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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Erik Simonson (DFL)

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Rep. Simonson opposes Republican LGA cuts to Duluth

Friday, April 17, 2015

ST. PAUL – The cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth would see a combined drop of $85 million in local government aid from the state of Minnesota under legislation being pushed by the Republican majority in the state House. Republican leaders have made it clear that they plan to target cities of the first class in their omnibus tax bill, which would result in devastating cuts to services and huge increases in property taxes to taxpaying citizens and businesses in the three cities.

Under the House GOP proposal, Minneapolis would see its yearly LGA allotment cut by $40 million a year. That's more than half of the total LGA payment to Minneapolis in 2013 of $64 million. St. Paul's LGA would be cut by $34 million, after getting $50 million in 2013; and Duluth, which got $27 million in 2013, would take an LGA cut of $20 million.

“It is outrageous to me how Republican leaders in the House continue to talk out of both sides of their mouth on the issue of tax fairness,” said Rep. Erik Simonson (DFL – Duluth). “They say they want to think about the state budget like a family, but then they throw the family budgets of 800,000 Minnesotans who would be affected into disarray by proposing to eliminate services like police and fire and causing property taxes to go through the roof! It would be devastating to our Duluth community and one of the state’s main economic engines.”

DFL legislators, including Rep. Simonson, tried to soften the impact of the cuts by proposing over 40 amendments to the Republican proposal- none of which were accepted.

The LGA reductions face significant opposition in the state Senate, where the DFL majority is comprised of numerous members from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. There are no House Republican members from any of those cities.

Rep. Simonson encourages community members to contact him on any legislative issue. He can be reached by email at rep.erik.simonson@house.mn or phone at 651-296-4246.

 

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