Source: Dayton Budget To Avoid Cutting LGA

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will ask lawmakers to spare city and county governments from state payment cuts in hopes of avoiding property tax increases.

A Capitol official familiar with the decision disclosed the proposal to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because Dayton's budget wasn't due out until Tuesday.

Dayton and lawmakers face a projected $6.2 billion deficit.

Dayton's plan would have Minnesota spend almost $3.5 billion on several local aid and tax credit programs. About $1.5 billion of that goes to cities and counties; hundreds of millions of dollars more would go to property owners or renters and other money would feed into pension programs as scheduled.

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