Facing a looming $6 billion budget shortfall for the coming fiscal years, the State of Minnesota is proposing to shift funding responsibilities for various state-mandated programs onto its counties, including Wright County. This potential shift could lead to a significant increase in costs that would likely be absorbed by taxpayers through higher property taxes, according to a statement from Wright County officials.
As the state grapples with its financial challenges, this proposal has left the county in a difficult position, especially given that Wright County is the fastest-growing in the state. Without consultation with the counties, the local officials are preparing for increased financial burdens “without even having a seat at the table to discuss options,” Board Chair Darek Vetsch told Wright County Communications.
Under the proposed change, the state, which currently covers the majority of program costs in a 75-25 split, is looking to alter this to a 60-40 or even 50-50 cost-sharing structure. It’s an action that Vetsch describes as an unfair shift that asks local property owners, already “overburdened for the last decade,” to essentially bail out state deficits…