Elderly, sewers would lose under fairgoers’ funding formula

2-story MN outhouse. Photo: Wikipedia

Asked to rank city services by priority for funding, visitors to the Minnesota League of Cities booth at the State Fair put sewers and senior-citizen services last.

The survey was meant to get fairgoers thinking about budget choices that city officials across the state are facing, especially in the wake of state cuts to local-government aid and Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unallotments.

More than 1,000 people participated, picking as many as six city services from a selection of eight. Here’s how their votes stacked up:

Police: 1,163
Clean Water: 1,021
Fire:  781
Park and Rec: 762
Libraries: 741
Streets & Sidewalks:  710
Senior Services:  626
Sewer: 586

It was a smaller pool of voters than at the state House of Representatives’ State Fair poll on pending or possible legislation, which showed support for legalizing medical marijuana.