St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden, spokesperson for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, released the following statement in response to Governor Pawlenty’s decision to spare LGA from December unallotment.
Signs point to disproportionate LGA cut
Today’s budget forecast projects that the state is facing a $1.2 billion deficit for the current 2010-2011 biennium and a $5.4 billion deficit for the 2012-2013 biennium. Continue reading for CGMC reaction.
‘Enough is enough’: City officials set goals to recover LGA funding in 2010
Protecting and recovering local government aid (LGA) funding in the 2010 legislative session was chief among the discussions held at the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities’ (CGMC) fall conference. This year’s conference, hosted in Alexandria, Minn., brought together mayors and city officials from across the state to set the policies that will direct the Coalition’s legislative actions in the coming year.
Mayors launch effort to hold gov candidates’ ‘feet to the fire’ on city funding
Saying that the next governor will determine the fate of cities across the state, mayors announced at a State Capitol press conference that they are turning their attention to the 2010 governor’s race and will be traveling the state to call on candidates to address local government aid (LGA).
CGMC launching issue ad today!
Stay tuned for CGMC’s LGA issue ad, which will be released this afternoon. The ad aims to cement LGA as a top-tier issue in the upcoming election and urges voters to ask candidates about their position on LGA. Visit www.ThankLGA.org later today to view the ad!
“You can’t get there from here”: Rep. Terry Morrow explains need for transit in greater MN
Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter) writes about the connection between a comprehensive transit system and the vitality of greater Minnesota in an opinion piece for Detroit Lakes Online. Read it here.
Star Tribune Editorial: Cities doing what’s right to manage budgets
The Star Tribune editorialized today that cities are making the difficult but right choices when it comes to managing budget deficits that resulted from Governor Pawlenty’s state aid unallotment. After losing $211 million, or 14%, of the total LGA allotment during 2008, 2009, and 2010, cities have been cutting important services, reducing their workforce, and making modest increases in local property taxes. None of these decisions have been easy or popular, but this balanced approach has been necessary in order to keep Minnesota’s communities afloat.
For too long, the state has avoided a similar balanced approach to solving its budget problems, thus forcing the tough decisions down to the local level. In the upcoming 2010 legislative session, CGMC urges legislators and the governor to work together and take an example from cities when it comes to budgeting.
