Commentary; Posted: 7/9/03

Mergers, shared services can be effective

Reduction of funds to cities and counties is causing some new thinking about how much government should there be in this metropolitan region.

Just as school districts are consolidating, some suggest smaller communities should merge into bigger ones. Others suggest a merger of counties into a metropolitan government with elected representatives. Thatís not likely to happen.

Critics contend that having 184 cities and towns in the seven-county metropolitan area is too much government, because there is duplication of services and wasted tax dollars.

So far, taxpayers in Minnesota have been willing to pay the freight to keep the government they have, regardless of size of community. For example, in Anoka County, there is the small city of Hilltop, population 777, that is comprised mostly of mobile homes. White Bear Township in Ramsey County refuses to either be annexed or to incorporate.

Meanwhile, in the exploding-growth outer ring communities, either townships are incorporating or communities are annexing parts of townships. Not so long ago, Forest Lake Township and Forest Lake combined into one community. Rogers and Hassan Township are close to a merger.

Mayor Peter Meintsma of Crystal says he favors merger of communities. While Hilltop may be too small. What is too big?

No one is suggesting that Minneapolis downsize or that it be merged with St. Paul. What is the right size community that can serve peopleís needs and maintain a tax base that makes the services affordable?

Some are suggesting that a community of 70,000 to 80,000 would be the right size for providing services at a price in taxes they can afford.

Taking another approach, it would be ideal if the entire school system were within the city limits, suggesting a system with one high school, two middle schools and several elementary schools. Such a city might have 25,000 people.

One of the more recent merger of cities was that of Norwood and Young America, two cities that bordered one another yet had two distinctive governments. Today the combined city has 3108 people as compared to the pre- merger six years ago of 2000 people. Each community continued to pay its own debt, but the merger has produced real cost savings in staff costs, Until the recent state aid cutbacks, Norwood-Young America residents had hardly any tax increases.

A merger of some communities could come about if, the Minnesota Legislature continues to put a cap on taxes cities can levy to meet their needs, regardless of size or growth. Most would agree with Mayor Judy Johnson of Plymouth who told an editorial writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, ìWeíre elected. Weíre accountable. Let us manage our communities.î

People seem to want local control of how their tax dollars are being spent.

This usually means they want a police, ambulance and fire department within minutes away that can find their house given an address, who can plow the snow, fix the streets, and provide recreation, parks, utilities, libraries. They want a well-planned city with zoning that makes sense and they want a balance of residential commercial and industrial residents.

And they want a city small enough so they can control their destiny and if necessary, throw the rascals out.

Merging communities sounds good, but look for a merger of services rather than having mega communities in this region. ó Don Heinzman

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