Proposed cuts to library services spurred editorial writers from the Ely Timberjay and Mankato Free Press to offer their thoughts on the future of essential services in their cities in light of possible LGA reductions. For Ely, the library’s share of the governor’s proposed LGA cuts would mean a severe drop in services:
[T]he loss of $12,556 would drop the library’s budget below the threshold necessary for staying in the Arrowhead Regional System (ARS). The system provides an estimated $410,295 in services to the Ely Library. For the want of a $12,556 nail, a $410,295 shoe could be lost.
That’s $100,000 worth of interlibrary loan services, $28,000 in state database access, $105,000 in e-books, $840 in phone lines and many smaller ticket items such as large print books, card catalog software, computer lab equipment and state discounts on books, audio-visual equipment and office supplies. The list goes on.
And in Mankato, the writer asks if proponents of “government efficiency” will truly be satisfied with the resulting service cuts:
Many people, led by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, say only that government must “live within its means” and find ways to cut costs, with no consideration of tax increases or changes to the tax system that will produce more consistent revenue streams.
The public appeared generally to agree with that stand, assuming perhaps that sufficient cuts to government could be made without much pain. Or, perhaps, they are content to accept the service cuts to come.
But it will remain to be seen if the public’s idea of government efficiency and “living within its means” means having a library that’s open three days a week or a senior center that might not be open at all. Or, whether more potholes, less snowplowing, bigger class sizes, cuts to health care for the poor, and elimination of things like the Pollution Control Agency are acceptable trade-offs for a lower tax burden.
Cities across the state will be faced with similar challenges as they pare down their budgets to the minimum in response to LGA cuts. If you value your city services and affordable property taxes, please contact your local legislators and tell them to put their communities before politics and support LGA.