Local governments affected by recent flooding can ask for early aid payments from the state
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Local governments located in Minnesota counties can request their state aid payments early due to financial hardships caused by the recent severe weather and flooding, the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced today. As of today, eight counties have been officially recognized as disaster areas by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and include: Chippewa, Freeborn, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Renville, and Rock. Cities and townships within those counties are also eligible for early payment. Other counties, and the cities and townships within them that were affected by the disaster, may be eligible for early payment as FEMA continues to evaluate the damage around the state.
“Much of Minnesota has felt the effects of the severe storms and flooding this summer,” noted Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans. “Getting these scheduled aid payments into the hands of local governments months in advance can go a long way in helping them recover and rebuild.”
Normally, payments for Local Government Aid (LGA) for cities and townships, and County Program Aid for counties, are made in two installments, once in July and once in December. Minnesota law allows the state to make the December payment earlier than scheduled if a local government is determined to be in a “financial hardship” due to a natural disaster.
Based on the recent FEMA declaration, the Minnesota Department of Revenue is in the process of notifying the affected local governments of this option and will make early payments when requested by a local government.
Early payments of state aid have been made in previous natural disasters, most recently during the severe flooding in northeastern Minnesota during the summer of 2013.
Contact: Ryan Brown Ryan.brown@state.mn.us
