We're struck by the contrasting headlines in the Star Tribune and the Detroit Lakes' DL Online articles on the same topic: local government aid.
Patrick Condon's report in the Star Tribune, Rural elected officials look to House Republicans for more state help, suggests a different story will be told than that shared in Nathan Bowe's Republicans take heat for LGA plan in the DL Online.
But the central narratives aren't far apart, as distant as Minneapolis might be from Detroit Lakes.
Mayors and other elected officials from outstate Minnesota are pressuring House Republicans to support increased state spending on government aid to cities and towns, hoping to capitalize on the increased importance of rural voters to the GOP’s power at the Capitol.
“I think there is a golden opportunity to help build a bit of progress in terms of this needed, helpful asset to rural Minnesota,” Robert Broeder, mayor of Le Sueur and president of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, said Tuesday in a conference call with journalists and local leaders. Broeder charged that House Republicans last year “insisted on undermining LGA,” the acronym for the state’s local government aid program.
Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, is the House GOP’s lead on property taxes. He said House Republicans would not get behind any local government aid increases this year.
“Last year we fully funded the government, in all categories, for the next two years,” Drazkowski said. “Our effort going forward is going to be to provide the relief to overtaxed Minnesotans that is needed to get us up and moving again.”
Minnesota House Republicans came under fire Tuesday from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities for advocating a plan that Coalition officials said would ultimately gut the Local Government Aid program.
The City of Detroit Lakes received $788,000 in LGA funds from the state last year, money it used for police, parks, streets and government operations in general.
If that money were to disappear overnight, it would take a 20 percent city levy hike to replace it.
“I was extremely disappointed that our friends in the House on the Republican side continued to undermine LGA by insisting on extreme cuts to Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth,” said Le Sueur Mayor and CGMC President Robert Broeder.
Although Republican leadership characterized the proposed cuts as mild, it would have meant a 44 percent cut for Minneapolis, a 48 percent cut for St. Paul, and a stunning 68 percent cut for Duluth.
“That is a big chunk to take out of any city budget,” said Bradley Peterson, a senior lobbyist for the Coalition.
“Duluth would have had to lay off half their city employees – that should not be characterized as a ‘slight cut,’” he added.
He faulted House Property Tax Chair Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) for implying that LGA funds cut from the bigger cities would be redistributed to smaller cities – none of that money would be used to beef up LGA anywhere, Peterson said.
About that implication
Had Drazkowski implied that LGA funds cut from the bigger cities would be redistributed to smaller cities? A December 3, 2015, Drazkowski column in the Grand Forks Herald, Unwinding Minnesota Democrats' property tax political spin, begins:
I'd like to respond to the propaganda written recently by State Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth ("Property taxes betray rural Minnesota," Viewpoint, Page A4, Nov. 28).
Not only did Marquart unnecessarily bash Herald readers' local lawmaker—State Rep. Deb Kiel, R-Crookston—but also he also managed to disgustingly distort the truth in hopes of scoring political points.
In his attempt to rewrite history and gloss over his past legislative sins, Marquart claims Local Government Aid is not a Minnesota House priority. The fact is, House Republicans such as Kiel want more of that money sent to communities that truly need it—Greater Minnesota communities.
Last session, we proposed that Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth get an LGA reduction—not rural Minnesota cities. These are three major cities that, due to high populations, have the needed tax base to support themselves.
Kiel understands that LGA should be reserved for towns in Greater Minnesota that need the funds for critical services—not for major metropolitan cities that want to spend their money on nice-to-haves like street cars and light rail.
Draz goes on talk about property tax relief, but it's buried down in the article. A casual reader might indeed conclude that the House Republicans would have "more of that money sent to communities that truly need it—Greater Minnesota communities."
But now Condon reports in the Strib: "He [Drazkowski] said House Republicans would not get behind any local government aid increases this year."
We found additional letters and columns about Local Government Aid from Drazkowski that appeared before the public in other Greater Minnesota papers. Judge for yourself whether readers might infer that he was claiming that taking aid from the Twin Cities and Duluth brought more LGA to Greater Minnesota.
Marquart works against constituents, Fargo Forum, December 4, 2015:
"Despite what Marquart says, Local Government Aid actually increased when compared to the previous year, while legislation I wrote made a slight LGA reduction in the bloated city budgets of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth."
Marquart misleading his constituants for politics, DL Online, December 17, 2015:
"Despite what Marquart says, Local Government Aid actually increased when compared to the previous year, while legislation I wrote made a slight LGA reduction in the bloated city budgets of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth."
Unwinding property tax political spin, Morris Sun Tribune, December 4, 2015:
I would like to respond to the propaganda written recently by State Representative Paul Marquart. Not only did he unnecessarily bash your local lawmaker, State Representative Jeff Backer, but he also managed to disgustingly distort the truth in hopes of scoring political points.
In his attempt to rewrite history and gloss over his past legislative sins, Marquart claims Local Government Aid is not a Minnesota House priority. The fact is, House Republicans like Rep. Backer want more of that money sent to communities that truly need it – Greater Minnesota communities.
Last session, we proposed that Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth receive an LGA reduction – not rural Minnesota cities. These are three major cities that, due to high populations, have the needed tax base to support themselves.
Rep. Backer understands that LGA should be reserved for towns in Greater Minnesota who need the funds for critical services – not for major metropolitan cities that want to spend their money on nice-to-haves like street cars and light rail. . . .
There's that. It's no wonder that letters with headlines like Legislator has no clue about LGAs (by DL Mayor Matt Brenk) and Tax bill provided no property tax relief to homeowners (from a Backer constituent) turned up in the local papers.
Photo: Minnesota state representative Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa.
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