MINNEAPOLIS — The mayors of cities hit by devastating fires and looting in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in police custody know they'll be turning to the Minnesota Legislature for help rebuilding the hardest hit areas.
To that end, they hosted tours Thursday, giving lawmakers a chance to see some of the damage up close and hear stories about the plight of small business owners who were already struggling with the COVID crisis.
The entourage saw two hot spots along Lake Street in Minneapolis, and also spent time on University Avenue in St. Paul.
Mayor Jacob Frey said the city is putting together a recovery fund with the help of donations from foundations, but that won't be enough to cover the tab for reconstruction in his city which could run up to $1 billion.
He noticed many of the small businesses lost or damaged were owned by immigrants, black families and other persons of color who had helped revitalize the legendary business strip before the killing of George turned their world upside down.
"These people are going to need help. We're gonna need a really big package to put this corridor back in the right place," Mayor Frey told legislators.
"And I just want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for being out here. This matters to the community."
City Council Member Alondra Cano said many of the small businesses are just one married couple, a true "mom and pop" operation.
"We're very concerned about the loans many of the businesses had. They can't pay those back anymore. They have no money to bring back to the table," Cano explained.
She also pointed out people who hadn't already lost their jobs from the coronavirus economic shock were left without jobs when their workplaces burned.
In St. Paul, Mayor Melvin Carter said there's no firm dollar estimate for the cost of rebuilding yet but predicted that number will be "staggering" once they come up with it.
As legislators looked at the pile of rubble that was once the Sports Dome, a minority-owned apparel shop, Mayor Carter said the city must do more than just rebuild the structures.
"The total reconstruction -- not just the buildings, not just brick and mortar -- of the way we interact with our economy is what's necessary," Carter asserted.
He said the many in communities of color have lagged behind at opportunities for business loans and other resources. That was compounded by outbreak of coronavirus, which disproportionately affected Minnesota's black and Latinx populations.
That has been compounded now by store closures in the reaction to the unrest that resulted from Floyd's death Memorial Day, which has compounded a food shortage.
"My experience in Minnesota and St. Paul is that every time something ugly happens, the inner strength and beauty of us Minnesotans steps forward and can be an even stronger force," Carter remarked.
"We are literally calling 9-1-1, literally calling for C-P-R right now in our community as we face a level of destruction that is unprecedented."
There have been many other fundraising efforts, including the Lake Street Council's We Love Lake Street campaign, which had raised $4.6 million in donations by Thursday afternoon.
"So while $4.5 million is an incredible amount and is a down payment in helping businesses get back on their feet, we know that the need is much greater and we are trying to raise as much as we can to support these businesses," Matt Kazinka of the Lake Street Council told KARE.
He said part of the money raised to help businesses recover will be donated to George Floyd's family.
