Truth to Tell: Local Government Funding

Eight years of budget cuts, especially state LGAs – Local Government Aids – may have satisfied conservative tax-cutters and allowed Gov. Pawlenty to live up to his nasty pledge to one organization never to raise revenue. But municipalities, especially the urban core cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, have been left to severely cut services, which they have (much to the consternation of their constituents) and/or raise property taxes (much to the consternation of their constituents). But most constituents don’t understand how cities are financed and why lowering one tax must push up the balloon on the other end.

Tune in Wednesday, February 13th at 11am as Truth to Tell’s Andy Driscoll and Lynnell Mickelsen try to sort out this mess with officials forced to deal with the exigencies of state and local government funding as the short Legislative Session gets underway.

GUESTS:
• State Sen. Dick Cohen (DFL-St. Paul 64), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee
• Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
• St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman
• Former State Finance Commissioner John Gunyou, now Minnetonka City Manager.

AND YOU: Call in: 612-341-0980!

Truth to Tell Podcasts are available for all archived TTT shows.
 Subscribe in a reader HERE