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Tim Pugmire
St. Paul, Minn.

Two mayors call for special session on deficit

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Two Minnesota mayors are urging Gov. Tim Pawlenty to call a special session this month to address the state's $1.2 billion budget deficit.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden made the request Friday, just two days after state officials detailed the shortfall.

Pawlenty has already said he might take action on his own to trim the December local government aid payments. Mayor Coleman says that's a move he wants lawmakers to avoid.

"The magnitude of the situation that the state is facing, and the possible solutions that the governor is looking at, have real huge implications for cities across Minnesota. And we need to know what the future holds," said Coleman. "We need to know what kind of services we're going to be looking at cutting, if we in fact have to do that, give opportunities for cities to prepare. And just waiting and waiting and pushing the problem out into the future doesn't help us."

Coleman says cities have taken the brunt of state budget cuts for several years, resulting in higher local property taxes and fewer local government services.