Budget’s a wrap, but some cities long for more involvement

Unlike Minneapolis' experience Monday evening, nobody showed up for the truth-in-taxation hearing in Cambridge, Minn., a week ago.

Lynda Woulfe says that made her sad.

She's the Cambridge city administrator, a person who normally might be relieved not to feel the heat of local residents angry about their tax bills or slow snowplowing service. And on the surface, the news for Cambridge homeowners at this budget-setting time of year isn't too bad.

Although the city is raising its overall property tax take by 1.5 percent, the burden falls on Cambridge businesses like Walgreens, Menards, Target, Walmart and the main street appliance store. Commercial property values have risen while home values have fallen, so homeowner tax bills are going down next year.

But still, Woulfe says, the snow doesn't get cleared downtown as fast as it used to, junked and abandoned homes in town don't get dealt with quickly, and work on streets, a new community center and park improvements have been put on hold.

Woulfe wishes her city's residents were more engaged in discussions about Cambridge's priorities. So she's starting to think about a "citizens academy" of sorts. Maybe invite 30 people next year to sign up to learn about the challenges facing the city. Encourage them to tell others. In the end, maybe the residents of Cambridge would collectively have a better understanding of what they want to do as a city and what they can't afford to do.

It's an idea you can sense getting a little traction in Minnesota.

There's been a lot of angst the past couple years among city officials. State aid has been curtailed, the economy has been hurting, political winds have been blowing in a cost-conscious direction. As a result, all kinds of services have been cut, from library hours to police patrols to street repairs.

But this month, as city councils finally have to make decisions for 2011 without knowing the future of state aid, there aren't a lot of examples of excruciating pain for residents. It's more like a continuation of death by a thousand cuts.

A few cities with special problems are raising their property tax levies by double digits. But most, like Cambridge, are maintaining an even tax keel. The League of Minnesota Cities' Lena Gould says cities present a mixed bag -- some small tax and fee increases, cautious planning for state aid, tapping reserves, and spending cuts everywhere.

Red Wing, for example, is contemplating a small increase in the property tax levy but because the Xcel power plant valuation rose, homeowners won't see tax increases. The city might create new franchise fees on residents' electricity and gas bills as a way to raise $210,000, says council administrator Kay Kuhlmann. There's no more overtime for snow plowing.

Brainerd, which turned off a third of its streetlights to save money, likewise isn't raising tax increases on residents. Capital expenses are being delayed, except for maybe a few police cars. People taking early retirement at city hall won't be replaced, says administrator Dan Vogt.

It's a slow squeeze, regardless of what the governor and Legislature do with aid to local governnments. That's why Woulfe wishes Cambridge residents would get more engaged.

And it's why Gould says the League of Minnesota Cities is starting to plan a road show in the first half of 2011, going to maybe six or 10 communities to get a conversation going on what services cities consider necessary and how to pay for them.

And it's not unrelated to the Citizens League's series of community gatherings in the past month to increase understanding of the state's long-term budget challenges. Hundreds of just-plain-folks have turned out to put their minds into the state's headache-inducing budget challenges and come away with some interesting conclusions and understanding.

It's something to think about as you wait for the snowplows.

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