A request to boost the budget for this year’s Minneapolis election has received a thumbs-down from the city’s finance department. The City Clerk’s office says it needs an extra $385,000 to run the election, which combines the relatively new ranked-choice voting system with a red-hot mayor’s race. The clerk proposed using unspent money left over from last year’s budget to pay for the added expense. But a list of Finance Department recommendations for allocating those rollover dollars contains no mention of the election request.
The recommendations prioritize one-time projects and expenditures already authorized by the city council, Ways & Means Committee Chair Betsy Hodges said. Hodges, one of three council members running for mayor this year, noted that the council can override the recommendation or come up with additional funding through other means.
Full Article: Clerk looks for ‘Plan B’ to fund Mpls election | The Cities | Minnesota Public Radio.