The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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March 15, 2010

Our View: Library plan touches on dilemma

The Free Press

MANKATO — For many, it was a jaw-dropping proposal. The city of Mankato has a tentative plan to reduce its funding to the Blue Earth County library and the Summit Center by 50 percent.

But the reductions — along with many other equally painful cuts that will be needed within local government — should not be of great surprise in a state that has for years been run under the mantra of “no new taxes” and a state with a tax structure that invites rollercoaster revenue streams.

The city is proposing the funding cuts as they anticipate a $1.7 million reduction in Local Government Aid from the state. This round of reductions is only to fix the current state budget shortfall — not the expected $5 billion plus shortfall in the next biennium.

It is a dilemma faced by all counties and cities, including small towns of fewer than 1,000 people, who for the first time face LGA cuts.

There is no doubt the recession has hammered state revenues and require painful reductions on all levels of government.

But there have also been no serious discussions about what the public wants and expects from its government and how to fund those services at realistic levels.

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.

One chance to add your input or hear other ideas is at town meetings being held Saturday by local legislators Kathy Sheran, Terry Morrow and Kathy Brynaert. The meetings aim to get input on what is happening in St. Paul.

The meetings are: Winthrop, 10-11 a.m., United Farmers Cooperative, corporate office; St. Peter, noon-1 p.m., St. Peter Community Center, senior/community room; North Mankato, 2 p.m.-3 p.m., South Central College, Heritage Hall.

It is a discussion that may get more traction when specific reductions come that begin to seriously affect people’s idea of an acceptable quality of life.

It’s a discussion that is especially important as the state readies to elect a new governor and many lawmakers in November.

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