The State of Minnesota promised the City of Minneapolis $87M of aid towards reparing city streets in 2011. In recent years, state money for local government aid has dropped drastically and the same happens next year, Mayor R. T. Rybak's plan is to cut street maintenance to balance the city's budget.
If the whole $87M in aid is lost, the plan is to not do any maintenance on about a quarter of Minneapolis' streets for the next five years.
Other cities generally pay for their own street maintenance without state aid. Minneapolis claims it is unique in Minnesota for the large percentage of road users who are not city residents, instead those visiting for business or entertainment. R. T. Rybak also cited the money the city contributes to the state in sales tax and commercial dollars - over half a billion dollars.
Is cutting money from street repairs the best thing to do to make up the anticipated shortfall?
I'm going to say that Minneapolis' streets are the worst in the Twin Cities. Anyone want to dispute that? Potholed and corrugated and ratty edged, traumatizing my car's suspension and pitching me off my bike even at the end of a summer of pothole repairs. St. Paul's are noticably better and the suburbs' smooth ashphalt is like something from another world in comparison. Can you imagine what Minneapolis' streets will be like after five years of neglect?
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