HomeMy WebLinkAbout[09a] Legislative Priorities
9(a)
Council Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: February 20, 2013
AGENDA ITEM: Legislative Priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Administration
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: The Council has discussed the priorities on different occasions, including the
Intergovernmental Meeting. Each entity is asked to formally approve the priorities, knowing that some of them
may not impact St. Joseph, but do affect the region.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City of Sartell and St. Augusta have approve the priorities without the
photo cop, so it has been removed from the master list.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT:
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution 2014-007 Adopting Legislative Pirorities
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Authorization to execute resolution 2014-007
Resolution 2014-007
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 cities.
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 we
officially support and advocate for the following actions of the MN State Legislature:
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES:
1.Sales Tax Exemption for all public purchases: SUPPORT legislation that would clarify the local
government sales tax exemption approved in 2013 to define exemption for all purchases made
by local units of government, whether by a private business on behalf of a local government
(public projects) or by the municipality itself.
2.Local Government Aid: SUPPORT legislation that reduces pressure on the property tax system
and to equalizes property tax bases by reviewing LGA appropriations. Consider increasing LGA
levels and providing for the annual inflation adjustment.
3.Levy Limits: SUPPORT facilitating local accountability by allowing local authorities to formulate
and adopt budgets without state restrictions.
4.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.
SUPPORT legislation that sunsets all unfunded mandates so that they may be evaluated for
necessity and verification of nexus.
5.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.
6.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.
7.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.
8.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.
9.Regional Collaboration: SUPPORT locally initiated and controlled regional efforts of local
government jurisdictions by providing additional incentives that encourage these types of
efforts.
10.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.
11.State Airports Fund: SUPPORT efforts to re-establish local air service at the St. Cloud Regional
Airport.
12.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.
13.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.
14.Private Well Installation: SUPPORT retention of local control of private water well installations.
SUPPORT current law that authorizes cities to protect public health and safety through local
controls regulating or prohibiting private wells being placed within municipal water utility
service boundaries and would oppose any changes to law to remove that authority.
15.Government Data Practices Act: AUTHOR & SUPPORT amendments to the GDPA that enables
email addresses provided to facilitate on-line invoicing, bill payment, application processing,
public information alerts or similar.
16.Amendment to MN Statute 429. SUPPORT legislation to modify MN Statute 429 requiring
assessing 20% of the cost to utilize bonding without referendum and adding language to provide
a meaningful method to determine benefit from replacing failing underground infrastructure.
17.Publication Requirements: SUPPORT legislation that would allow municipalities to utilize
alternative publication methods for legal notices.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT/STATE BONDING REQUESTS
1.St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center Expansion: SUPPORT $11.56 million state funding for
$27 million expansion project – City of St. Cloud.
2.St. Joseph Community Center: SUPPORT $ 3 million state funding for the construction of a
community center.
3.Sauk Rapids: SUPPORT $ 6 million in state funding for improvements to CR 3.
4.Wobegon Trail: SUPPORT $825 thousand state funding for extension of the Wobegon Trail.
Adopted by the Cities of St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, St. Joseph, and St. Augusta prior to
the 2014 Legislative Session.
Mayor Dave Kleis Mayor Joe Perske Mayor Brad Gunderson
Mayor Rick Miller Mayor Rick Schultz Mayor Bob Kroll