[MPLS] MPRB Committee of the Whole Budget Meeting 10-26-05 part 2

[Chris Johnson]

I've added a couple of clarifications and amplifications to what Scott wrote 
below:

Svattheriver at aol.com wrote:
> Rick Kuhlmann asked:
> 1. What is LGA? 
> 
> 2. What is the JUMP IN  program? I tried a search on the Park Board website
> and got  nothing.
> 
> 
> LGA is Local Government Aid is money from the legislature-  that has in the 
> past really helped the city, parks, and libraries. It really  relates to 
> prioritizing what is important and why on a state level. Local  Government Aid is 
> 19% of the Park Budget but 33% of the Library budget. LGA cuts  have had a 
> greater impact to our Library system because of the funding "pie  chart" of 
> revenue. So since 2003 there has been a decrease of $ 3 million  dollars in Library 
> revenue.

LGA is 19% of the Tax Revenue-supported Park Board Budget, not 19% of the 
total budget.  The Tax Revenue-supported Park Board Budget is $49,786,332 for 
2005.  The total budget is much larger, but includes revenue and spending from 
fees ("enterprise") and capital bonding accounts.

Note that LGA is money the state receives from income and sales taxes 
statewide, and that Minneapolis as a whole is a net-contributor to the state. 
  That is, Minneapolis government agencies (the city, the Park Board, the 
Library Board, the Schools) get back LESS in LGA dollars than the city 
residents and businesses send to the state in the way of income and sales taxes.

LGA is, as Scott said, a way for the state to set state-wide priorities, and 
redistribute wealth from wealthier portions of the state to poorer portions of 
the state.


> "Jump In" was a newspaper that was mailed out to park users-  listing park 
> programs. It was cut from last year's park budget to save  $40,000.

Jump In was the only widely-distributed printed means for citizens to find out 
what all the park programs were that they might want to enroll or take part 
in, as Scott's final sentence implied.


http://www.MplsParkWatch.org/
--
Chris Johnson
Fulton