Shimanski on LGA

Senator Dille and Representative Shimanski were in Glencoe recently discussing cuts to Local Government Aid and state mandates.

A participant asked Shimanski if local governments should plan on the eventual elimination of local government aid (LGA) to cities, counties and townships.

"As long as Tim Pawlenty is governor, it will be a target," said Shimanski. Shimanski said he recently saw a spreadsheet of cuts proposed by the governor that included a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in LGA each year.

However, Shimanski said, the Legislature currently has a Democratic majority, and the governor's proposals will be "balanced" by counter-proposals by the Legislature, so there will likely be cuts in LGA, but the program will probably not be eliminated altogether.

Let's remember that the vast majority of these small towns in Dille and Shimanski's district voted for Governor Pawlenty and love the "no new taxes" pledges.

However they fail to realize that Pawlenty and Shimanski's cuts to LGA actually result in property tax and other fee increases, in order to fill the void left by LGA cuts.

So Shimanski's message to small town Minnesota?

Get rid of Pawlenty.

And at last...we agree on something!