With nearly three feet of snow falling this December in many areas of the state, some cities may plow through their snow removal budget before the end of the year. In the City of Rochester, the public works department has been overburdened by the cost of overtime for its employees, fuel for its fleet of snowplows and rental trucks for snow removal. According to a report from KTTC-TV, any additional snow accumulation may force the city to dig into other budget areas to cover the cost of keeping streets clear.

Years of cuts to LGA have forced cities like Rochester to cut essential services and increase property taxes on residents and businesses. This has resulted in increased property tax and service disparities across the state, which LGA was intended to alleviate. Cities in all corners of the state need to be strong and affordable in order to attract businesses and families, so during this upcoming legislative session, be sure to contact your legislators and urge them to maintain current LGA funding.

UPDATE: The Star Tribune reports that recent snow emergencies have also forced Minneapolis and St. Paul to deplete their snow removal budgets.