Dear Fellow Ward 10 Resident,

I am writing you today to officially announce my withdrawal from the Ward 10 City Council race.  Although I was disappointed with the result of the April 18th convention, I am a strong proponent of the DFL endorsement process and will abide by the endorsement decision reached at the convention.

I am proud of our campaign.  Throughout the process, we stayed focused on the issues that bring us together.  Although there is always a temptation to try to win an election by dividing voters against one another, I am proud that we talked consistently about a broad vision for our Ward and for Minneapolis.  With your help, I will continue to work for:

• Safe and livable neighborhoods
• Responsible budgeting to prepare for the future
• Investments to strengthen our great neighborhoods
• Economic opportunity for all
• An end to homelessness and poverty

As I said in my speech at the Convention, we are a city of great neighborhoods, but our greatness as a city is more than simply the sum of our neighborhoods.  We need to reject the temptation to create an “us vs. them” politics and embrace instead a politics that values and promotes everyone in our great city.

I look forward to many conversations as we continue to strengthen our neighborhoods, and our great city.  Please call me on my cell phone (612.385.9634) or email me anytime at matt@mattfilner.org.

Thank you for your support, your hard work, your careful consideration, and your leadership in our Ward.  We are a great ward and city because of people like you.

Sincerely,

Matt Filner