🔊♫ Listen to the full interview here
By Becka Thompson
May 11, 2025
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the Better Minneapolis podcast for a long, in-depth conversation about why I’m running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 12. It wasn’t scripted, it wasn’t rehearsed—it was just an honest discussion about my background, my values, and the structural changes I believe our city desperately needs.
You can listen to the full interview here, but I’d like to share a few key takeaways for those who prefer reading to podcasts.
A Teacher, a Mom, a Neighbor—Not a Career Politician
I didn’t enter public service with ambitions for a political career. I came to this work as a teacher, a mom, and someone deeply rooted in the Longfellow neighborhood. I grew up here. I know what it used to feel like to live in a connected, walkable, safe community. And I’ve seen that sense of place slowly unravel—from unaffordable housing to rising crime to public institutions struggling to meet basic needs.
Experience That Translates to Real Solutions
I currently serve as a Commissioner on the Minneapolis Park Board and also sit on the City Planning Commission. In both roles, I’ve earned a reputation for being thorough, data-driven, and willing to ask the hard questions. Whether it’s fixing a decades-old funding flaw for our parkways or calling out inconsistencies in zoning and land use policy, I believe in doing the behind-the-scenes work to make public systems more transparent and effective.
We Must Rebuild Public Safety—With Accountability
Our city isn’t functioning the way it should. Public safety staffing in Minneapolis is well below where it needs to be, and community-based alternatives are being rushed forward without the accountability structures they require. In the podcast interview, I spoke plainly: safety must be comprehensive. It’s about officers, yes—but also prevention, partnerships, and programs that have clear, repeatable outcomes. I proposed a blind RFP process for safety alternatives—one that centers effectiveness, not ideology.
Minneapolis Needs Financial Discipline
We also talked about the city’s financial condition. Minneapolis continues to approve spending initiatives with little long-term planning or structural oversight. As someone with an MBA and a deep understanding of how systems work, I’m concerned about how this will affect residents, especially as property taxes rise and federal support potentially declines. We can’t afford short-term thinking. I’ll bring fiscal responsibility to every conversation at City Hall.
Supporting Small Business Recovery
We touched on the impact of the Minneapolis 2040 Plan on small businesses, many of which are still struggling to rebuild after the unrest. I believe the city needs to take a more hands-on approach. That means reaching out directly to landowners and offering solutions like site-specific zoning variances to remove unnecessary roadblocks and encourage meaningful recovery. Empowering entrepreneurs is good governance.
Honest, Practical Leadership for Ward 12
Lastly, we discussed leadership itself. I’m not interested in political theater. I’ve missed protests because I was at choir concerts. I’ve passed on viral tweets in favor of late nights reviewing budget spreadsheets. That’s who I am. If you want someone who’s all talk, I might not be your candidate. But if you want someone who listens, learns, collaborates, and solves problems—I’m ready.
Watch the Interview. Join the Movement.
I invite you to listen to the Better Minneapolis podcast episode to hear the full conversation in my voice. It’s unfiltered, it’s candid, and it reflects the kind of leadership I want to bring to Ward 12.
Learn more about the campaign at vote4becka.com
Let’s lead with clarity. Let’s govern with care. Let’s fix what’s broken—together.
~ Becka
