Just the beginning

Whether it's hostility towards business or a loony obsession to de-fund the police department, elected officials in Minneapolis are not endearing themselves to a sizable portion of the country. Heck, even America's favorite septuagenarian commie isn't down with de-funding the cops.

In the aftermath of nearly a week long period of unrest in Minneapolis, I'm guessing a fair number of the city's residents will be putting their homes on the market posthaste. And one business in particular has confirmed they're relocating after 30+ years there.

A Minneapolis manufacturing company has decided to leave the city, with the company’s owner saying he can’t trust public officials who allowed his plant to burn during the recent riots. The move will cost the city about 50 jobs.

“They don’t care about my business,” said Kris Wyrobek, president and owner of 7-Sigma Inc., which has operated since 1987 at 2843 26th Av. in south Minneapolis. “They didn’t protect our people. We were all on our own.”

Wyrobek said the plant, which usually operates until 11 p.m., shut down about four hours early on the first night of the riots because he wanted to keep his workers out of harm’s way. He said a production supervisor and a maintenance worker who live in the neighborhood became alarmed when fire broke out at the $30 million Midtown Corner affordable housing apartment complex that was under construction next door.

“The fire engine was just sitting there,” Wyrobek said, “but they wouldn’t do anything.”

Many of you have seen photos of a hollowed out Detroit. When it's all said and done, some parts of Minneapolis may look similar if there isn't a major shift in priorities among the elected officials at the municipal level.

(Minneapolis Mayor Jacob) Frey said Monday that he was unaware of 7-Sigma’s decision to move, and he declined to say whether the company’s decision reflects the challenges facing city leaders as they try to convince business owners to rebuild in Minneapolis. Many business owners have criticized the city, saying their pleas for help went unanswered.

This is more evidence of why there needs to be a bigger emphasis on your local governments. Sure electoral politics at the Federal and State levels draw the sexier headlines, but the most direct impact on our lives is derived from policies enacted in your counties, municipalities and local school boards. I'm hopeful Minneapolis residents are finally waking up to that fact.

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