Amid fairgoers with deep-fried candy bars and buckets of Sweet Martha Cookies, DFL candidates for governor convened at the Minnesota State Fair Tuesday night to debate a slate of issues for the 2010 election. You can watch the full debate at www.TheUptake.org.
As news pours in daily about how the cuts to Local Government Aid are hurting rural Minnesota communities, Thank LGA wasn’t surprised to hear that the issue came up at last night’s debate.
Nearly all the candidates voiced their support of the program and stated the need to recover lost funding. Many recognized LGA as a priority in their campaigns and emphasized that the economic viability of communities across the state depends on keeping property taxes low and ensuring residents have equal access to critical services no matter what corner of the state they live in.
Thank LGA was surprised, however, to learn that LGA was not a top priority for former Representative Matt Entenza’s campaign, according to Entenza’s comments at the debate. Both as a legislative leader and as Board Chair of Minnesota 2020, Entenza has been a strong advocate for LGA. However, at Tuesday’s debate, Entenza disappointed greater Minnesota property taxpayers and residents by dodging a commitment to the LGA program.
Property taxpayers in greater Minnesota have seen the damage done by lost LGA funding and need a candidate who will stand up for the LGA program. Strong, affordable communities are what support economic development and attract families to cities across the state, and Minnesota needs a governor who understands that connection. In the coming months, mayors, city officials, and citizens will travel the state and encourage communities and local media to ask candidates where they stand on LGA and how they plan to address rising property taxes. Greater Minnesota needs to know who will fight for their communities when it’s time to make the tough choices.