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Minnesota's mayors want gubernatorial race to highlight local aid
Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities unveils Web ad that asks candidates to take a stand on the issue.
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Mayors who have been chafing under the loss of financial aid from the state plan to insert themselves into next year's race for governor.
The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities on Thursday unveiled a Web ad highlighting the hot-button issue of local government aid (LGA). It features Gov. Tim Pawlenty's words from 2002:
"You can't run around the state and say, 'I'm not going to increase taxes,' and then cut LGA in a way that drives up local property taxes. I understand that."
The ad, which the mayors will show at meetings across the state, then superimposes a graph showing the decrease in LGA and the increase in local property taxes since 2002.
Sharing in the state's pain
As governor, Pawlenty, who has supported caps on the amount governments can raise property taxes, has said local governments need not raise property taxes to make up state funding cuts.
He has also emphasized that local governments have to share in the state's economic pain.
"Cities need to streamline and become more efficient, and not turn reflexively to local property tax increases," Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said Thursday.
"For 2009, Governor Pawlenty capped the cut in LGA payments to cities at 3.3 percent. Cities should be able to find ways to manage a small reduction to their revenues, just like families and businesses are doing, without massively hiking local property taxes."
'A disproportionate share'
Mayors and staffers said their cities were willing to take some cuts but have been hurt unfairly. They talked of raising property taxes, laying off staff, cutting library hours and deferring transportation projects.
"We took a disproportionate share of the cuts," said Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden.
He said the coalition would support a fair statewide tax, perhaps an income tax hike, to avoid having LGA slashed.
City officials said they want candidates seeking to replace Pawlenty to take a stand on state aid to local governments. The coalition represents more than 70 cities outside the metro area.
In the ad, which is online at thanklga.blip.tv/file/2638815/, the coalition urges voters to ask candidates for governor about their specific position on aid.
Cities across Minnesota lost an estimated $200 million in aid from the state this year when Pawlenty made unilateral budget cuts to eliminate the state's enormous deficit.
Mayors lambasted Pawlenty's move, but he removed himself from next year's race by announcing he won't run for a third term.
Bob von Sternberg • 612-673-7184 Rachel Stassen-Berger • 651-292-0164
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Current state office holders
Governor: Tim Pawlenty
One of only a few prominent Republicans to win a competitive re-election contest in the Democratic sweep of 2006, Tim Pawlenty is widely seen as politically shrewd and naturally likable.
- Lt. Governor: Carol Molnau
- Secretary of State: Mark Ritchie
- Attorney General: Lori Swanson
- State Auditor: Rebecca Otto
Minnesota's political giants: Learn more about the men and women who have shaped Minnesota's political history.
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