Coalition wants to hold candidates' feet to the fire
The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities has launched a campaign to extract from gubernatorial candidates their positions and beliefs on local government aid — hold their feet to the fire, coalition officials style it.
Coalition officials were at the Capitol today and plan stops at several cities in Greater Minnesota.
The coalition has crafted a two-minute issue ad they hope to see run on local cable stations and elsewhere. It features an often cited appearance of gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty before coalition officials in Worthington in 2002 where Pawlenty says that cutting local government aid will cause local property taxes to rise.
“I understand that,” said candidate Pawlenty, who as governor has pushed for a property tax cap and suggested ways cities can save money.
He has also cut LGA funding.
Coalition officials, though expressing a willingness to take LGA cuts, described LGA as low hanging fruit in Pawlenty Administration budget cutting and argued recent LGA cuts have been dramatic instead of reasonable.
“We’re tired of it and we’re not going to take it anymore,” said Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden, Coalition of Greater Minnesota spokesman.
