CR 06-143 Livable Communities Levy
C\TY OF
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HOPKINS
November 30, 2006
Council Report 2006-143
LIVABLE COMMUNITIES LEVY
ProDosed Action
Staff recommends .adoption of the following motion: Move to aoorove Resolution 2006-
087 suooortina continued Metrooolitan Council Livable Communities orooertv tax levy.
With this motion the Resolution will be forwarded to the City's Metropolitan Council
representative.
Overview
The Metropolitan Council is proposing to reduce funding for the Livable Communities
Program. The City of Hopkins has relied on Livable Communities funding to make
several projects financially viable.
The proposed reductions include a $1 million cut to the 2007 Livable Communities levy,
a one-time transfer of $500,000 to $1 million from LCDA to make grants to small cities
for comprehensive plan development, and allowing up to $3 million of the Livable
Communities levy to be used for the Tax Base Revitalization account.
It is anticipated that the Metropolitan Council will be considering the recommended
reductions at their December 13, 2006 meeting.
Primary Issues to Consider
The Metropolitan Council funds the Livable Communities program through a property
tax levy. It is a valuable source of funds for the clean-up of contaminated land and
redevelopment projects that demonstrate efficient use of land and infrastructure.
SUDDortina Information
CITY OF HOPKINS
County of Hennepin
RESOLUTION 2006-087
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CONTINUED METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
LIVABLE COMMUNITIES PROPERTY TAX LEVY
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Legislature created the Livable Communities Act (LCA) in
1995 as a voluntary, incentive-based approach to help the Twin Cities metropolitan area address
affordable and lifecycle housing needs while providing funds to communities to assist them in
carrying out their development plans; and
WHEREAS, LCA funds have leveraged millions of additional dollars in private and
public investment that has provided new jobs, housing choices, and business growth; and
WHEREAS, funds provided by the Livable Communities Act (LCA), make it possible
for the Metropolitan Council to award grants to participating communities in the seven-county
area; and
WHEREAS, LCA grants help communities clean up polluted land for redevelopment,
create new jobs and affordable housing; implement development and redevelopment projects that
demonstrate efficient use of land and infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins has participate in and received project funding from the
LCA grant programs; and
WHEREAS, the LCA grant programs have been a vital tool for the implementation of
redevelopment and polluted site re-use projects in the City of Hopkins that demonstrate efficient
use of land and infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins of is deeply appreciative of the support and the LCA
grants it has received from the Metropolitan Council over the ten plus years that the LCA
program has been in existence; and
WHEREAS, continued funding of the LCA grant programs including the Livable
Communities Demonstration Account in the future is of vital importance to the City of Hopkins
and other communities in the metropolitan area.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the City of Hopkins supports the
continued full funding of the Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Program and
maintaining the current property tax levy for that purpose.
Adopted this 5th day of December 2006
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor
ATTEST:
Terry Obermaier, City Clerk