Press Release: State Auditor Blaha Releases 2020 Performance Measurement Program Report

Saint Paul, MN – “Successful local leaders carefully evaluate their work and seek out their residents’ input. The Local Performance Measurement Program supports counties and cities in their efforts to measure specific local government functions and to encourage citizen input on ways to improve delivery of local government services,” said State Auditor Julie Blaha.

The program requires cities and counties to adopt a standard set of ten performance measures to assist residents, taxpayers, and state and local elected officials to evaluate the efficacy of the services provided, measure residents' opinions of those services, and assist in program evaluation and resource allocation decisions.

Examples of performance measures adopted by cities and counties include measuring public safety performance by the crime rate or the police response times, public health/social services on the cost effectiveness of services like child support programs, or public works on the timeliness and quality of snow plowing on city and county streets.

“Local leaders choose for themselves which performance measures to use and which functions to evaluate. That flexibility and local control can lead to real improvements in quality, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of services,” added Blaha.

In 2020, $457,896 was paid out to the 33 counties and 25 cities that participated in the program. Among these entities, six counties received the maximum payment of $25,000 for the performance measurement program. Among cities, the payments ranged from $12,638 to the City of Bloomington to $98 for the City of Westbrook. Since 2011, the program has paid out an average of $450,000 per year to local governments.

Participation in the standard measures program by a city or a county is voluntary. A county or city that elects to participate in the standard measures/performance measurement program is eligible for a reimbursement of $0.14 per capita, not to exceed $25,000.

Detailed information on how local governments can participate in the Local Performance Measurements Program may be found here.

To view the complete report click here.