Governor Tim Walz’s pledge to increase state aid to Minnesota cities by 30 million dollars will likely receive push-back from the Republican-controlled state Senate. The governor got a strong round of applause when he told a group of Greater Minnesota mayors last week, “Our intention in a budget is to restore Local Government Aid to the 2002 levels.” Walz threw out a number of $30 million in new money.
Senate Tax Committee Chairman Roger Chamberlain from Lino Lakes responds Republicans’ focus will be on areas that truly need it, such as cities under five-thousand population and rural counties. “We only have so much money in the pot,” Chamberlain says. “The L-G-A and the cities, they’re always gonna look for the money, and their taxes keep going up on their citizens.” Chamberlain says Republicans have ideas that will improve equity and fairness in state aid to cities.