We're talking about Mayor Frey's proposed property tax levy for 2027 with Commissioner Jason Garcia, of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and Eric Harris Bernstein, of the Board of Estimate & Taxation. The Park Board is feeling shortchanged by the mayor's suggested 2.5% increase in their levy, at the same time he has proposed a 14.4% increase for the city's portion of the levy. We discuss the mayor's ideas to create savings by consolidating some of the Park Board's internal functions, like human resources, payroll, and IT, into the city - and why the Park Board is skeptical. What would the mayor's proposed cuts mean for the Park Board? Is it likely to pass? Why is the disparity between the city and park board so wide - are the police and fire departments eating all our money? Is this budget battle the best recent example of how an independent, elected Park Board is important to the success of Minneapolis parks? Plus we get a healthy dose of "tax positivity" from Eric.

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Two youthful-looking podcasters, Taylor Dahlin and John Edwards, infiltrate a teenage scooter takeover in downtown Minneapolis.

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Taylor Dahlin and Ethan Knight join this episode for reaction and analysis to the 2026 Minnesota primary. Peggy Flanagan cruise to an easy victory over Angie Craig, and will face NFL sideline reporter/Republican nominee Michele Tafoya in the race for the US Senate. Lisa Demuth defeated the pillow man and will take on Amy Klobuchar for governor. A guy we've never heard of will be this year's dangerous MAGA candidate for attorney general. Cedrick Frazier and Anders Folk will advance to the general election to succeed Mary Moriarty as Hennepin County Attorney. And John has collected a series of personal remembrances for a segment called "Diary of an Election Judge." And so much more.

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Irene Fernando, chair of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, joins me for a blockbuster conversation as we walk around Wirth Lake (using only practical effects, no CGI). We talk about what she's been up to in the 8 years since we last spoke; why she's running for a third (and final) term as a county commissioner; Blue Line vs the bus; the county's progress on street designs; what matriarchal leadership means; why she's earned "jeers" from the Star Tribune for using the title "Dr. Commish"; Hennepin County Sheriff overspending; her criticism of Mayor Frey and MPD over handling of domestic violence cases; why she craves stillness; how as a teenager she used an actual physical book called an "encyclopedia" to research Minnesota weather before moving here; and so much more.

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Angela Conley, currently running unopposed for a third term on the Hennepin County board, leads me on a walking tour of the Bryant neighborhood of Minneapolis, known to many as the home of George Floyd Square at 38th and Chicago. We talk about local street projects, visit neighborhood landmarks, pause to admire the bees, pet a cat, talk about the county's role in mitigating the devastating effects of federal cuts to healthcare programs, and see how Commissioner Conley reacts at a pedestrian crossing with 5 seconds on the clock. Plus we check out the house that had so many cars crash in their yard that they fortified it with concrete blocks.

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Professional pedicab driver Phil Schwartz shares his knowledge of the mean streets of Minneapolis and allows us to experience every pothole on the 90+ year old Lyndale Avenue. While doing the complete Lake-to-Hennepin-to-Lyndale circuit around the Wedge neighborhood, we check out the new Hennepin Avenue and see what's possible on a reconstructed Lyndale Avenue. On Thursday the Minneapolis City Council will vote on whether to accept the county's plan to redo the street beginning in 2028. If the council doesn't vote yes, that could mean forfeiting $9 million in federal funding and letting the street and underground infrastructure continue to crumble. Thank you to cohost Brian Mitchell for putting his butt on the line as we bounced on all those potholes.

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Hennepin County Commissioner Marion Greene joins me to talk about her campaign for reelection and the great big conversation we're having about reconstructing the 90+ year old Lyndale Avenue. What did we learn from the Hennepin Avenue experience? Why is a "pause" a bad idea?

We also talk about the state of Uptown. Is Mayor Frey's plan to use MPD as a more prominent solution to homelessness and addiction working or pushing the problem from place to place? Plus the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, the garbage burner, property taxes, and why Hennepin County government manages to do just fine without the equivalent of a strong mayor bossing everyone around.

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What's the prospect for meaningful statewide housing policy reform in Minnesota? Brit Anbacht (Neighbors for More Neighbors) and Rep. Katie Jones (district 61A) join me to talk about zoning - parking minimums, minimum lot sizes, overly restrictive caps on unit sizes that make it impossible to build homes for families, and other things that make housing too damn expensive. We look back at the most recent legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol - and look ahead to next year, where the hope is a new crop of freshman legislators focused on housing affordability will finally get something passed.

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The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board voted 8-1 last Wednesday to end the use of Minnehaha dog park for off-leash dogs, believing it to be in conflict with the sacred nature of the site for the Dakota community. This upset a lot of the dog owners who frequent this park. Commissioner Jason Garcia who authored the resolution to decommission the off-leash use for the park, joins us to talk about why the Park Board did it.

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Legendary parade commentators Taylor Dahlin and John Edwards carry on the tradition of narrating another year of Big Honkin' Trucks rolling down Nicollet Mall.

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