At its November 24 meeting Cook County commissioners approved a resolution endorsing a revised county aid program (CPA) formula that, if adopted, by the 2016 state legislature would give the county more money for essential services like social services, public safety, and transportation.
“In 2001 the legislature changed the formula,” said County Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers. “In 2002 Cook County received $1,088,000 in general state aid. In 2008 it had shrunk to $46,163. They [the state] realized that was too low and have been increasing it. Since that time it has been bumped up, and this year it’s at $282,000.”
Volatile fluctuations in the old formula interfered with a county’s ability to accurately budget for essential services, Powers said.
The Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) county work aid group developed the formula over the last year, and it has gained support from the board of directors of the AMC, which represents the state’s 87 counties.
The new CPA seeks to not only end the uncertainty of how much money each county would get, but also ensures a fair distribution of CPA appropriations, said Powers, who added, “The goal of the CPA is help keep local levies low.”
If adopted, proposed CPA modifications will increase program aid approximately 75 percent for Cook County. Statewide, funding will add $40 million to the CPA fund, and there will be a creation of a “funding floor” that guarantees each county $350,000 in tax base equalization aid (TBEA).
Under the current CPA structure, one-third of Minnesota counties have lost at least 50 percent of their funding since 2005.
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