The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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January 2, 2009

Townships: Economical, accountable

Auditor says rural taxes rising modestly

By Dan Linehan

MANKATO — Sandra Hooker had a chuckle recently after hearing that cities and counties across Minnesota will receive smaller payments from the state than they expected.

As a supervisor in Blue Earth County’s Medo Township for 30 years, Hooker long ago learned to rely on property taxes after consistent decreases in state and federal funding.

The Office of the State Auditor released its year-end report of township finances this week. Among the trends it noted was an increase of townships’ revenues from taxes by about a third since 1998 while its share of revenues from other levels of government dropped by almost half over the same span.

About 1 million Minnesotans live in townships, the smallest unit of government that covers mostly rural residents.

The auditor’s report for 2007 revealed no drastic changes for townships. Revenue continues to inch up, to $242.3 million statewide, an increase of 2.3 percent over 2006.

In terms of budget size, Mankato Township is the county’s largest.

Most of the $400,487 it spent in 2007 went toward snowplowing, gravel for roads and fire-protection contracts with volunteer fire departments in Eagle Lake and St. Clair, according to the report.

The township has been consistently shrinking as the city of Mankato annexes new developments, Township Chairman Dan Rotchadl said. But, in exchange for a deal to prohibit development in the township, Mankato can’t forcefully annex land.

Hooker, who also represents the area on the Minnesota Association of Townships, said township officers continue to focus on their few remaining responsibilities, which vary from place to place.

Medo Township, which includes Pemberton, collected $105,105 in 2007, according to the report. Almost two-thirds of that was spent on roads and bridges, which are the principal obligation of most townships.

Medo Township also contracts with a twice-monthly garbage and recycling service.

Rotchadl said he’s heard rumors that townships’ duties should be taken up by counties, and he acknowledges their role isn’t well known.

“I don’t wanna say it’s a thankless job,” he says. “It’s not a popularity contest or anything like that.”

Meetings aren’t well attended, either.

So if few people care about townships, why not consolidate them with counties?

Hooker has an answer. Her duties might not grab headlines, but she says townships “are probably the most economical government in existence today.”

Most small townships don’t have paid staff, so the work is done on the cheap by elected officials.

And being answerable to neighbors introduces a form of social control that isn’t seen in larger jurisdictions.

“You get a much faster response” to complaints, Hooker said.

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