Minneapolis requiring owners of businesses destroyed in riots to prepay taxes before getting permits to rebuild

By Law Enforcement Today. Excerpts:

"Some might call this extortion.

The world turned upside down in Minneapolis when police officers arrested George Floyd.  Floyd died that day during that encounter with the officer who has since been fired and arrested for the death. 

The people flooded the streets and began to riot.  Members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter torched and looted and destroyed businesses.  Now, those business owners are trying to rebuild, the city has told them they cannot until they pay their 2020 property tax bill."

"So now business owners, who have already lost a countless amount of revenue from the stores being open, are forced to come up with property taxes before they can even purchase a permit to demo where their store once stood.  Don Blyly told the Star Tribune:

“Minneapolis has not been particularly friendly toward business for some time.  They say they want to be helpful, but they certainly have not been.” 

In true Minneapolis fashion, the city leaders blame their heartless stance on a state law which requires all taxes be paid until the removal of any debris can be done. 

However, Hennepin County has already informed the city that they will not be enforcing the law for businesses destroyed during the riot."

"This issue seems to only be occurring in Minneapolis.

The neighboring city, St. Paul, has had little to no issues in issuing out permits without the tax requirement.  Suzanne Donovan, a spokeswoman for St Paul said that they are working to expedite the permitting process to “help accelerate construction that needs to take place to ensure commerce moves forward in St Paul.”"