The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) is calling on lawmakers to raise funding for Local Government Aid (LGA) and come to an agreement on funding for local construction projects and clean water upgrades. CGMC President Sara Carlson says rural voters made a statement in the November elections and…
Carlson acknowledges that with “a GOP-led House and Senate and a DFL governor, we have no illusions that it will be easy to pass legislation this year” and adds the current legislative session will “be a test as to which state leaders have truly heard the messages sent from Greater Minnesota.”
This session the CGMC is pursuing a $45.5 million increase in LGA, which is the amount needed to bring the program back to its 2002 funding level. The CGMC is also hopeful that lawmakers will pass some form of transportation funding this year. The the coalition is seeking $167 million in bonding dollars for grant and loan programs that help cities pay for upgrades or repairs to their water treatment facilities.