Minnesota lawmakers are considering repealing a law that caps city and county employees’ pay at nearly $207,000 this year.
The law limits local government employees’ total compensation to an amount tied to the governor’s salary, though exceptions are made for school employees, certain medical workers and elected officials.
University of Minnesota football coach Philip John Fleck Jr. makes more than $6 million per year, for instance, to instruct young men in the art and science of running, throwing, kicking and pummeling each other.
The League of Minnesota Cities says their research indicates Minnesota is the only state with a cap like it. They and the Minnesota Inter-County Association have been lobbying to remove the cap for years.
Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL-Eden Prairie, and Rep. Patty Acomb, DFL-Minnetonka, introduced SF 1086/HF1213, which would repeal the cap. The Senate bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a larger bill, but the League of Cities is pushing for a standalone bill. The House bill was reported out of committee a couple of weeks ago.
Gary Carlson, lobbyist for the league, said the governor’s staff has said Walz is neutral on the bill.
The state can waive the cap based on local labor markets, but the league says that process is cumbersome and unpredictable. Last year, waivers were granted for a handful of workers, including the new Minneapolis police chief and public safety commissioner, allowing them to be paid $300,000 and $350,000, respectively.
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