What state mandates should be eliminated?

Posted at 6:40 PM on March 11, 2009 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)
Filed under: Politics

Question: Have you ever attended a Truth in Taxation hearing in Minnesota? Has it done any good?

Rep. Morrie Lanning of Moorhead thinks the state should get rid of the hearings, which are supposed to give the public a chance to comment on proposed budgets that are funded through the property tax.

They don't do any good, Lanning suggests in Tom Scheck's story about efforts to cut the number of state mandates on cities and counties:

Lanning is one of several lawmakers pushing mandate reform in the House. He said the hearings, which are required before a local government passes its budget, aren't useful because they come right before a budget is finalized.

"If you go back and look, I bet it would be rare to find any change in any budget anywhere that resulted from a truth in taxation hearing, simply because it came too late in the process," said Lanning.

Lanning said local governments would still have to notify people about the proposed budget, and the time and place when a budget hearing will take place.

Let's hear from you on this. Have you ever attended one of the hearings? Would you favor reducing state mandates on communities and, if so, which ones?

Comments (2)

I have attended them. They are too late in the budget process and are a waste of time.

Posted by Gary Thaden | March 11, 2009 11:13 PM

I have attended them to give support to services for people with disabilities. Rather than have an effect on the county commissioners, I believe they have more of an effect on the public present (most of whom come enraged about their rising property taxes).

If the public input was solicited earlier in the process, maybe these hearings would be more effective.

Posted by Meredith | March 12, 2009 10:40 AM

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