Posted: 3/14/07
Taylors Falls seeks more LGA because of state park
 Taylors Falls Mayor Michael Buchite and Sen. Rick Olseen, DFL-Harris, left, appeared before a Senate tax committee on Monday. Olseen has a bill that would increase local government aid to Taylors Falls. |
By T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
What goes up must come down — and sometimes rapidly, Taylors Falls Mayor Michael Buchite told a Senate tax committee on Monday (March 12). Buchite and Sen. Rick Olseen, DFL-Harris, are looking for a local government aid (LGA) increase for Taylors Falls.
Interstate State Park — a 300-acre rock climbing mecca also with pothole formations people sometimes fall into — is entirely contained within the city, explained Buchite.
Heavily used, as many as 15 climbers a years fall at the state park.
"Unfortunately, what goes up must come down. And sometimes at a very rapid rate," said Buchite.
The city considers it a moral imperative to respond to the falls. And this has members of the fire department repelling down the rocks to reach fallen climbers, Buchite explained.
The city formally gets no state money for effecting these rescues, explained the mayor.
Still, maintaining a fire department is costly — a new fire truck costs about $300,000, Buchite explained.
Olseen's bill would increase the state's aid to Taylors Falls.
Buchite said he didn't particularly care how the additional funding came, but that it's necessary.
And he's not looking for a lot. "I want to break even," he said of the costs incurred by the rescues.
The Senate Property Tax Committee has Olseen's bill for possible inclusion into a larger tax bill.
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