Greater Minnesota cities group oppose governor's state-aid cuts

‘"We've been more critical of the governor's position, and the governor's been critical of us, where he's literally pointing fingers and naming names," Strand said.‘

And the implication this is bad. Why is this bad? Stand up for what you believe.

“He's also aware the coalition's friends have been increasingly Democratic lawmakers, something he regrets because it makes the organization appear to be partisan.”

SHOCKING!

Look, if you choose to live in the boonies, that’s your business and you need to learn to fund you own governmental services locally. I don’t want my taxes going up more to help fund the city of Mankato. How much tax revenue are they sending us?

LGA is what it is: a hand-out to out-state cities, not "greater" Minnesota. Perhaps if they WERE greater, they could figure out how to run without city-welfare. We're tired of funding cities that can't fund themselves. Live within your own means, we have to.

Maybe we SHOULD do what the Feds did for welfare recipients; impose a 5 year life-time limit for cities who receive city-welfare (LGA) funds. After 5 years is up, you're on your own and forced to live within your means.

LGA is simply welfare for cities. As such, it has had similar effects. Why should a city accept a commercial/industrial developer's plans to bring something loud or smelly to town when that state will make up the lost property taxes with LGA.

It is great the state wants to cut LGA, but then cut the sales tax! The preservation of LGA was the reason the state raised the sales tax to 6.5% in 1991 (and forced local governments to adopt resolutions that instituted the "local option" .5% increase and created the "local gov't trust fund. State spending kept increasing at a faster rate than local, so the state reneged on the "trust fund" and now points the finger at local government. It is fine to cut LGA, but now drop the sales tax to 6% because the state isn't holding up its end of the bargain.

Phase out of Local Government Aid.

There are at least two good reasons. One is that it expands overall government spending beyond what people would otherwise rationally pay. The other reason, and it's related to the first, is that it reduces the accountability of local officials, who can say to residents "Look at all the good things we're doing for you," while having their decisions subsidized by someone else.

A similar logic applies when the U.S. government transfers money from one state to another for simply local projects. Further, it diminishes the political significance of states as entities with their own, unique powers (Tenth Amendment, anyone?), and puts us further down the road to the day when states are merely administrative units of a national government.

Political decentralization has many benefits, including offering a safety valve.(How high would Minnesota taxes be if legislators didn't have to keep in mind the more favorable tax climates of South Dakota, Texas, Florida and so forth?)

I understand why local officials would seek federal grants. To paraphrase an advertising slogan used by state lotteries everywhere, "Someone's going to win; why not you?" But when we win, we also lose.

http://mnfreemarketinstitute.org/2009/06/08/t...







With Governor Pawlenty's veto of LGA funds, line item vetos of local pork projects and looming unallotment, local government officials have gone to the media to cry poverty. The Brooklyn Center Police Department no longer staffs it's lobby outside of business hours the Tribune tells us. Some local government officials have made ominous predictions of higher property taxes to close the gap.

This week we learned that local units of government (Cities and Counties, school districts and other public entities) spent $8.5 Million on lobbying at the State capitol in 2008. That's an increase of nearly 10% when compared to the previous year. Local government associations spent another $4.6 million on lobbying. That lobbying is paid for with dues that cities and towns pay from their revenues.

Businesses, families and individuals throughout Minnesota are cutting their expenses and trying to save money. We are in a recession. Growth is negative and unemployment is up.***But not for the business of government ***

. No, in these challenging times, it's more important than ever for them to argue for higher taxes to preserve and grow their budgets. And while the threat of higher property taxes is not an empty one, it's important to note that money that comes from the state taxpayer to the local government is money with less accountability. The local taxpayer can see how the money is spent and is better able to voice a complaint or even vote local politicians out of office if they disagree with them.

Government lobbying government can only end up one way, with bigger and bigger government and higher and higher taxes to pay for it all.

In addition to the Coon Rapids community center, a number of local units of Minnesota
government submitted requests for bonding projects for upcoming legislative session
that will kick off in February. It is important to remember two things about these
bonding projects. First, bonding projects are financed by debt that must be paid
back with interest. In other words, these are things that will be put on the state's
credit card to be repaid by not only ourselves, but our children and grandchildren.
Second, this continues to be a very difficult economy, with high unemployment and
prospect of a jobless recovery (whenever that happens).

So what have our elected officials chosen as priorities during these tough times?
Here's a partial list:

Bemidji: walking trail bridge ($1,000,000)

Big Lake: ice arena ($1,000,000)

Carlton County: community "services" center ($4,800,000)

Chisholm: recreation center ($350,000)

Dasel-Cokato School District ($1,261,000)

Dodge County: walking trail ($2,704,000)

Duluth: children's museum ($2,750,000)

Eveleth: Hampton Inn improvements ($650,000)

Fergus Falls: community arena ($4,300,000)

Granite Falls: walking bridge ($512,000)

Hennepin County: African American Cultural Center ($840,000)

International Falls: heritage center ($5,672,000)

Inver Grove Heights: Heritage Village Park:($1,313,000)

Mankato: Civic Center expansion:($13,900,000)

Marshall: regional sports center:($4,000,000)

Minneapolis: Orchestra Hall ($22,000,000)

Minneapolis: Target Center improvements ($4,000,000)

Duluth Tourist Train ($13,000,000)

Mountain Iron: Arrowhead Athletic Complex:($5,580,000)

Nashwauk: community building ($500,000)

New Hope: ice arena:($712,000)

Ramsey County: winter recreation area ($1,500,000)

Rochester: civic center expansion:($34,000,000)

Sargeant: community center ($100,000)

St. Cloud: civic center expansion:($15,100,000)

St. Paul: Ordway expansion ($17,500,000)

St. Paul: Asian Pacific Cultural Center ($9,750,000)

St. Paul: Saints ballpark ($25,000,000)

Two Harbors: campground expansion ($2,000,000)

And that's just a sampling. For shame.

Read more here. http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/budget/narrati...

we need to cut budgets from federal down...so lets start here cut our bloated wastful military in half cut cia fbi dea hoem land security in half.. in all cities cut police and sheriff in half..if we did this we could balance all budgets right away--and we would ahve national debt payed off in 5 years..now i know you rethugs dont liek to cut war and death bringing departments. but if we cut budgets lets cut all budgets.

Mayor McSpendy wrote:

In addition to the Coon Rapids community center, a number of local units of Minnesota
government submitted requests for bonding projects for upcoming legislative session
that will kick off in February. It is important to remember two things about these
bonding projects. First, bonding projects are financed by debt that must be paid
back with interest. In other words, these are things that will be put on the state's
credit card to be repaid by not only ourselves, but our children and grandchildren.
Second, this continues to be a very difficult economy, with high unemployment and
prospect of a jobless recovery (whenever that happens).
So what have our elected officials chosen as priorities during these tough times?
Here's a partial list:
Bemidji: walking trail bridge ($1,000,000)
Big Lake: ice arena ($1,000,000)
Carlton County: community "services" center ($4,800,000)
Chisholm: recreation center ($350,000)
Dasel-Cokato School District ($1,261,000)
Dodge County: walking trail ($2,704,000)
Duluth: children's museum ($2,750,000)
Eveleth: Hampton Inn improvements ($650,000)
Fergus Falls: community arena ($4,300,000)
Granite Falls: walking bridge ($512,000)
Hennepin County: African American Cultural Center ($840,000)
International Falls: heritage center ($5,672,000)
Inver Grove Heights: Heritage Village Park:($1,313,000)
Mankato: Civic Center expansion:($13,900,000)
Marshall: regional sports center:($4,000,000)
Minneapolis: Orchestra Hall ($22,000,000)
Minneapolis: Target Center improvements ($4,000,000)
Duluth Tourist Train ($13,000,000)
Mountain Iron: Arrowhead Athletic Complex:($5,580,000)
Nashwauk: community building ($500,000)
New Hope: ice arena:($712,000)
Ramsey County: winter recreation area ($1,500,000)
Rochester: civic center expansion:($34,000,000)
Sargeant: community center ($100,000)
St. Cloud: civic center expansion:($15,100,000)
St. Paul: Ordway expansion ($17,500,000)
St. Paul: Asian Pacific Cultural Center ($9,750,000)
St. Paul: Saints ballpark ($25,000,000)
Two Harbors: campground expansion ($2,000,000)
And that's just a sampling. For shame.
Read more here. http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/budget/narrati...

Good stuff here. Funny how people like Mayor Coleman will cry "no money for Police!" yet 17+ million for Ordway? 9.75 million for Asian pacific cultural center? 25 Million for Saints ballpark? Keep all of this in mind next election people.

tom wrote:

we need to cut budgets from federal down...so lets start here cut our bloated wastful military in half cut cia fbi dea hoem land security in half.. in all cities cut police and sheriff in half..if we did this we could balance all budgets right away--and we would ahve national debt payed off in 5 years..now i know you rethugs dont liek to cut war and death bringing departments. but if we cut budgets lets cut all budgets.

You sure take your security for granted. Nothing of lesser importance to cut?

tom wrote:

we need to cut budgets from federal down...so lets start here cut our bloated wastful military in half cut cia fbi dea hoem land security in half.. in all cities cut police and sheriff in half..if we did this we could balance all budgets right away--and we would ahve national debt payed off in 5 years..now i know you rethugs dont liek to cut war and death bringing departments. but if we cut budgets lets cut all budgets.

You go right ahead and propose that. Let me know hopw that works for ya. I'll be back in my bunker in my well fortified postion. watching you run away from the animals taking over these debates.

I prefer to keep my wars foreign, my defenders well equiped and world dominating. I also want to increase funding to these soldiers and Vets. It's the least we can do for the people that offer their lives to protect this country.

I propose that we pay for this by reducing the welfare roles including LGA, eliminating the outright theft of healthcare, removal of all illegal aliens from our schools and emergency rooms.

I would place a 2% tax on all civil legal services billed to cover the cost of the prosecution of all criminals.

yep war war war war hate hate hate violence...yes spend more on war by cutting help to teh poor and working class..sounds liek nazi republican ideals to me

Live within your own means. If we didn't have to support 'sanctuary' cities like MPLS and St. Paul with a large chunk of LGA, we wouldn't have these liberals spending money for all their stupid/vote getting projects. We're tired of getting taxed to death. Whine on.

i am sick of my tax money going to war and to rebuilding the nations we invade..i want my tax money to repair roads and help the needy and to educate our children..

GB Fan - Only one thing to say, I AGREE WHOLE HEARTIDLY!!

tom wrote:

i am sick of my tax money going to war and to rebuilding the nations we invade..i want my tax money to repair roads and help the needy and to educate our children..

What tax money? We certainly spend enough on education with no results. I want the perpetrators of 9/11 to pay. I want you to carry YOUR FAIR SHARE.

Whatever happened to the term "Out state Minnesotans"? "Greater Minnesotans" implies that the are superior to us and should verboten for being mean- spirited and polically incorrect.

Gb fan---and i want you to carry your fair shar eof helpping those in need and for our roads and infrsturcture.hey we also had the ones that did 9-11 on teh ropes but bushy thought it was good to invade a nation that had nothing to do with 9-11

tom wrote:

Gb fan---and i want you to carry your fair shar eof helpping those in need and for our roads and infrsturcture.hey we also had the ones that did 9-11 on teh ropes but bushy thought it was good to invade a nation that had nothing to do with 9-11

Tom

Define those in need. The truely needy or the perpetual baby factories, sloths, lazy, mouth breathing trash and illegal aliens?

I live in Farmington.#8 in overall property tax burden.#1 in school taxes. Last year 45 - 47% of our income went to all forms of taxes, income, property, sales, fees, FICA, Medicare, etc. With the rest, I paid for my home, health insurance, retirement, home/auto insurance, charitable contibutions, licenses, fees, etc. How much do you want from me?

If you are referring to the Iraq war that was sanctioned and voted on by Congress and the war PRESIDENT Bush supported and currently being run by PRESIDENT Obama. Well...you're intitled to your own opinions but not your own facts.

You know what the problem is with you and your ilk? You think if you point out some percieved inequity in your own little i-pod world, You think you've done something. Assign who's to blame for it and who you'd make pay for it, you actually think you contributed. You're a big part of the problem. I'll wager you don't even pay your own way.