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1 66 Our perspective Fix LGA glotc Call a special sessi®n Doing a sloppy job usually brings Time is running short. City lead- consequences: The Legislature and ers must make key budget decisions governor performed sloppily last by early next month.Absent further session by not finishing the people's guidance from the state, many will work Now the first consequences have to raise taxes or institute yet loom as cities and towns prepare another round of layoffs and ser- next year's budgets in an atmosphere vice cuts. Rather than eliminate of total confusion. 40 police officers, St.. Paul Mayor How did it happen? Legislators Randy Kelly said he would recom- got all hot under the collar and left mend increasing property taxes by town before they could fix a drafting 5 percent and naming the tax hike glitch in the 2003 tax bill.That leaves after Pawlenty and legislative lead- cities wondering how much local ers. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak government aid (LGA) they will-be said his budget will assume that getting next year. Under the worst Pawlenty will change his mind and scenario, Minneapolis will lose an fix the problem. extra $12.5 million and St. Paul an Although her city stands to bene- extra $3 million. Most outstate cit- fit,Minnetonka Mayor Karen Ander- ies and towns will lose money, too. son urged the governor to act, one St. Cloud stands to lose $1 million, way or the other. No city truly gains Moorhead $700,000 and Austin from confusion and instability, she $250,000,while the metro area's most said, adding that Pawlenty and leg- prosperous suburbs — places like islative leaders would be up in arms Eden Prairie, Burnsville, Woodbury if Congress had played a similar trick and Maple Grove —.would gain a on Minnesota.She has a point. modest windfall. Not so long ago, Minnesotans Look at it this way: By failing to were lucky to have a responsible,so- finish their work, the Legislature phisticated.Legislature to dominate and governor will transfer $40 mil- a gaggle of sometimes unreliable lion from the state's neediest cities local governments. Now the shoe is to those with hardly a care in the on the other foot.An imperial Leg- world. Inflicting comfort on the islature wields absolute power over comfortable seems the new pattern the locals, but sophistication and in Minnesota, and cynics might - reliability has shifted downward. detect a Republican conspiracy.Ac- Now it's cities that tend to be led by tually, both legislative houses fixed moderate, .competent public ser- the glitch in their tax bills—but no vants while clownish partisanship conference committee ever met to and dysfunction have overrun the reconcile a final bill.. Capitol. Gov. Tim Pawlenty could fix the The plain fact is that the people's matter administratively by instruct- work has been left undone.A bond- ing his departments to adhere to the ing bill awaits as interest rates creep law's"intent"rather than its"letter," higher.Funding for public defenders as he has done this year. But he has must be found. Cities.and towns declined, citing the risk of a legal deserve to know how much state aid challenge. That leaves the governor they will be getting. with a heightened obligation to call Minnesotans have a tradition a special session to force a legislative of pride in their state leaders, not fix.He should do so soon: shame.Ma14 neine.