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1985 MCLP ~ .' THE 1985 MUNICIPAL CAUCUS LEGISLATIVE POLICIES January 15, 1985 . J r r I . - 1::\"- 1-,.\ - -:;~::1 c -- , '_/ ,/. .. ~ '..)"':":: ~ FOREWORD The Municipal Caucus is an organization of 26 metropoli tan area municipalities formed in 1981 for the purpose of examining state-wide and metropolitan issues, developing positions with respect to each, and articulating a common position with respect to each. Metropolitan communities represented by the Municipal Caucus include: Apple Valley Arden Hills Bloomington Brooklyn Park Burnsville Chaska Eagan Eden Prairie Edina Hopkins rover Grove Heights Lakeville Li ttle Canada Maplewood Minnetonka New Brighton Oakdale Plymouth Prior Lake Ramsey Roseville St. Anthony Savage Stillwater Shakopee Wayzata . " I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. T ABlE OF CONTENTS 1985 MUNICIPAL CAUCUS LEGISLATIVE POLICIES Local Government Aid Formula Public Transit Boland Report and Metropolitan Waste Control Commission Fiscal Disparities Law Industrial Development Revenue Bonds Combined Sewer Separation Metropolitan Park and Open Space Public Employment Retirement Association Metropolitan Council/Local Government Relations Solid Waste Management , MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY I. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID FORMULA Adopted: December 20, 1984 The Municipal Caucus supports a local government aid formula prepared by the the League of Minnesota Cities. The formula constitutes a substantial improvement over the existing formula in that it is based on: 1) a list of basic services; 2) does not unduly reward comm../nities for discretionary spending; 3) entails a phased-in approach minimizing financial impacts to various Minnesota municipalities; 4) considers municipal ability to pay; and 5) has the capacity for reducing the disparity between communities in per capita of local government aid received. For more information contact: Brighton, 633-1533. Hank Sinda, City Manager, City of New / MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY II. PUBLIC TRANSIT Adopted: November 26, 1984 1. The Implementation of transit tax feathering in 1984 was an important first step in recognizing that tax contributions from metropol1 tan area municipalities should be reasonably related to transit services recei ved. This concept should be further strengthened by a legis- lati ve revision which would establish each communi ty IS transi t tax levy consisting of: 1) Some base amount to support the existence of regional transit in the metropolitan area regardless of direct services received by the municipality. 2) Added to this base amount is the actual costs of transit services benefitting the community. 2. Under current statutes the Regional Transit Board is authorized to levy up to two (2) mills in each community within the Metropolitan Transit Taxing District to support regional transit operations. Because of a complex formula used in establishing the assessed value upon which the two mills is applied in each community, the levy actually exceeds what two mills would generate. The statute should be revised to: 1) identify the formula used and; 2) reflect the actual maximum millage levied. 3. An important philosophical tenent of the legislation creating the Regional Transit Board is that regional transit is best served where free and open competition exists between public and private transi t providers. Current statute provides that before awarding a transit contract to a provider, other than the Metropolitan Transit Commission, the Regional Transit Board must conduct an "MTC Impact Statement. II The legislation should be revised to provide for a regional transit impact statement which would analyze the impact of transit proposals on the entire regional transit system, rather than giving preferential treatment to one provider or another. 4. Current statutes guarantees that Metropolitan Transit Commission positions and personnel cannot be reduced. Over time, it is reason- able to believe that the personnel levels of the Metropolitan Transit Commission will fluctuate based upon ridership volumes and operating improvements. Therefore, there should be no floor or ceiling on the number of full or part time positions which the Metropolitan Transit Commission may have at anyone time. 5. Legislation should be revised to provide that, like the Council- Manager form of government, the Executive Dirctor of the Regional Transit Board, rather than the Chairman, has the authority to hire and fire staff members with the chairman occupying a role equivalent to a legislative head of the organization. It is recommended that this concept be extended to all metropolitan agencies. MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY II. PUBLIC TRANSIT " 6. The establishment of the Regional Transit Board has been a major enhancement to the regional transit planning mechanism. However, the legislation establishing the Regional Transit Board, while creating districts identical to those established for the Metropolitan Council, reduce the suburban area representation from six to three members. To be more representative, the Regional Transit Board districts should be identical to those of the Metropolitan Council. 7. The Metropolitan Transit Commission, like any other ing funding assistance from the Regional Transit required to submit transit studies and service receiving funding consideration. Current statute this requirement. provider request- Board, should be plans prior to does not contain 8. The Metropolitan Transit Commission is encouraged to continue its efforts to utilize part time personnel where possible. For more information contact: Bonnie Carlson, Finance Director, Ci ty of Chaska at 448-2851 or Frank Boyles, Assistant City Manager, City of Plymouth at 559-2800. j MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY III. BOLAND REPORT AND foETROPOLIT AN WASTE CONTROL COMMISSION Adopted: January 15, 1985 The Municipal Caucus supports the recommendations of the so-called "Boland Commission" and urges the implementation of the recommendations of this report, particularly those recommendations relating to: 1. An appeals process for municipal examination of the validity of MWCC rate increases is necessary and the MWCC should be required to use standard measurement methods and accounting practices to substantiate their positions. 2. Hiring policies must be revised to ban nepotism in accordance with law and avoid appointment of individuals with a conflict of interest. 3. MWCC labor agreements must be brought into conformance with State agreements. 4. Procedures for awarding and amending contracts must be conformed with procedur~s used by State agencies. - For more information contact: Jim Genellie, Assistant Administrator, City of Hopkins at 935-8474 or Jim Spore, City Manager, City of BurnsvUle at 890-4100. "'v MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY IV. FISCAL DISPARITIES LAW Adopted: January 15, 1985 The Fiscal Disparities Law should be repealed since it has failed to achieve many of the legislative objectives for which it was established. Some of the original objectives were not realistic when established, others have just not materialized. Although sharing wealth of valuation may have merits, fiscal disparities is not the best method to share that wealth. Other programs, such as Local Government Aid, are better able to accomplish a more equitable distribution with less effort. ~ For more information contact: Barry Evans, City Manager, City of Maplewood at 770-4500 or Jim Andre, City Manager, City of Roseville at 484-3371. ,I MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY V. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REVENUE BONDS Adopted: December 12, 1984 1. The Municipal Caucus supports the adoption of the Minnesota Federal Limitation Act of 1984 as a means of creating an orderly process by which the State's $150 per capita Industrial Development Revenue Bond allocation under the Federal Deficit Reduction Act can be allocated between state and non-state agency bond issuers. However, the report- ing and administrative requirements are extensive and burdensome. The legislature should work to eliminate all unnecessary recording and administrative procedures in the law. 2. Under present law, an enti tlement communi ty may not apply for funds f rom the competitive pool until its ent i tlement allocation has been sold. This requirement should be revised to require that only preliminary authorization be given to the entire municipal allocation prior to applying for competitive pool money. 3. The 19 point criteria established for ranking requests for competitive funds should be eliminated in favor of a first-come, first-serve philosophy for bond requests that otherwise meet state and federal statutory criteria. . If the 19 point criteria is retained, then the abili ty of local jurisdictions to transfer roB allocations through joint powers agreements must be retained. 4. The present September 1 deadline for entitlement communities should be moved up to July 1 to afford sufficient time for communities to apply, receive approval for and sell competitive pool funds. Applications for competitive funds should be received later than the current October 20 deadline - say, to November 20 - and the 1% penalty provision similarly revised to correspond with the new deadline. e For more information contact: Savage at 890-1045 or Frank Plymouth at 559-2800. Mark McNeill, City Administrator, City of Boyles, Assistant City Manager, City of \, 11 MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY VI. COMBINED SEWER SEPARATION Adopted: December 12, 1984 The Municipal Caucus supports the concept of accelerated completion of the separation of storm and sanitary sewers in the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul and South St. Paul subject to the following requirements: 1. That the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul and South St. Paul pay one-half of the total cost of sewer separation outright. 2. That the remaining one-half of the total cost be provided through a no interest loan, not a grant, supported through Metropolitan Waste Control Commission bonding to be repaid in principal by Minneapolis, St. Paul and South St. Paul with interest payments provided by the State. 3. If the State fails to appropriate money to provide for interest payments, necessary funds should be drawn from the regional Metro- politan Waste Control Commission rate increases and only if no other sources of funding are available through regional property taxes. For more information contact: Jim Genellie, Assistant Administrator, City of Hopkins at 935-8474 or Jim Spore, City Manager, City of Burnsville at 890-4100. ~} MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY VII. "::TROPOLITAN PARK AN> OPEN SPACE Adopted: December 12, 1984 The Municipal Caucus urges the Legisldture to enact legislation for funding of metropolitan park and open space including the following principles: 1. Supplemental funding for operations and maintenance of park facilities should be provided from sources other than property tax. 2. Supplemental funding from the State should be in the form of a contin- uing revenue source not dependent upon by any legislative appro- priation. 3. Any supplemental funding should recognize the continuing respon- sibili ty of the implementing agencies to provide 75% of operations, maintenance and capital funds. 4. The Municipal Caucus opposes the position of the Metropolitan Council wi th respect to funding of regional parks. That funding dollars should be distributed directly to implementing agencies from the State eliminating any need for additional administrative expenditures by the M~tropolitan Councilor other agencies. For more information contact: Robert Kojetin, Parks Director, City of Edina at 927-8861. MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY VIII. PUBLIC OPLOYfoENT RETIREtENT ASSOCIATION Adopted: October 30, 1984 The Municipal Caucus supports legislative efforts to: 1. Remove the current interim Executive Director from office. 2. Authorize the recruitment and selection of a new Executive Director to the PERA Board through a public recruitment and selection process including, at minimum: public advertisement of notice of vacancy in local, regional and national publications; distribution of a job description complete with minimum standards for applicant qualifi- cation; use of a neutral consultant to supplement PERA Board expertise in testing, interviewing and background research of potential appointees. 3. Prohibit the Executive Director from recel vlng an additional salary from a PERA contributing organization to eliminate conflict of interest. For more information contact: Brooklyn Park at 425-4502. Charles Darth, Finance Director, City of I V , MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY IX. METROPOLITAN COUNCIL/LOCAL GOVERtoENT RELATIONS Adopted: December 12, 1984 The Municipal Caucus supports the following with respect to Metropolitan Council/Metropolitan Commission relationships: 1. The Metropolitan Council should be authorized to appoint the Chairs of the Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Waste Control Commission. 2. The Metropolitan Council should be required to report to the Legis- lature annually on the performance of the Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Waste Control Commission in the areas of service delivery, finances and management. 3. The Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Waste Control Commission should provide the Metropolitan Council with information for use in the Council's annual report to the Legislature and for other oversight activities. 4. The Metropolitan Council should be required to prepare guidelines on administrative practices and procedures for both the Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Waste Control Commission. . F or more information contact: John Anderson, City Administrator, City of Shakopee at 445-3650. '\ .. MUNICIPAL CAUCUS POLICY X. SOLID WASTE MANACOENT Adopted: December 12, 1984 The Municipal Caucus supports the following with respect to solid waste management: 1. Legislation should be adopted which encourages voluntary recycling at the local level using tipping fees to fund public education and incentive programs. 2. The Hunicipal Caucus supports the concept of recycling, but does not believe that an arbitrary time limit should be established prohibiting certain products for acceptance at sanitary landfills. Positive incentive programs will be more effective in securing public support and participation in recycling efforts. For more information contact: ::Jim Spore, City Manager, City of Burnsville at 890-4100.