Hodges elected to lead League of Cities

Minneapolis City Council Member Betsy Hodges will serve as the public voice for issues facing Minnesota cities.

The League of Minnesota Cities, a nonprofit that aids and advocates for municipalities across the state, elected Hodges president Thursday during its annual conference. That means Hodges, currently vice president, will assume a much more public role at the Capitol and elsewhere highlighting city issues.

Often that means going to the Capitol to advocate for improving Local Government Aid, but it could take many forms.

"It's a chance to pull allies together on a number of significant issues, including the state-city fiscal relationship, which is my key area of concern both as a council member and as a member of the League board," Hodges said.

Hodges is familiar with state-city relations. She was previously chair of the council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee, a position that often requires advocacy at the Capitol.