HomeMy WebLinkAbout[9a] Legislative Priorities •
cm OF ST. JOSEPH Council Agenda Item 9(a)
MEETING DATE: January 20, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Legislative Priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Administrators/Mayors — Area Cities
BOARD /COMMISSION /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: Annually the Administrators and Mayors from the Area Cities (St. Cloud,
Waite Park, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, St. Augusta, and St. Joseph) meet to discuss legislative priorities. This
list is then forwarded to the City Councils for consideration.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The list of legislative priorities following this request for Council action is
the collective results of a meeting held in December. The list of priorities is similar to last year with the
addition this year of modification to PELRA.
This list is then used for lobbying at the legislature. As a reminder each individual city may add
additional items that are specific to their City or not regional in nature.
BUDGET /FISCAL IMPACT:
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution identifying the Legislative Priorities for 2011.
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Authorize the Mayor and Administrator to execute the Joint Resolution
of Legislative Priorities.
Joint Resolution of the Central MN Cities of St. Cloud, Sartell,
Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, St. Joseph, St. Augusta, and Rockville
Advocating Support for Certain Legislative Issues and Proposals of
Common Interest or Concern to Central Minnesota Region
WHEREAS, the Central Minnesota -St. Cloud area has a strong history of collaboration and
coordination amongst its local units of government to facilitate well planned communities that are
provided municipal services in the most cost - effective and environmentally responsible manner
possible; and
WHEREAS, to better assist our State legislative leaders, we have collectively identified certain
legislative issues and proposals that are of specific impact and interest to our communities to enable
them to respond in a manner that strengthens the partnership between our local units of government
and the State in fostering the continuation and enhancement of socially, economically and culturally
vibrant.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Councils for the cities of St. Cloud, Sartell,
Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, St. Joseph, St. Augusta, and Rockville, Minnesota that the following legislative
issues and proposals are of common interest or concern to the Central Minnesota
Region and therefore officially support and advocate the following actions of the MN State
Legislature:
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES:
1. Sales Tax Exemption for all public purchases: Approve the exemption of sales tax for all public
purchases.
2. Local Government Aid: Restore LGA funding to the 2008 certified level with no
further reductions.
3. Lew Limits: SUPPORT eliminating State control of local levies to facilitate local
accountability.
4. Tax Rate Driven Levies: Enable cities to adopt tax rates that determine levy amounts rather
than basing levy rates on market value.
5. Market Value Homestead Credit(MVHC): SUPPORT legislation that provides the relief directly
to the property owners rather than through the local units of government. Any reductions in
MVHC should result in a reduction in relief to the property owner benefiting from the credit and
should be implemented at the time the tax statements are prepared.
6. Tax Exempt Credit Program: SUPPORT legislation to assist Cities with disproportionately high
amounts of government and/ or nonprofit business properties such as Colleges, Universities,
and Hospitals.
7. State Mandate Relief: SUPPORT legislation that sunsets all unfunded mandates so that they
may be evaluated for necessity and verification of nexus.
8. State Fee Increases: SUPPORT measures that preclude State agencies and operations from
shifting funding reductions and /or cost increases on to municipalities in the form of fee
increases such as the Iicensure requirement for firefighters.
9. Eminent Domain: SUPPORT modifications to the 2006 Eminent Domain statue to remove
recently added attorney fees and cost penalty provisions in actions involving public
infrastructure improvements in order to restore a fair balance between the rights of private
landowners and the interests of the public.
10. Land Use Reform & Annexation: SUPPORT legislation that better protects the environment,
reduces green gas emissions, reduces the cost to deliver municipal services, and protects the
interests of cities in annexation statutes.
11. Regional Collaboration: SUPPORT regional efforts of local government jurisdictions by
providing additional incentives that encourage these types of efforts.
12. North Star Commuter Rail: SUPPORT extension of North Star Commuter Rail service Northward
to the St. Cloud area in a manner that serves the needs of business and commercial travels, that
is highly expandable, and is priced affordably to optimize use.
13. State Airports Fund: SUPPORT restoration of the $15 million to the State Airports Fund from
funds that have been collected through user fees and other dedicated revenues.
14. Water Conservation Pricing Legislation: SUPPORT legislation to repeal the water
conservation pricing legislation that was enacted in the 2008 legislative session.
15. Street Improvement District Authority: SUPPORT legislation that would give municipalities the
authority to establish street improvement districts to collect fees from property owners within a
district to fund municipal street maintenance, construction, reconstruction, and facility
upgrades.
16. Statutory Approval Timelines — 60-dav Rule: SUPPORT the revision of State Law to reflect that
the 60 -day time line applies to the period in which the City is in control of the application and
does not include the period during which the applicant is debating whether or not to proceed
with a local appeals process.
17. Economic Development: SUPPORT legislation that extends the expanded TIF provisions that are
scheduled to expire on July 1, 2011.
18. Green Acres Legislation: SUPPORT the repeal or reform of the Green Acres legislation adopted
last legislative session.
19. Administrative Authority: SUPPORT the expansion of authority of Statutory and Home Rule
Charter cities ability to impose and collect administrative penalties to include enforcement and
traffic infractions.
20. PELRA Reform: SUPPORT legislation that reforms the following PELRA regulations:
a. Group Health Insurance benefits — Repeal Minn. Stat. 471.6161, Subd. 5 which currently
requires an exclusive representative to agree to a change in the plan if the change
results in a reduction of aggregate value of benefits.
b. Establish a maximum public employer dollar contribution to group health insurance
premiums for employee dependent and single health insurance.
c. Revise the Interest Arbitration process equalizing the risk of interest arbitration
between public employers and public employee unions by requiring arbitrations to
select either the employers or union's final position on each item rather than a
collective contract.
d. Allow contracts to expire to prohibit the unions stalling or delay contract renewal.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT /STATE BONDING REQUESTS
St. Cloud Civic Center Expansion: SUPPORT $12 million state funding for $27 million expansion project —
City of St. Cloud.
Regional Parks & Trails: SUPPORT State bonding as follows:
1. Sauk River Park Land Acquisition (City of Sartell — Dehler Property) - $ 1.3 million, ranked #1
land acquisition priority by Central MN Parks and Trails Board.
2. Rockville county Park & Nature Preserve (City of Rockville) - $ 250,000 for access and trail
improvements to enable the park to be opened for use by the public.
3. Quarry Park & Nature Preserve (City of Waite Park) - $ 422,500 for 39.5 acre land acquisition to
facilitate expansion of the park and creation of an additional access into the park.
4. Rocori Trail (City of Rockville) - $ 1,459,500 to construct Phase la from 178 Avenue to 14
Avenue in Cold Spring.
5. Wobegon Trail — Extension of the trail from St. Joseph to the St. Cloud Area.
6. St. Cloud Area Regional Park and System — Support the establishment of the St. Cloud Area
Regional Park and Trail system to allow for funding to connect the area trails creating a central
park system.
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of St. Cloud.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of Sartell.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of Sauk Rapids.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of Waite Park.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of St. Joseph.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of St. Augusta.
Mayor
City Clerk
Adopted this _ day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of Rockville.
Mayor
City Clerk