isions , ▁D ul uth ’ s ▁general ▁fund ▁increased ▁from ▁a ▁negative ▁balance ▁of ▁$ 1 . 3 ▁million ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁a ▁$ 7 . 5 3 ▁million ▁reserve ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Two ▁years ▁after ▁election , ▁the ▁national ▁re cess ion ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁cut ▁of ▁annual ▁state ▁aid ▁by ▁$ 5 . 2 ▁million ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁and ▁United ▁States ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁mand ated ▁that ▁D ul uth ▁make ▁improvements ▁to ▁the ▁city ’ s ▁se wer ▁system , ▁which ▁was ▁estimated ▁to ▁cost ▁$ 1 3 0 ▁million . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁E PA , ▁there ▁were ▁ 2 5 0 ▁san it ary ▁se wer ▁overflow s ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁D ul uth ▁emb rac ed ▁the ▁challenge ▁to ▁completely ▁eliminate ▁san it ary ▁se wer ▁overflow ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁The ▁project ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁G row th ▁ ▁D ul uth ▁has ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fast est ▁growing ▁econom ies ▁in ▁America . ▁In ▁September , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁city ▁leaders ▁announced ▁a ▁ 4 . 3 % ▁un emp loyment ▁rate , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁lowest ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁Standard ▁& ▁Po or ' s