Feb 18 Minneapolis Plays Politics With Core Services

Employees of the City of Minneapolis were advised Tuesday of the “extremely damaging” effect Governor Tim Pawlenty’s proposal to solve a $1.2-billion budget deficit could have on “core services.” Pawlenty’s plan would “take another $29 million out of Minneapolis’ 2010 budget,” an e-mail from Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson stated. On top of $21 million in previous aid cuts, the governor’s proposal would “represent a 56% cut in the Local Government Aid that Minneapolis was supposed to receive from the State in 2010.”

The text of the e-mail seems intent to incite the passions of city employees, and direct those passions toward St. Paul. This came as members of the public employee union AFSCME, a member organization of the AFL-CIO, gathered at the capitol to rally for a budget which “promotes job growth and preserves funds for local governments and state welfare programs.” Pressure is on state legislators to reject the governor’s proposal and keep cities and counties on the dole.

Earlier this month, Minnesota gubernatorial candidates gathered at the first bipartisan debate of the season. Local government aid was the subject of a heated exchange between Rybak and GOP rival Tom Emmer. (Note: this writer has served as a volunteer for Emmer for Governor.) Emmer cited the City of Minneapolis, and thus Rybak, as an example of government setting skewed priorities. The city laid off police officers while giving itself a raise, Emmer said. Rybak blamed Emmer and the state legislature for cutting local government aid and endangering essential services.

Rybak has stated the governor’s plan will cause Minnesotans to “pay more property taxes – while having to drive over unrepaired roads and bridges and having fewer police and firefighters to rely on.” Interestingly, as the top recipient of local government aid in the state, Minneapolis has spent $500,000 on 10 artistically designed water fountains. Minneapolis spent $200,000 on an ad campaign to promote the drinking of tap water. These are projects paid for by the city’s taxpayers while essential services, like police, fire, and maintenance of roads and bridges, is left dependent upon state aid.

It is true reductions in state aid would require increased local taxes to retain current services. It is also true this shift of financial obligation from micro-managers in St. Paul to seats of local government would enable voters to set local priorities. Citizens would only have “to drive over unrepaired roads and bridges [while] having fewer police and firefighters to rely on” if they choose local fiscal policy which produced those results.

Cross-posted at Fightin Words, comments welcome.