State aid should continue, argues League of Minnesota Cities

Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. - State aid to cities should be paid during a state government shutdown, the League of Minnesota Cities argued Wednesday.

The League, which represents more than 830 cities, filed a response to the attorney general's petition challenging the state's authority to delay or stop local government aid payments to cities if state government shuts down July 1.

During a news conference at the state capitol, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said a shutdown would dramatically impact public safety, although he declined to give specifics.

"When two thirds of your budget is public safety represented by my police officers and firefighters that stand behind me, it is absolutely impossible for us to deal with a state shutdown without a local government aid payment without severely and dramatically impacting public safety in the city of St Paul," Coleman said.

Minnesota cities are expecting a partial payment of half of their local government aid on July 20. Nearly all Minnesota cities would be affected if Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders do not agree on a new budget.