Dan Orban: Responses to We Love Minneapolis candidate screener

The following are the responses to the candidate screener conducted by We Love Minneapolis:

Name: Dan Orban

Website: https://danorban.github.io/index.html

Ward: Ward 9

Endorsements – Do you plan on seeking the endorsement of any political parties, groups, or organizations?: No

Money raised in 2025: $0.00

To what political parties and/or organizations do you belong (Ex: DFL, GOP, DSA, Green, Independent)? Please list all that apply: Independent

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being most progressive and 10 being the most conservative, how would you rate yourself on the scale? 5

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? Public Safety, Responsibly Funding City Services, Supporting Local Businesses

Current Property Taxes in Minneapolis: Are too high and should be reduced

The City has committed to transforming George Floyd Square in a way that honors community values and vision for the future. What option do you support for this transformation? A Flexible Open-Street concept that would support development at the People’s Way.

What concept do you support for 3000 Minnehaha Ave, the site of the former Third Police Precinct? Election and Voter Services/Democracy center plus community space

Do you support the City of Minneapolis moving forward a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction policy against Israel where possible? No

Do you support the removal of I-94 through Minneapolis and replacement with a boulevard and/or public transit? No

The City of Minneapolis has a Separation Ordinance in place preventing city employees from asking about immigration status – do you support this ordinance? Yes

What should the City do to generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall? We need new businesses and entrepreneur enterprises. We must create and maintain an environment where these creative endeavors can flourish. We must attract many new endeavors to the downtown area by making it into a place that is safe and hospitable. It needs a place people want to work and visit.

What is the appropriate role of the City Council in developing policy and providing services under the ‘Executive Mayor’ system? The City Council should work together with the Mayor to develop policies and ordinances to support the needs of the city. Compromise and some shared vision from both sides would be nice for getting things done. Right now the relationship often leads to a stalemate, which is not good for a city that has major problems. Meeting core needs should not be debatable. It would be great if we could arrive at a government that was more boring. Perhaps we could fix roads, fund the police and fire department, and work on building affordable housing.

What would you prioritize in immediate future city budgets? Focus more on core functions for which the city is currently primarily responsible like police, fire, and road maintenance.

Should a Labor Standards Board be revisited, its composition should be: Business and Labor have equal representation

If you answered “something else” in the previous question, please explain here: n/a

Increased vibrancy and activity downtown is important for: Everyone in Minneapolis

Minneapolis small and local business owners receive: Too little support from the City Council

How important is economic health and the business environment in Minneapolis? One of the top three most important issues facing our city

Do you believe that Minneapolis currently has a hospitable business climate? No

I believe that perception of crime: Has a real impact on local businesses and should be taken seriously by city policymakers

What should the City Government do to support small and local businesses? The city should develop policies and enforce laws to improve public safety. We should also listen to and consider the concerns of business owners. We must clean up and revitalize the business districts to encourage businesses to stay and attract new businesses.

Would you support a strict rent control policy with rents capped at 3%? No

If yes, do you support exemptions for new construction? n/a

Are you open to supporting a different version of rent control than a strict 3% cap? No

In general, what effect do you believe the production of market-rate housing have on other units in the area? Decreases rent through increasing supply

Do you support the Revised Affordable Housing Right of First Refusal Ordinance? No

Do you think we need additional renter protections? No

If yes, what protections would you support? n/a

The existence of homeless encampments is (can answer more than one): A public health and safety emergency, Harmful to those living in and near encampments

Should encampment closures be halted? No

What is an immediate and urgent solution to our Encampment situation in Mpls? The public safety consequences of encampments for both the neighborhood and those in the camps are disastrous. Therefore, open air drug scenes should not exist. We need to focus on shelter and treatment to meet the needs of everyone in the community, especially the most vulnerable. The city needs to work with the state and county to develop creative solutions involving drug addiction, mental health care, and social work. In the process, the city should develop ordinances and start enforcing existing laws to keep its citizens safe. The city should also partner with community care providers who are equipped to meet the needs of those who experience homelessness. This would help scale the solution. These include cultural groups, faith based organizations, and non profits. There are several solutions to encampments.

Do you support the minimum police officer mandate of 1.7 per 1,000 residents? Yes, and I believe the City should continue working to fulfill it.

As a city council member, would you support increasing funding for recruitment, hiring, and retention of officers as the mayor proposed and City Council majority rejected in their 2024 and 2025 budgets? Yes

Do you support the Office of Community Safety Department of Neighborhood Safety’s (DNS) RFP process awarding contracts to organizations through a basic competitive bidding process with expert-informed “best practices” proposal evaluations? Yes

Do you support the Department of Neighborhood Safety requiring data-driven accountability and reporting by violence interruption/prevention groups? Yes

With regard to public safety do you feel like the city’s more pressing issue currently is police accountability or staffing levels? Staffing levels

The City reached a federal consent decree with President Biden’s Department of Justice. Despite President Trump’s administration indicating it may abandon efforts to finalize the decree, Mayor Frey has stated he will support the city and the MPD complying with the agreement even if it’s not enforced by the federal courts. Do you agree? Yes

Do you believe Shotspotter is a valuable tool? Yes

Should ShotSpotter be expanded to include additional high-crime areas? Yes

What role should the City Council have in improving public safety? The City Council needs to fund and meet more than the core needs of the city, which it is not doing right now. We must improve funding for the police department and recruiting. I am encouraged by creative solutions for public safety, however, we are not meeting the city’s basic public safety needs. The police are understaffed, overworked, and not well supported. The good thing about police over other approaches, is that police are held accountable and are required to meet the highest moral standards. It is not okay for the city to leave it’s citizens to fend for themselves because there are not enough public servants to respond to dangerous crimes. The office of community safety and the police department has implemented many great reforms these past 5 years in terms of policy, accountability, and recruiting. It is time to tell a different story.