The Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition, a nonpartisan coalition of Minnesota cities formed in response to Operation Metro Surge, are encouraged that Governor Walz included vital investments in housing and business support in his budget proposal, released on Tuesday.

The coalition recognizes the Governor's supplemental budget as a meaningful step toward addressing the economic and civic disruptions Minnesota communities continue to experience since Operation Metro Surge. In particular, the coalition supports the $33 million in emergency rental assistance, as well as the $10 million in partially forgivable small business loans for businesses that experienced substantial revenue losses during the surge.

These investments are a start. Cities across Minnesota are still managing the aftermath of the surge, including workforce instability, business closures and housing insecurity. The economic impacts are not limited to the Twin Cities—communities of all sizes will require recovery efforts and need comprehensive state support.

However, the coalition urges the Governor and the legislature to go further by including food security support in the final budget. Operation Metro Surge disrupted the workforce and created higher needs for food shelf access and nutrition assistance programs. As a result, families across the state are experiencing heightened food insecurity, and cities need state investment to ensure no Minnesotan goes hungry as our communities stabilize and recover.

The coalition will continue to work with the Governor and the legislature to secure the resources and safeguards Minnesota cities need to recover from Operation Metro Surge, including direct fiscal relief to cities for the overtime, public safety and service costs cities absorbed.