ST. PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz didn’t hold back in fending of a group of small-town mayors who accused him of fiscal irresponsibility. In short, the governor scolded the mayors for scape-gating their local financial issues on the state. Walz said his administration has created some of the largest increases to local governments in Minnesota history. Verbatim from the governor’s press office:
“The governor’s focus on lowering property taxes is exactly why he has provided more funding than any administration in history directly to local governments. The surplus went directly back into the bottom line of local governments: $300 million for their police and fire departments, the largest infrastructure budgets in state history, funding to remove lead lines, the largest-ever increase in flexible local government aid, and property tax relief directly to taxpayers. The governor will continue to focus on ways to lower costs, but local governments also have a responsibility to manage their budgets and state aid responsibly.”
Earlier: Narked mayors call for state budget attention