St. Paul City Council Policy Committee Meeting - June 10, 2026

The St. Paul City Council Policy Committee met on June 10, 2026, for a two-part meeting. The first segment (30 minutes) focused on a presentation from the End Slavery Minnesota Coalition regarding a constitutional loophole that allows slavery as punishment for crime and efforts to end it. The second segment (one hour) featured a presentation from Urban 3 on land use economics and property tax revenue generation.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were discussed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were taken from non-presenters.

Discussion Items

• Ending Slavery and Expanding Civil Protections Review – Chantel Allen (Executive Director, Indian Slavery Coalition), along with outreach coordinators Max and Josh, presented on the Minnesota Constitution's exception allowing involuntary servitude as punishment for crime. They noted that eight states have removed this exception. The presenters described the exploitation of incarcerated workers paid 25 cents per hour, with an annual income of approximately $580, and the financial strain on families (one in six children in Minnesota experience parental incarceration). They advocated for a constitutional amendment (to be on the 2028 ballot) and a bill reclassifying incarcerated workers as employees entitled to minimum wage, child support payments, and savings upon release (currently capped at $500). Councilmembers expressed strong support, noting personal connections and the need for restorative practices. Councilmember Bowie highlighted the link to mass incarceration and proposed making justice-impacted individuals a protected class. The presenters urged the city to review procurement contracts for prison labor and support the legislative agenda.
• Economic Development and Vitality – Ms. Worthington (COO/Principal, Urban 3) presented a land use efficiency analysis for Ramsey County, with emphasis on St. Paul. Key findings: only 43% of St. Paul's land area is taxable; downtown has 33% exempt property and 38% right-of-way, one of the highest rates seen nationally. Downtown taxable value per acre decreased from 13.2 times the county average (2020) to 8.3 times (2025) due to increases in exempt properties. Highly productive examples include the Patagonia-to-Fratellone block on Grand Avenue (highest revenue per acre in the county) and mixed-use infill like Golden Time. Recommendations: replicate successful compact developments, regulate by right (e.g., via zoning), reduce parking minimums, leverage public assets and transit investments (Green Line, Snelling BRT). Councilmember Naker asked how to replicate success when proposals are ad hoc; Ms. Worthington suggested regulating in advance and reducing entitlement timelines. Councilmember Bowie noted the role of community planning (Rondo COT) in enabling density on Selby and Grand.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the meeting was informational.
• Councilmembers expressed strong support for the constitutional amendment and legislative bills to end slavery exception and raise prison wages.
• Councilmember Bowie announced intention to bring forward a resolution supporting the campaign.
• Several councilmembers requested follow-up meetings with the presenters.
• For economic development, councilmembers committed to examining zoning, parking, and procurement policies to encourage productive land use and avoid prison labor contracts.