Click any of the topics below to find out where Andrew Johnson stands on some common issues. If you would like to know his position on any issues not listed here or would like clarification on any statements, please contact him.
I support the police and do not subscribe to the false assertion that the police are systemically racist. I believe that most police officers are decent human-beings.
I also believe that accountability and reform is needed. Police should not be above the law just because they wear a badge or uniform nor should they be militarized. I believe there should be clear rules of engagement with a focus on deescalation.
I am in favor of more mental health awareness and training for our police officers. I believe mental health professionals can greatly supplement the work of police officers but can never be a replacement due to the wide variety of situations police respond to.
To provide optimal services as a city, it is imperative to understand and respond to the needs of the community. I will strive to listen to and invite feedback from constituents and other key stakeholders in the community in order to provide leadership that represents the best interests of Brooklyn Center. I will seek to be deliberate, open, and responsive in my efforts to engage the community.
The City of Brooklyn Center should be prudent in its spending and allocation of funding. I will do what I can to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse and seek to ensure that your hard-earned money is put to work in ways that represent the needs and interests of the whole community.
High-quality public and private property is essential to support the prosperity and vibrancy of our community. I will seek to ensure Brooklyn Center has housing options to suite individuals from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, not just low-income options. In order to support job growth, I will make efforts to assure existing and potential new businesses that Brooklyn Center is a high-quality, attractive, and safe community in which to conduct their operations.
Since the closing of Brookdale Mall, Target, and Sears, Brooklyn Center has been struggling to attract and retain businesses. Some businesses have moved into western suburbs. Others have closed entirely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, the Council has discussed moving forward with the Opportunity Site, an 80-acre area in the heart of Brooklyn Center targeted for redevelopment. I believe the time is now to move forward with the approval of a development which would help us expand our commercial tax base via increased shopping, dining, and entertainment options as well as spaces for local businesses. I will do what I can to help drive this vision forward into reality.
I would like to see the City Charter revised to include a process for recalling council members and the mayor. Leaders can and should be accountable when they no longer represent the interests of their constituents.