tane is co-founder of Danger Boat Productions, creators of Sketches of Minnesota — a traveling improv troupe that listens to communities across the state, turns their stories into sketches, and uses humor to bridge civic divides. He’s also no stranger to politics, having recently moderated a Minneapolis mayoral debate.Editor’s

81:05

Interview: Elliott Payne, Mpls City Council President

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/25

Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne joined Better Minneapolis to discuss how his background in engineering and public innovation shapes his approach to governing. From expanding the city’s Behavioral Crisis Response program to strengthening oversight and reform in public safety, Payne outlined his focus on professional management and data-driven accountability. He spoke candidly about housing affordability, sustainable city revenue, and the challenge of balancing market forces with

30:23

Interview: Bob Fine, Candidate for Board of Estimate...

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/24

In this conversation, longtime civic leader and former Park Board commissioner Bob Fine discusses his bid for the Minneapolis Board of Estimate & Taxation, the small but powerful body that sets the city’s maximum property-tax levy and manages its bonding authority. Drawing on 16 years of prior service on the board and decades of experience in public finance, Fine outlines his vision for restoring independent auditing, finding efficiencies in city operations, and protecting taxpayers from unnecessary

43:33

Interview: Jim Meyer, Ward 11 City Council candidate

Better Minneapolis Podcast ·

2025/10/23

Jim Meyer was a late entrant in the Ward 11 race, but he hopes to make up for lost time by door-knocking and engaging in community outreach. More about Jim Meyer can be found on his website: https://www.jimmeyerminneapolismn.com/Background and ExperienceJim Meyer, a lifelong Minneapolitan and Ward 11 resident, is a former radio student at KBEM who later became an entertainment reporter, corporate writer, and—after retraining—an LPN in long-term care. His nursing work led to union stewardship and

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