WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |Pawlenty won't cut aid to cities, counties for now
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he won't cut payments to cities and counties to fix a state deficit, at least for now.
The state is due to send $437 million to local governments later this month.
The Republican governor says that payment will go out as planned. But he says later reductions in local government aid are likely if he and the Democratic-controlled Legislature can't erase a $1.2 billion deficit. The legislative session starts Feb. 4.
Pawlenty considered using his executive power to hold back some of the local aid this month, after slicing into state aid to local governments twice in the past year to address budget shortfalls.
City and county officials had been dreading another round of cuts.
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