This Jon Tevlin column in the Sunday Star Tribune explains the effect of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unallotment and Local Government Aid cuts on Pawlenty’s hometown of South St. Paul. I have new affection for South St. Paul since my dad moved there. I’ve visited several times now and I always remark on how this working class inner ring suburb reminds me of the Iron Range. How strange it is then that Pawlenty — a South St. Paulite — and the Iron Range would develop such an antagonistic relationship. Well, Tevlin’s column puts expresses this separation in numbers.
The city now has 20,000 fewer residents than it once did, meaning a shrinking tax base. Officials like to call the city’s housing “affordable,” which in South St. Paul’s case means relatively old and cheap. Because the property tax base is so small, raising those taxes 1 percent would only bring an extra $65,000 for the city. To make up for the millions already lost and the cuts to come, the city would have to impose an eye-popping property tax increase.
Substitute “Iron Range cities” for “South St. Paul” and the same math applies to us up north. On paper Pawlenty’s politics make sense. Put local governments in total control of their taxation and scale back the state’s role. Fantastic. Except that local governments are not equal in their property value and only the state can use big picture models to properly and equally fund communities. The state bolstered rural and working class communities through the late 20th century ensuring that people like Gov. Pawlenty and myself got great local educations in welcoming blue collar communities. And today one of us — the one of us who is governor — is tearing down that system and telling places like South St. Paul, the Iron Range, farm country and more to just die. Just die already. Oh, and by the way, he wants to be President.
There are words used on the Iron Range to describe such people and tactics. These same words are probably used in South St. Paul. These words are not proper, but I shall imply them.
I’m guessing one of those words has the same general rhythm as “packsacker.”
It’s amazing this fool was ever reelected. After all in his first term he had already slashed LGA payments, which as you state, affect smaller towns out state much more profoundly than the rich second tier and beyond suburbs.
Unless you live in cities with high property values Pawlenty has disproportionately put a burden on you. I know down here in farm country many have a few words to describe Timmy also.