Got a better idea? Cities tackle their budget squeeze

In Virginia, Hibbing and a few other cities, police officers write tickets with a digital pen.

In Mankato, city officials have placed a priority on long-term infrastructure projects.

In Ortonville, residents who really want the library to subscribe to a magazine are encouraged to donate the subscription price.

We've highlighted these and a handful of other examples as a kickoff to a new feature on our "Cities in Crisis" topic page.

We want to highlight how some cities are approaching their spending and revenue squeeze and perhaps redefining what they do for residents. Sometimes it might be a bright idea that saves money; sometimes it might be a general outlook residents are adopting to lend a sense of priority.

We expect to add to the list in coming weeks, but we want to hear ideas from others as well. And we especially want to know who in communities around Minnesota are the people making things happen.

You can let us know by filling out the response on the topic page, by emailing me or reporter Nancy Lebens or by clicking here for a form to fill in.

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