Minneapolis City Council fails to override Frey veto of its denial of raises to 160 of city’s highest-paid workers

The Minneapolis City Council was not able to muster enough votes Thursday to override Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of its decision to deny raises for some of the city’s highest-paid employees.

The override vote was tied at 6-6, three short of the nine required.

However, the tax levy has been set, and the money for raises has been reallocated in the council-approved budget — which Frey vetoed but the council overrode — so the vote doesn’t mean the employees now get raises.

Confused? We’ll explain.

The council voted in December to deny 4% cost-of-living raises to about 160 city employees who make six-figure salaries ranging from about $109,000 to $348,000. The employees include department heads, deputy department directors, division heads, cabinet members, police inspectors and commanders, senior staff in the city attorney’s office, and staff in the city clerk’s office.

Council members said they denied the raises to reduce the size of the property tax levy increase by saving about $1.1 million.

Frey vetoed that. In his veto letter, Frey urged the council to work with him on a solution that gives all staff raises, saying the council’s action “intractably impacted staff morale, and goes against good governance.”

Thursday’s vote failed to override that veto.

City Clerk Casey Carl said the council could now consider a proposal to give the raises, but it would require an amendment to the 2025 budget and a commensurate budget cut elsewhere.

Council Member Michael Rainville noted the council gave its own aides 4% raises.

“We have to treat everyone the same; no double standards,” he said.

Council Member Aurin Chowdhury said city staff is “great” but “we are in economically difficult times.”

“We have to give a little bit for the good of the city,” she said.

Voting to override Frey’s veto were Council Members Robin Wonsley, Katie Cashman, Jason Chavez, Chowdhury, as well as Council President Elliott Payne and Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai.

Voting against the override were Council Members Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Jeremiah Ellison, Andrea Jenkins, Emily Koski and Linea Palmisano.

Council Member Jamal Osman was absent.

After the vote, Frey said: “The council initially acted without considering the consequences of their decision. Basic functions like payroll, promotion, and supervision of employees would have been negatively impacted. I’m glad my veto was sustained, and now we can move forward with a solution.”