[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Layoffs By the Numbers

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Layoffs By the Numbers
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1243120773.shtml


   All spring, Mayors Ryback and Coleman have been warning us that cuts
   to Local Government Aid (AID) would result in police layoffs in their
   respective cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Rybak's version says
   the Federal stimulus saved 57 positions that otherwise would have
   happened. Cutting the fire department is similar posed as a false
   choice. Look at the Minneapolis 2008 budget numbers below, in millions
   of dollars. (2009 is currently unavailable online.)
                 Total   Gen Fund


  Total        $ 1,378      $ 361

  Prop Taxes       327        152

  LGA              119         82

  Police           130*       121

  Fire              51*        50  

   * Reflects federal grants etc I found scanning these long documents.
       It's possible I missed a couple more.

   Police and Fire are clearly not what's breaking the bank.
   Eva Ng, who's running for Mayor in St. Paul, who I saw speak at the
   Jason Lewis Tax Rally this year was on with Mitch Berg on the NARN
   radio broadcast today. She made a good point, that your most important
   responsibilities should be the first ones funded. As you can see, the
   General Fund portion of the property tax all but covers the total cost
   of Police and Fire. Add the $ 26 million in licensing fees and we're
   done.
   I'm pretty sure the numbers in St. Paul are comparable. To claim LGA
   cuts will require public safety cuts and/or tax increases to avoid
   them is a lie.