Local Government Aid (LGA) is supposed to help the smaller towns across Minnesota be a little more equalized with the larger cities. Austin unfortunately not only is overly dependent on LGA but is obsessed with trying to get more. What the tax levy for 2015 (the amount Austin property tax payers paid) was $4.325 Million. The amount that the state gave us in LGA was $7.958 Million. We are not self-sufficient.

To me what Austin is doing is acting like someone working a minimum wage job for 40 hours and getting public assistance. Instead of getting a better paying job or getting a second job, this person asks for more public assistance. The city of Austin could attract more businesses or larger homes to raise the tax base and lower the LGA. This would help the city be more self-sufficient.

Yes, there has been a lot of construction around Austin, but most of it is owned by the government or nonprofit which adds nothing to the tax base. We have also lost a lot of tax base in the past years. The blocks that the HRA apartments occupy downtown, the blocks that the Justice center sits on, the blocks that the Hormel Institute parking lots and apartments occupy to name a few. It has been suggested that the new Visitors Center go where the current Hy-Vee is located. Again, losing more taxed property.

I will be urging legislatures to re-evaluate how LGA is calculated. Instead of just handing out money on a formula, the state should be only giving for specific “needs” and not letting cities just use on “wants.” I have lived here 20 years and I keep hearing that we are “working on projects.” I keep watching new businesses move to surrounding towns. They have outside investors building. No one is coming to Austin to build. Why not?

 Marion Clennon,

Austin