Budget ax hits Minnesota cities, counties - Star Tribune
March 29, 2010
Baird Helgeson and Mike Kaszuba, Star Tribune, March 22, 2010
House and Senate trimmed $105 million in aid to local governments, less than half of what governor proposed.
Residents of Minnesota cities and counties that rely on state aid took another drubbing at the State Capitol Monday.
The Minnesota House and Senate cut $105 million in aid to local governments, which has been one of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's first pots of cash to tap whenever the state has run low on money. If there was any consolation for mayors and county managers, it's that the DFL-controlled Legislature cut less than half what the governor wants to.
In the short term, legislators warned that libraries might cut hours, the streets might not be as clean, and there could be fewer police officers on the streets. In the long term, they said, Minnesotans should guard their wallets.
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