When public services pull back, the impact lands unevenly. Thousands of Minnesota immigrants were just cut from Medicaid rolls right as private carriers telegraphed double-digit rate hikes. Meanwhile, North Minneapolis families are rallying to permanently shut down the HERC waste incinerator that pumps smoke over their rooftops, and the school district is threatening to close up to 16 neighborhood schools. This isn’t just a budget crisis; it’s a structural breakdown in community equity. Here is how local residents are fighting back.