A 43% reduction? At what point will cities have played their fair role in balancing the state’s budget?

With the governor vetoing a legislative budget plan that would have protected LGA and Market Value Credit (MVC) from further funding cuts in 2010, the legislature will look for ways to redraft their plan in a way that will generate more support from the executive branch. Prior to last week’s unallotment ruling, the governor released a proposal for closing the state’s budget gap in light of delayed federal funding; this plan included an additional $87.5 to $102 million reduction in LGA and MVC for 2010 (an exact cut amount is unknown due to the uncertainty of how cities and counties would split the overall proposed cut to property tax aids and credits). The graph below shows that a cut on the low end of this range—on top of the governor’s 2010 unallotments to LGA and MVC and the legislature’s supplemental cut—would amount to an overall 43% reduction of LGA and MVC in this year alone. Even without the governor’s proposed supplemental cut, LGA and MVC have been reduced 29% in 2010 through unallotment and legislative action.

Mayors: Communities are at stake

Mayors from St. Paul, Minneapolis and greater Minnesota gathered at the Capitol today to deliver the follow message regarding the governor’s latest plan to cut LGA:
St. Paul, Minn.—Devastating, disproportionate and irresponsible. That’s how Minnesota city leaders characterized Governor Tim Pawlenty’s latest round of proposed cuts to local government aid (LGA). Mayors from across the state [...]

Cities propose bill to protect essential services and property taxpayers

The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities released a statement to the press this morning regarding a bill to protect LGA funding.

State Auditor finds that reliance on property taxes grows when LGA cut

This week, State Auditor Rebecca Otto released her office’s annual report on city finances.

City levy increases impacted unevenly by governor’s unallotment

The Minnesota Department of Revenue recently predicted that local property tax levies will increase statewide by a modest 3.5%. Depending on where you live, however, your city’s portion of your property taxes could increase more. Property owners with property in cities that received larger cuts through the governor’s unallotment will see higher increases in their city’s levy.