The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About[10a] Legislative Prioritiescr" oft ST. JoSEPH MEETING DATE: October 20, 2011 AGENDA ITEM: Legislative Priorities Council Agenda Item 10 a 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 was then presented to the Area Cities at the Intergovernmental Meeting in August. It was agreed at this meeting that each City would discuss the list for feedback for the November meeting. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Some of the items included on the list of priorities do not have an impact on St. Joseph, but they do have an impact on the area. 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: Request for Council Action ............. ............................... 10(a):1 -2 Draft Resolution ................................ ............................... 10(a):3 -6 REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Discussion only 10(a):1 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 10(a):2 Draft for consideration at 11 -29 -11 Area Cities meeting in Sauk Rapids Joint Resolution of the Central MN Cities of St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, St. Joseph, and St. Augusta 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, and St. Augusta, 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. Extension of local option sales tax authorization: AUTHOR AND SUPPORT legislation that authorizes extension of the existing 13 year local option sales tax authority for voter approved and eligible regional capital improvement projects. 2. Sales Tax Exemption for all public purchases: Approve the exemption of sales tax for all public purchases. 3. Local Government Aid: Restore LGA funding to the 2008 certified level with no further reductions. In addition, revise the LGA formula in a manner that strengthens the state - local partnership and is reflective of the historic purpose of the LGA program as both a tax base equalization and property tax relief program. As such, the formula needs to reflect a city's tax base and need, further reduce property tax rate disparities among MN cities, reduce yearly fluctuations in aid, and be both intuitive and rational. 4. Levy Limits: SUPPORT facilitating local accountability by OPPOSING efforts to impose State control of local levies through levy limits. State Mandate Relief: SUPPORT legislation that reduces or eliminates unfunded and /or onerous mandates to local governments (e.g. personnel related mandates such as binding arbitration, lack of State funding for State retirement plan, aggregate value requirements for insurance benefits, and pay equity; MPCA fees; storm water fees). No additional mandates should be enacted unless the legislature or agency imposing the requirements provides a permanent stable revenue source for the mandate. 10(a):3 Draft for consideration at 11 -29 -11 Area Cities meeting in Sauk Rapids SUPPORT legislation that sunsets all unfunded mandates so that they may be evaluated for necessity and verification of nexus. 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 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. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. Regional Collaboration: SUPPORT locally initiated and controlled regional efforts of local government jurisdictions by providing additional incentives that encourage these types of efforts. 11. 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 public, business and commercial travels, that is highly expandable, and is priced affordably to optimize use. 12. State Airports Fund: SUPPORT efforts to re- establish local air service at the St. Cloud Regional Airport. 13. Water Conservation Pricing Legislation: SUPPORT legislation to repeal the water conservation pricing legislation that was enacted in the 2008 legislative session. 14. 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. 15. Economic Development: SUPPORT legislation that extends the expanded TIF provisions that are scheduled to expire. 16. 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. 10 (a):4 Draft for consideration at 11 -29 -11 Area Cities meeting in Sauk Rapids 17. Private Well Installation: SUPPORT retention of local control of private water well installations. 18. Photo Cop Authority: SUPPORT legislation that allows cities the ability to utilize the Photo Cop technology. 19. 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 $10.1 million state funding for $27 million expansion project — City of St. Cloud. Reaional 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. 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. 3. Wobegon Trail — Extension of the trail from St. Joseph to the St. Cloud Area. 4. 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. 10(a):5 Draft for consideration at 11 -29 -11 Area Cities meeting in Sauk Rapids Mayor 10(a):6 City Clerk Adopted this _day of ,2011, by the City Council of the City of Sauk Rapids. Mayor City Clerk Adopted this _day of 12011, 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 10(a):6