Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Intergovernmental Relations department eyes small staff cut as 2026 budget falls 2.8%
Summary
The director of Minneapolis’ Intergovernmental Relations department told the Budget Committee the mayor’s recommended 2026 budget reduces IGR spending by 2.81% and would eliminate a seasonal legislative aide position, shifting some duties to existing staff and contract lobbyists.
Katie Topinka, director of the Intergovernmental Relations department, told the Minneapolis City Budget Committee on Sept. 22 that the mayor’s recommended 2026 budget would reduce the department’s budget by 2.81% and remove a seasonal legislative aide position.
Topinka described IGR as a small team that “partners across governments and organizations on behalf of Minneapolis residents and the city enterprise to advance their needs, strengthen collaboration, and create lasting improvements in quality of life.” She said the department currently includes the director, five staff, and an administrative assistant and splits federal, state and regional portfolios across staff.
Topinka told the committee the proposed decrease is largely the result of removing one-time federal-related program funding tied to prior Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) work and aligning base budget categories to reflect rising…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
