(KWNO)-Winona Mayor Scott Sherman is among municipal leaders around Minnesota pushing the state to increase local government aid (LGA) funding.
He told KWNO Friday he doesn’t lobby state leaders often, “but I did reach out specifically regarding LGA or local government aid and trying to recalculate the amount of LGA that cities receive.”
The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and League of Minnesota Cities were among groups lobbying lawmakers to increase funding sent to cities after a budget forecast showed Minnesota had an over $9 billion surplus. Sherman told KWNO that the city is still receiving payments from the state.
“It’ll be going up again this year and it’s projected to go up for 2023 but we’re not seeing the kind of increase that I think would be appropriate for the amount of surplus at the state level,” said Sherman.
Sherman estimated local government aid accounts for 15-20% of the money coming into the city. Last year the city received a payment of over $10.2 million in LGA, according to records from the Minnesota Department of Revenue.
This year Winona is in line to receive over $10.3 million in LGA, according to the department of revenue. State records show LGA payments across Minnesota increasing by $5.5 million this year compared to 2021.
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