The Mankato Free Press editorial board recently provided some insightful commentary on area city and county budget challenges that are resulting from Governor Pawlenty’s state aid unallotments. But more importantly, the Free Press hits the nail on the head when it comes to the ”big picture” impacts of these cuts: small-town Minnesota may become a less viable place to live and do business. Thank LGA encourages you to read the full editorial here.
The governor’s direction appears to be toward breaking off state and local government partnerships and letting lots of small communities more or less fend for themselves.
That would create an entirely different outstate Minnesota, an entirely different small-town Minnesota. There is likely to develop, under this scenario, a mishmash of fees and costs uneven across cities in Minnesota. It will create a tax and fee structure that will be less understandable, and less accountable for businesses and residents. (Mankato Free Press, 8/29/09)