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November 25, 2025

Happy Thanksgiving! A Day to give God thanks for our blessings.

We at RFABB Have Much to be Thankful For
We are deeply GRATEFUL for those individuals in Bloomington who use their voice, talent, resources and effort to make Bloomington a city we are all proud to call home. As we have stated many times, we are living in a participatory government, and the political winds typically blow with those that participate. 

While it appears at times that it is a losing battle, we can assure you it is worth the fight.  Just by raising the awareness of hundreds of people who would otherwise be in the dark, we are fulfilling our mission to educate, motivate and activate. 

So, THANK YOU for what you have done, and we look forward to a great year in 2026 as we have much more to do.  Stay engaged, and stay tuned! Happy Thanksgiving! 

Join us December 15th for Holiday Cheer!

It's been a while and next year will be a BIG year!  

Election Results

This year was an off-year municipal election which has notoriously low turnout in Bloomington.  Less than 30% of registered voters in Bloomington turned out to vote, meaning many conservative voters stayed home.  In the end, the At-Large City Council race went to Danielle Robertson, with District 1 and 2 races going to the incumbents Dwayne Lowman and Shawn Nelson, respectively. 

No "non-DFL endorsed" candidates stepped up to run for School Board, meaning all four seats went to left-leaning school board members: Tom Bennett, Matt Dymoke, Ted Moore and Dawn Steigauf. As disappointing as this may be, we will not stop fighting to help RFABB to educate, motivate and activate residents. This means helping them to step up, whether getting involved in the organization itself in some way, or helping advance a cause we are promoting - all the way to running for office.  We will continue to work to help our members see activism as a lifestyle.

No phrase better encompasses the seriousness of our work as this:
"Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom" - John Curran (1790)

Property Tax Increase Uproar

In an Op-Ed in the Minnesota Star Tribune last week, Lori Sturdevant wrote '"There aren’t many constants in Minnesota’s shared life. But the unpopularity of the regressive, relentless, unforgiving property tax is exceedingly durable — and politically potent." In her article she wrote that Minnesotans haven't quite gone to dusting off their pitchforks but will do so if the Counties and the Municipalities in the state do not tame these compounding, ever increasing property tax increases that are making life unaffordable especially for seniors, working families and small businesses.

Consider this: since 2015 Bloomington's annual property tax increases hovered in the 4-5% range - and during COVID they dropped to just over 2%. But now the property tax increases here have boomeranged to 9+% every year since 2023. 

When you factor in Hennepin County, Port Authority and Met Council, then they all start to add up.  This is coupled with excess spending on things like a "genderless" $980,000 bathroom at City Hall (paid with excess COVID funds), along with $1.5 million per year for "Creative Placemaking" and a hiring boom at the City.  Some employees have been found to earn 2x the national average. Exhibit A is our new City Manager with a salary of $250,000 plus benefits, whereas the national average is $130,000 for City Managers. Stay tuned for an initiative in 2026 that RFABB is sponsoring to bring a check on indiscriminate property tax increases.

Join a Board or Commission - We Need Your Voices

Have you considered how decisions about public art projects, sculptures, and even city infrastructure in Bloomington are influenced? When Creative Placemaking can invest $1.5 million of our taxpayer dollars into shaping our neighborhoods—and when the city can spend substantial sums on upgrades like the “Golden Turkey” bathroom at city hall—it's clear these choices define our community identity.
 
The City Council relies on advisory commissions to help shape local policies and community initiatives. Serving as a commission member gives residents a hands-on way to guide how Bloomington grows and develops, making their perspectives heard in city decisions. RFABB encourages active participation to ensure our city remains affordable and livable by promoting balanced, community-focused leadership.
 
Currently, there are openings on 11 different commissions, all seeking new members. This is your chance to contribute and ensure tax dollars and city programs truly reflect your values. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on December 21—late submissions won't be accepted. Learn more and apply here: Upcoming Openings on Boards and Commissions.

Call for Volunteers

RFABB is almost 6 years old! We started as a group of 10 people meeting in a circle at Bethany Church and quickly grew as we raised awareness about a host of controversial measures at the City Council and School Board. Several members ended up running for office and we also hosted two separate referendums in 2022 and 2024 to repeal Rank Choice Voting. Along the way we began our monthly newsletter The Pulse which you are reading now. We have held dozens of meetings that have helped to educate, motivate and activate people toward seeing activism as a lifestyle, not just an occasional or one-time event.

Planning is now underway to make 2026 the best year yet. RFABB is going to the next level and we need you involved. There are five main areas we can use your help: event planning, communications, fund raising, membership and watchdog activities. Any of these can be done with 1-2 hours per week. Please take a minute to email us right now at info@rfabbmn.org and let us know where you could best help or sign up on the website here. Many hands make light work - thanks in advance for stepping up!

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