Rybak: federal cuts could cripple city services
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was in Washington D.C. with the U.S. Conference of Mayors Thursday to denounce federal budget cuts that could cripple city services across the nation, the Star Tribune reports.
MinnPost says the spending cuts along with the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts, make up the so-called "fiscal cliff." Deep cuts of $1.2 trillion could be implemented, including $110 billion in 2012. Going over the cliff could lead to recession.
Programs in Minneapolis like STEP-UP, that helps young people find jobs, and SAFER, that provides funds to hire more firefighters, are at risk. Rybak tells the Star Tribune cuts to federally funded youth violence prevention programs would create more work for the city's police force.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors sent a letter, signed by four Minnesota mayors, to congressional leaders to halt the cuts.
