Politics & Government

How Can You Get the Most from Your Local Government?

Tips to engage with local officials on the issues that interest you

On Tuesday, officials will stand before the public and explain the intricacies of the upcoming year’s budget and levy. Two days later, school district leaders will do the same for the budget and levy.

These public hearings have become a statewide ritual that mark the end of the year every bit as much as the Minnesota snow or gaudy holiday decorations in stores. They offer residents a chance to grill their elected officials and officials a chance to justify their decisions to constituents.

And yet these hearings, and the tax notices that precede them, can by themselves only provide a weak link between voters and elected officials—sort of like worshippers who just attend church on Christmas and Easter.

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Of course, keeping tabs on government business is not always easy. The mechanisms can seem cabalistic to the uninitiated. But the reality is that local government is incredibly approachable and incredibly amenable to change once you learn how the processes work.

Here are some lessons I’ve learned in my years covering local government.

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It’s not just about the “official” meetings: One of the first things young government reporters learn is that they need to attend the work sessions, also called workshops, to see the full discussion of an issue. By the time an issue makes it to the official meeting, the major players have almost always already presented their sides and council members have had a chance to discuss the proposal—arriving at a consensus more often than not. Quite simply, the council’s decision may be a foregone conclusion by the time the official vote arrives. Work sessions are more informal than an official council meeting. Although they’re usually not televised, they are open to the public. So don’t be afraid to drop in.

Much of the work happens outside the most visible governing bodies: The City Council makes the policy decisions for Hopkins. The School Board makes the policy decisions for Hopkins Public Schools. Yet each of these have advisory bodies that can be hugely influential. At the city, the Park Board got the first look at recreation fees. Zoning and Planning commissioners have a loud voice in any discussion about what kind of development happens in Hopkins. Notably, both of the new City Council members elected this year had served on one or both boards. In the school district, the Citizens Financial Advisory Committee provides advice, direction and information that forms the framework for much of the School Board’s budget discussion. If there’s an issue you feel strongly about, it behooves you to get involved while these advisory boards are still looking it over.

Different governments get their money from different places: Hopkins Public Schools gets about two-thirds percent of its general fund revenue from the state—leaving a huge portion of the district’s revenue stream outside its control. By contrast, the City of Hopkins gets virtually no state money. This shapes how they respond to challenges.

There’s more to local government than city, county and school district: Entities such as the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District are becoming more visible through projects that literally alter the landscape. The development projects that Minnehaha Creek has embarked on in recent years—including the $14.95 million and a 112-acre, $2.25 million —dwarf what most cities can spend on development. But there’s another good reason to pay attention. In Hopkins, about 8 percent of a property’s tax bill goes to these “special taxing districts.”

Advancing an issue is (relatively) easy: At the end of July, a Hopkins grad to create a domestic partner registry—a potential firestorm when Minnesota is set to vote on adding a gay marriage ban to the state constitution in just over a year. But by the end of September, council members and the first couple . The years-long process of passing state and federal legislation has convinced many that all government works that way, but that’s not the norm for local government.

A devoted group or people can push through a proposal in as little as a few weeks. This isn’t unique to Hopkins. In Minnetonka, a group of students successfully advocated for a smoking ban in that city’s public areas. Bottom line? Don’t be afraid to advocate for your pet issue for fear of not being able to see it through. Success is eminently achievable within a reasonable time frame.

Property values and property taxes aren’t directly linked: One of the complaints most frequently aired at truth in taxation meetings is that property taxes went up while property values went down. This must be a sign that government is jacking up spending, right? Not exactly. Property taxes aren’t like an income tax or sales tax—both of which give the government a set percentage off the total. Instead, local governments levy a specific dollar figure and collect all of that—only using property values to determine each taxpayer’s share of the levy. Local governments will collect that entire levy whether property values are worth $10 billion or $10 million. In other words, values don't dictate the size of the pie; they determine how that pie is divided. Even if the tax levy stayed flat, your individual tax bill will rise if your home’s value rose faster than your neighbors—or, in the current environment, fell more slowly.


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