Mayor Rybak Reveals 2011 Budget Plan

MINNEAPOLIS - Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak unveiled his 2011 budget plan – revealing no cuts to police and fire. He also gave special attention to potholes.

La Perla Tortilla Factory was able to expand last year, in part because of a grant from the city of Minneapolis.

It was one of the small successes Mayor RT Rybak laid out in his budget address, which he boiled down to the four P’s – Police, potholes, paychecks and pinions.

It's rising police and fire pension costs that are forcing a 6.5 percent increase in property taxes, which is an eighth straight year of hikes, even as the mayor unveiled an ambitious plan to repair city streets spending $90 million over the next five years.

“Next time you hit a pot hole, I want you to think of one thing: debt,” said Rybak. “Potholes are a debt we pass on to our kids."

The more immediate problem for our kids is getting killed. Just 48 hours ago, 17-year-old was shot and killed in an alley. Rybak says he plans to maintain police staffing levels.

“This kid that just died, his family doesn't even have money to bury the kids. We have to ask why we're burying our kids."

After a failed gubernatorial bid, city hall watchers see this as a critical budget for the mayor, which is a test of his personal ambition and commitment.