HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-04 City Council Work Session Meeting PacketAgenda
City Council Work Session
City of Edina, Minnesota
Commuity Room, City Hall
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
5:30 PM
I.Call To Order
II.Roll Call
III.Legislative Delegation Meeting
IV.Adjournment
The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public
process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing ampli$cation, an
interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861
72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Date: February 4, 2020 Agenda Item #: III.
To:Mayor and City Council Item Type:
Other
From:Casey Casella, City Management Fellow
Item Activity:
Subject:Legislative Delegation Meeting Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
None; discussion only.
INTRODUCTION:
Staff have invited Edina's legislative delegation to attend the City Council's work session. Representatives from
the Municipal Legislative Commission, Metro Cities and the League of MN Cities are also invited. Staff proposes
to have a discussion about the City's 2020 state legislative topics, which are summarized in the handout and
detailed in attached staff report.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
2020 Legislative Priorities Handout
Staff Report: 2020 State Legislative Priorities
Municipal Legislative Coalition 2020 Priorities
Metro Cities 2020 Priorities
Handouts
Development of Parks
• Allow cities to collect park dedication fees for
multifamily redevelopment projects
• Support an Edina Local Option Sales Tax
Local Authority
• Eliminate the exemption of Hennepin/Ramsey
counties in the Motor Vehicle Lease Sales Tax
Allocation
• Preserve utility franchise fees
• Support municipal liquor operations
• Eliminate city requirements for public notices
in newspapers
• Increase City Manager authority to adjust for
inflation
• Repeal statutory salary limitation on city
employees
• Adopt enabling legislation to allow cities to
implement local environmental protection
measures
Environment
• Support advanced energy standards for
commercial buildings
• Support limited liability for private commercial
salt applicators
• Support local environmental public health
programs
• Maintain local authority for building energy
benchmarking
• Support Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) Municipal
Grant Program
Transportation
• Support Municipal State Aid (MSA) funding
• Support cities’ ability to create street
improvement districts
• Support Local Bridge Replacement Program
Funding
Public Safety
• Support a bonding request for the South Metro
Public Safety Training Facility
• Support funding of fire resources, training and
statewide response teams
• Support railroad and hazardous substance
safety
• Oppose statutory prohibition of residential fire
sprinklers
• Oppose the expansion of retail fireworks sales
Housing
• Protect low- and moderate-income tenants
o Tenant protection in affordable housing
property ownership change
o Eviction expungement reform
• Support regulatory tools for affordable housing
o 4d tax classification tax rate program
o Land trust tax reduction
o Inclusionary zoning ordinances
o Affordable housing fee on development
• Create new funding sources for affordable
housing
o Affordable housing financing bonding authority
o Establish revenue resource for affordable housing
o Support affordable housing trust funds
o Tax credit contribution fund
o Use of pooled Tax-Increment Financing
(TIF) for affordable housing
EDINAe CITY of
2020 State Legislative Priorities
February 4, 2020
Mayor and City Council
Casey Casella, City Management Fellow
2020 State Legislative Priorities
Information / Background
This staff report provides detail to legislative priorities the City of Edina will watch for the 2020 State
legislative session. The 2020 legislative session begins on February 11th.
This staff report corresponds with a summary handout. The summary handout displays the priorities. The
staff report provides background and detail for each priority.
Association Legislative Priorities
The City of Edina belongs to three legislative associations. Each has a set of legislative priorities adopted
annually. Please see the organization’s legislative policies by visiting their website for more information.
1. The Municipal Legislative Commission
2. Metro Cities (Association of Metropolitan Municipalities)
3. The League of Minnesota Cities
Each association’s 2020 priorities handout is attached in the packet.
Edina-Specific Legislative Priorities
City staff identified the following priorities in the 2020 legislative session. These priorities are in addition to
supporting the three association policies above.
Development of Parks
Park Dedication Fees for Multifamily Redevelopment Projects
• Support legislation to provide authority for statutory cities to collect fees for park improvements if a
property is redeveloped and creates new demands on the park system.
• Current state law does not allow statutory cities to capture park improvement district fees from
certain types of multifamily buildings because they are not subdivisions. Multifamily buildings and
apartments generate significant demands to parks and outdoor amenities.
• By changing the legislation around the park improvement funds, cities could more evenly distribute
the costs for maintaining and creating new parks.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 2
Local Option Sales Tax
• City of Edina seeks legislative authorization to use a local option sales tax to fund regionally
significant parks and street reconstruction projects.
• Edina is home to three regionally significant parks that have substantial funding needs in their master
plans. The three parks are: Fred Richards, Braemar and Weber Woods.
• Edina is also home to regionally significant roads. The City supplements Municipal State Aid (MSA)
funding with a 20 percent assessment to property owners adjacent to the street reconstruction.
Current funding only reconstructs one mile every other year on Edina’s MSA system. A local option
sales tax will help meet street reconstruction needs on regionally significant MSA roads.
Local Authority
Motor Vehicle Lease Sales Tax Allocation
• In 2015, state legislation was passed to reallocate $32 million of the sales tax collected from leased
vehicles from the State’s general fund, 50 percent to Greater Minnesota and 50 percent to metro
counties through the County State Aid Highway fund. To balance funding for transit and
roads/bridges, the new law excluded Hennepin and Ramsey counties from receiving their percentage
of funding. Instead, the other five metro counties split the proceeds generated in Hennepin and
Ramsey counties. With the elimination of the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) in 2017,
all seven metro counties now collect their own local transportation sale tax, but the exemption still
blocks Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
• The City of Edina advocates for returning to the original intent by eliminating the exemption of
Hennepin and Ramsey counties and distributing the sale tax on lease vehicles, per the county state
aid formula, to all metro counties. Distributing Hennepin and Ramsey county proceeds to the other
five metro counties puts cities in Hennepin county at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing
county funds for road and bridge projects. This change would provide an estimated $10.7 million in
additional funding to Hennepin County to be used on roads and bridges.
Utility Franchise Fees
• Preserve current legal structure for utility franchise fees for local governments. Utility franchise fees
allow costs to be shared by all users versus only property owners.
• Edina uses utility franchise fees for the Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety (PACS) and Conservation and
Sustainability (CAS) funds. Both funds are vital to the City’s progress in sustainability and
pedestrian/cyclist safety.
Municipal Liquor
• Continue support of municipal liquor stores and recognize their ability to generate profit that is
transferred back into local community programs and amenities.
• Edina has operated a municipal liquor since 1948. The liquor operation generates over $1 million
annually in profit. Much of these profits go toward Edina’s enterprise and recreation facilities, such
as the ice arena and aquatic center. The City recreation programs serve children and families from
all over the metro area.
• Oppose proposals that diminish the ability of municipal liquor stores to provide fiscal and local
control benefits to their community.
Public Notices in Newspapers
• The Legislature should eliminate outdated and unnecessary city publication requirements that are no
longer relevant or representative of the technology that has significantly increased access to
government. These requirements are unnecessarily costly to the city. In 2018, Edina spent
approximately $36,000 on 143 public notices. Cities should have the authority to determine
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 3
whether web publication should replace or supplement newspaper publication based on the unique
needs of each community.
• Cities should have the authority to a) Determine whether web publication should replace or
supplement newspaper publication. b) Designate an appropriate publication that reaches the
maximum number of residents possible. c) Use alternative means of communication to fulfill
statutory requirements such as city newsletters, cable television, video streaming, email, blogs and
city websites. d) Expand the use of summaries where information is technical or lengthy by removing
the requirement for Council approval of summary publications.
Increase City Manager Purchasing Agency to Adjust for Inflation
• The City Manager is the chief purchasing agent of statutory cities. Purchases and contracts over
$20,000 are recommended by the manager but require additional approval by the City Council. In
Edina, this approval is obtained through Requests for Purchase on the Consent agenda.
• The $20,000 statutory threshold has not been raised since 2004. This does not account for standard
inflation over the past 15 years.
• The City of Edina supports a raise in City Council approval threshold to adjust for inflation.
Repeal Statutory Salary Limitation on City Employees
• Minnesota law limits the salaries of city employees to 110% of the Governor’s salary, with an annual
inflationary adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. Locally elected city councilmembers
and mayors are in the best position to determine the needs of their communities, including the
compensation of city employees.
• The artificial cap on salaries places Minnesota cities at a disadvantage when recruiting and retaining
talented individuals. Minnesota law already requires that each political subdivision post the salaries of
its three highest-paid employees on its website, so the salaries of key employees are readily known
to the local taxpayers and voters who provide the ultimate check on the actions of city councils.
• Between 1998 and 2003, the Legislature exempted entities including school districts, hospitals,
clinics and health maintenance organizations owned by a government organization from the salary
limitation. During the 2018 session, the Legislature expanded that exemption by allowing the
Metropolitan Airports Commission to be exempt from the salary limitation.
• The Legislature should end the salary cap altogether and be consistent with all political subdivisions.
Local Environmental Protection Measures
• Adopt enabling legislation to allow cities to implement local environmental protection measures.
• The City Council requests the State Legislature adopt enabling legislation allowing local governments
to devise and implement environmental protection measures, including such measures as plastic bag
and Styrofoam food packaging bans and maintain authority for fees of said products.
Environment
Advanced Energy Standards
• Support the work cities have done around Advancing Building Performance Standards that would
apply to any newly constructed and renovated commercial and multifamily development.
• Buildings account for about 40 percent of all the energy used in Minnesota. Energy codes are among
the most cost-effective way to impact the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of new
construction. Since 2009, Minnesota’s energy code has saved homeowners and businesses, reducing
energy bills by about $160 million. While the Minnesota energy code is a mandatory statewide code,
local governments are restricted from setting more ambitious standards. If Minnesota wants to meet
state climate goals, cities need other options for improving the baseline energy requirements for
buildings.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 4
• Bloomington, Edina, Minneapolis, Rochester, Saint Louis Park, and Saint Paul with over 20 engaged
cities have convened city-led workshops to identify common interest and solutions. This work is
being shared with elected officials in January 2020.
Limited Liability for Private Commercial Salt Applicators
• To address the growing levels of chloride pollution in water resources, legislation was proposed at
the 2018 Minnesota Legislature to encourage commercial salt applicators to adopt winter
maintenance best management practices. The City supports limited liability for commercial
applicators who complete the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Smart Salting
Certification Program.
• The City of Edina passed Resolution 2018-18 supporting legislation to provide limited liability to
commercial salt applicators that are certified through the MPCA program.
Local Environmental Public Health Programs
• The City of Edina supports the authority and opportunity of all cities and counties to locally operate
delegated food, pool and lodging establishment regulatory programs supported by a local fee
structure.
• The City of Edina supports legislation that provides continued support of locally delivered
environmental public health services.
• The City of Edina supports a unified retail food safety system in a single state agency, which supports
delivery of food safety program activities by local jurisdictions.
Building Energy Benchmarking
• Maintain authority for cities to create building energy benchmarking programs and ordinances.
• Edina and St. Louis Park passed ordinances that would require buildings over 25,000 square feet to
benchmark their energy data, like the current Minneapolis policy. Over 30 cities and a few states
across the country have similar ordinances and see energy savings and emission reductions post
ordinance.
Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) Municipal Grant Program
• Inflow and infiltration are terms for the ways that clean water (ground and storm) makes its way
into sanitary sewer pipes and gets treated, unnecessarily, at regional wastewater plants.
• The Metropolitan Council identifies cities contributing excessive inflow and infiltration (I/I) into the
regional wastewater system and charges the city for the excess.
• The City of Edina supports state financial assistance to cities for metro area I/I mitigation, such as
the Municipal State Bond Grant Program.
Transportation
Municipal State Aid (MSA) Funding
• The state aid road system was developed to provide vital, high-quality connections necessary for the
overall state highway network to work well. The roads that are on the state aid system typically
carry heavier traffic volumes, connect major points of interest and provide an integrated and
coordinated road system.
• The City of Edina has 40.85 miles of roads designated as MSA. The funding is a vital part of
maintaining these high-quality connections. The City of Edina asks for continued support of
municipal state aid funding.
Street Improvement Districts
• Enable legislation that would allow cities to create street improvement districts as a long-term
replacement plan of special assessment financing of street improvement projects.
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 5
• Almost 85 percent of municipal streets are ineligible for municipal state aid (MSA) funds and must be
paid for with property taxes, special assessments or other funding sources such as franchise fees.
Maintenance costs increase as road systems age, and no city is spending enough on roadway capital
improvements to maintain a 50-year lifecycle. For every $1 spent on maintenance, a road authority,
and therefore taxpayers, save $7 in repairs.
• Cities need greater resources and flexible policies in order to meet growing demands for street
improvements and maintenance. Enabling legislation that would allow cities to create street
improvement districts (like sidewalk improvement districts already allowed under Minn. Stat. §
435.44) would allow cities to use this tool as a long-term replacement plan of special assessment
financing of local street improvement projects.
Local Bridge Replacement Program (LBRP) Funding
• The Local Bridge Replacement Program provides local agencies transportation funding for the
reconstruction, rehabilitation or removal of bridges or structures. The City of Edina has 27 local
bridges.
• The program is financed by the passage of specific legislation allocating general obligation state bond
funds. The program does not receive enough funding. In 2019, there were $36 million dollars in
waitlisted unfunded bridge projects, including a request from the City of Edina on the Minnehaha
Creek and Wooddale Ave bridge.
• The City of Edina supports funding dedicated to the Local Bridge Replacement Program to provide
safe bridges.
Public Safety
Bonding Request for the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility
• The South Metro Public Safety Training Facility (SMPSTF) is a Joint Powers Agreement between the
Metropolitan Airports Commission, and the Cities of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, and Edina. Since
2004, SMPSTF provides training space and opportunities for public safety personnel, and maintains
ongoing contracts with the City of Minnetonka, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Air
Marshal Service, and the Veteran's Affairs Police Department.
• The SMPSTF has regional appeal because of its convenient location, multiple classrooms, fire training
tower, firing ranges, defensive tactics gym, and a variety of training courses.
• To continue providing state-of-the-art training facilities and services for emergency personnel, and
as part of its strategic planning, the SMPSTF Board of Directors has identified multiple capital
improvement projects totaling $5.7 Million. The Board of Directors submitted a bonding bill request
for 2020.
Funding of Fire Resources, Training and Statewide Response Teams
• The Edina Fire Department relies on State funding for training through the Minnesota Board of
Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE). Edina is one of the primary departments that makes up
the MN Task Force 1 Statewide Response Team.
• The department relies on the appropriation of the dedicated revenue funds from insurance
surcharge proceeds to fund vital functions of the Minnesota Fire Service. This funding has been
approved by the Minnesota Legislature in the past. The MN Fire Service requests approximately $13
million to be appropriated from the dedicated revenue account to fund the State Fire Marshal’s
office, the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE) and the Statewide
Response Teams (HAZMAT, Task Force 1 Structural Collapse Team and Air Rescue Team).
• The City of Edina supports broader discretion in the use of the Fire State Aid it receives.
Railroad & Hazardous Substance Safety Training and Funding
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 6
• Support railroad safety by requiring railroads to continue to provide training to responders and to
share planning, response and rail line activity information with responders and emergency managers.
• Edina has one active railway that carries two freight trains a day through the city.
Residential Fire Sprinklers
• Oppose efforts to statutorily limit the use of residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers protect occupants,
firefighters and property from fires. Recent Minnesota studies show the cost of installing residential
fire sprinkler systems averages $1.15 per sprinklered square foot, or approximately 1 percent of
new home construction
• Support the inclusion of professionals and industry experts in the creating or writing of any code
parameters, particularly as it relates to the installation of fire suppression systems in residential
building code.
Retail Fireworks Sales
• Oppose the expansion of legal firework sales in Minnesota. Fireworks cause injury and pose a
serious fire risk to humans and animals. Oppose expansion of aerial and audible fireworks in
Minnesota to protect residents from serious risk of injuries and property damage.
Housing
Protect Low- and Moderate-Income Tenants
• Tenant Protection in Affordable Housing Property Ownership Change
o Support city’s ability to enact tenant protections to support access to affordable housing and
housing stability for tenants. Amend State statute 471.9996 to allow for a 90-day tenant
protection period following the transfer of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing
(NOAH) property ownership.
o Currently state statute prohibits any local adoption of an ordinance to control rents on
private residential properties unless the ordinance is approved in a general election.
Investment buyers have been purchasing NOAH multi-family residential properties,
rehabbing properties and increasing rents. In some cases, new owners have non-renewed
the leases of existing tenants with minimal notice and/or implemented substantial rent
increases with minimal notice. A 90-day period that would prohibit rent increases and non-
renewals would allow time for existing residents in these situations to seek alternative
housing.
• Eviction Expungement Reform
o Records of unlawful detainer filings remain on a tenant’s public record regardless whether
the matter was settled or dismissed prior to the court hearing or if the tenant prevails at
the hearing. In these cases, the eviction record is not a reasonable predictor of future tenant
behavior and should be expunged since the existence of this record impedes the ability of
the renter to secure suitable rental housing in the future.
o In 2019, Rep. Hassan introduced HF 1972 that would allow for expungement of the eviction
record in the cases noted above. In addition, the courts could grant an expungement if an
eviction case is three years old and the court finds that the court case is no longer a
reasonable predictor of future tenant behavior and the expungement is in the interest of
justice and those interests are not outweighed by the public’s interest in knowing about the
record.
o The City supports legislation that would expand the eligibility for discretionary and
mandatory expungements for eviction case court files.
Support Regulatory Tools for Affordable Housing
• 4d Tax Classification Tax Rate Program
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 7
o The 4d low-income property tax program is run by the state and provides a property tax
benefit to qualifying low-income rental properties. The program provides an incentive for
market-rate properties to designate a portion of their units as rent-restricted and provide
tax relief to existing rent-restricted properties.
o Although preservation of the program is the top priority, the City supports evaluating the
4d low-income property tax program to determine how program changes could affect
renters, landlords and property taxpayers. Studies should include participation and input
from metropolitan local government representatives.
• Land Trust Tax Reduction
o Edina has 16 land trusts residential properties, with property values in the city rapidly
increasing. The high property values and corresponding taxes are impacting the ability for
land trust homeowners to remain in their home.
o The city supports reducing property taxes for owners of land trust housing.
• Inclusionary Zoning Ordinances
o Inclusionary zoning ordinances allows for cities to require the development of affordable
and workforce housing in market rate and commercial developments.
o Inclusionary zoning ordinance are not allowed by statue for statutory cities.
o City supports changing the statute to allow statutory cities to adopt inclusionary zoning
ordinances. This will allow the city to address the growing need for affordable housing for
our workforce and keep the city economically competitive.
• Affordable Housing Fee on Development
o The City of Edina requires a contribution into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund on new
multi-family residential development. A contribution for all new development, including
single-family homes or non-residential development, would help increase the trust fund for
future housing projects and initiatives.
o The city supports legislation that would allow for the collection of a permitting fee to
contribute to affordable housing on all new development.
Create New Funding Sources for Affordable Housing
• Affordable Housing Financing Bonding Authority
o The legislature provides bonding authority to construct affordable housing. The demand for
affordable housing continues to rise, meriting the need for additional financing.
o The city supports an effective bonding bill that provides Housing Infrastructure (HIB) and
General Obligation (GO) Bonds to fund affordable housing to serve low-income households.
• Establish Revenue Resource for Affordable Housing
o The need for affordable housing in the State has grown to crisis proportion, requiring a
larger response than local jurisdictions can provide on their own. Increased State level
funding is critical to enable local jurisdictions to enact programs to facilitate the creation and
preservation of affordable housing, including subsidized and Naturally Occurring Affordable
Housing (NOAH).
o The City supports establishment of a financing source to fund local and regional programs to
facilitate the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
• Affordable Housing Trust Funds
o In the 2017 session, the legislature passed language that enables cities to set up and resource
Affordable Housing Trust Funds (AHTFs). The City of Edina created an Affordable Housing
Trust Fund in 2019.
o The City supports legislation that establishes a dedicated revenue source for AHTFs,
including a state match for local and regional housing trust fund investments and policies in
support of affordable housing.
• Tax Credit Contribution Fund
REPORT / RECOMMENDATION Page 8
o The housing market depends on federal tax credits to build affordable housing. Federal
funding is increasingly volatile. A state-run program would simplify and increase participation
in supplying adequate housing for all. The Minnesota Tax Credit Contribution Fund
incentivizes private investment and promotes community and economic development.
o The program is capitalized by contributions from taxpayers that have state income or
corporate/insurance premium tax liabilities. In exchange for contributions to affordable
housing, participating taxpayers receive credit against their state income tax liability equal to
their contribution to a specific development or the general loan pool. Participation in the
program is simple, and the credit is flexible, easy to use statewide, leverages significant
private equity, and boosts local businesses.
o The city supports the establishment of a tax credit contribution tool to incentivize private
investment and promote community and economic development.
• Use of Pooled Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for Affordable Housing
o Currently, state statute allows for the pooling of tax increment financing to be utilized for
affordable housing within the defined redevelopment area of the city. However, the pooled
TIF must be maintained in a separate fund with ongoing annual reporting requirements.
o Allowing cities with established Affordable Housing Trust Funds to deposit the pooled TIF in
those funds will allow for greater flexibility in the use of the pooled TIF for qualified costs to
facilitate the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing while alleviating the
administrative burden of annual reporting.
o Support legislation that would allow the City to deposit pooled TIF for affordable housing in
Edina’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The MLC is an association of 16 suburban communities
providing a voice at the capitol to promote transparency,
accountability and equity in public policy decisions.
2020 Legislative Priorities
Municipal Legislative Commission
Building Permit Fees
MLC Strongly disagrees with the builders’ industry
claims on permit fees. The fees are based on valuation
of the construction project, play an important role in
ensuring standards are met, and help protect existing
taxpayers from new development costs.
Salary Cap Repeal
MLC supports legislation to repeal the salary cap on
key local government employees. Locally elected
officials are accountable for fiscal decisions within
their communities.
Sales Tax Exemption on Construction
Materials
MLC supports legislation to streamline the process
required for cities to secure the sales tax exemption
on construction materials.
Infrastructure Fees
The MLC supports legislation that gives cities the
ability to impose infrastructure fees so the costs of new
development aren’t shifted onto existing taxpayers.
Presidential Primary
MLC supports changes to the Presidential Primary
election law to protect voter privacy. Under current
law, voters are required to request their ballot based
on the political party of their choice. MLC is concerned
data could be made public and used to “out” public-
sector employees, such as those working for local
governments, as biased or non-partisan.
mlcmn.org
Affordable Housing Tools
MLC supports new and enhanced tools for cities to
meet demand for affordable housing. This includes
senior housing, workforce housing, naturally
occurring affordable housing, and housing for the
lowest-income households.
Increased Funding for Corridors
of Commerce
MLC supports increased investments in Corridors of
Commerce. Corridors of Commerce funds projects that
improve traffic flow and the movement of freight.
Investment in the TED Program
MLC supports increased investments in the
Transportation Economic Development (TED)
program. TED is a partnership between DEED and
MnDOT to leverage public and private funding to
advance transportation programs with significant
economic impact.
MLC Policy Positions
City Population Jobs
Apple Valley 53,429 16,268
Bloomington 89,654 91,785
Burnsville 62,657 35,073
Chanhassen 26,266 15,323
Eagan 68,347 59,530
Eden Prairie 63,456 62,893
Edina 52,535 44,581
Inver Grove Heights 35,381 10,931
Lakeville 64,334 17,276
Maple Grove 66,903 35,898
Minnetonka 53,713 49,366
Plymouth 78,351 55,488
Savage 31,407 8,551
Shakopee 41,506 26,841
Shoreview 26,480 11,117
Woodbury 70,840 24,826
MLC City Statistics
• Total Population: 885,259
• Total Jobs: 565,747
• MLC cities generate
approximately 22% of
sales tax in MN
• Total Legislators in MLC
Delegation: 45
MLC Government
Relations Team
Tom Poul
• tpoul@messerlikramer.com
• 651-260-0696
Katy Sen
• ksen@messerlikramer.com
• 612-280-2249
Rachel Stuckey
• rstuckey@messerlikramer.com
• 651-556-9205
MLC Cities - Population and Jobs
Data from https://stats.metc.state.mn.us/profile/Default.aspx
mlcmn.org
• Supports individual property tax relief through the circuit breaker program
• Opposes carving out revenue from the Fiscal Disparities pool to support specific projects
• Opposes automatic inflationary increases in LGA
• Supports policies that preserve local control over development decisions so existing
taxpayers are not required to subsidize growth
• Supports state funding for new early-voting
responsibilities that fall on cities
• Supports regional capital bonding equity
BONDING FOR INFLOW-
INFILTRATION MITIGATION
Metro Cities supports a $9.5 million capital
appropriation to assist metropolitan cities with
inflow-infiltration mitigation on local systems.
AIDS and REVENUES
Sales Tax on Construction Materials: Metro Cities
supports streamlining the process for the construction
materials sales tax exemption for local governments.
Local Government Aid (LGA): Metro Cities
supports the LGA program and opposes
restrictions in the distribution of aid.
PERA Aid Extension: Metro Cities supports extending
the PERA aid to local governments.
LOCAL CONTROL
Metro Cities opposes legislation that would erode local
control and decision-making. Metro Cities opposes levy
limits and other restrictions on local budget processes.
Metro Cities supports removing the statutory salary limit
on city employees.
HOUSING and
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
State Support for Housing: Metro Cities supports
funding for state programs for housing preservation,
affordable housing and workforce housing. Metro Cities
supports a state match appropriation to support Local
Housing Trust Funds.
4d Program: Metro Cities supports an evaluation of the
4d low-income property tax program.
Economic Development and Job Creation: Metro
Cities supports the Minnesota Investment Fund and Job
Creation Fund, which help to support local economic
development.
INFRASTRUCTURE FEE AUTHORITY
Metro Cities supports legislation clarifying that cities may
impose infrastructure fees needed to support new
housing development.
TRANSPORTATION
Road and Bridge Funding: Metro Cities supports the
Local Road and Local Bridge Program, Corridors of
Commerce, and Local Roads Wetland Replacement
Program. Metro Cities supports legislation to create a
new Local Cost Share Assistance Account and supports
increasing Municipal Street Aid (MSA).
Resources for Local Streets: Metro Cities
supports a sustainable state funding source for the Small
Cities Assistance Account, and creation of a Large Cities
Assistance Account to assist with local road needs that
fall outside the MSA formula. Metro Cities supports
legislation that allows cities to create street improvement
districts.
Regional Transit Funding: Metro Cities supports an
effective, comprehensive regional transit system to meet
the needs of the metropolitan region and state, and
sufficient state and regional revenue sources to fund
capital and operating expenses for transit providers.
EMERALD ASH BORER MITIGATION
Metro Cities supports state assistance to help mitigate
the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
REGIONAL GOVERNANCE
Metro Cities supports four-year staggered terms for
Metropolitan Council members and enhancing local
official input into the selection of Metropolitan Council
members. Metro Cities opposes local elected officials
serving on the Metropolitan Council.
Metro Cities Legislative Priorities
Municipal Legislatne-
The MLC is an association of 16 suburban communities providing a voice at the capitol to promote
transparency, accountability and equity in public policy decisions.
2020 Legislative Priorities
Building Permit Fees
MLC Strongly disagrees with the builders' industry
claims on permit fees. The fees are based on valuation
of the construction project, play an important role in
ensuring standards are met, and help protect existing
taxpayers from new development costs.
Affordable Housing Tools
MLC supports new and enhanced tools for cities to
meet demand for affordable housing. This includes
senior housing, workforce housing, naturally
occurring affordable housing, and housing for the
lowest-income households.
Sales Tax Exemption on Construction
Materials
MLC supports legislation to streamline the process
required for cities to secure the sales tax exemption
on construction materials.
Salary Cap Repeal
MLC supports legislation to repeal the salary cap on
key local government employees. Locally elected
officials are accountable for fiscal decisions within
their communities.
Investment in the TED Program
MLC supports increased investments in the
Transportation Economic Development (TED)
program.TED is a partnership between DEED and
MnDOT to leverage public and private funding to
advance transportation programs with significant
economic impact.
Increased Funding for Corridors
of Commerce
MLC supports increased investments in Corridors of
Commerce. Corridors of Commerce funds projects that
improve traffic flow and the movement of freight.
Infrastructure Fees
The MLC supports legislation that gives cities the
ability to impose infrastructure fees so the costs of new
development aren't shifted onto existing taxpayers.
MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE
COMMISSION
mlcmn.org
MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE
COMMISSION
MLC Policy Positions
• Supports individual property tax relief through the circuit breaker program
• Opposes carving out revenue from the Fiscal Disparities pool to support specific projects
• Opposes automatic inflationary increases in LGA
• Supports policies that preserve local control over development decisions so existing
taxpayers are not required to subsidize growth
• Supports state funding for new early-voting
responsibilities that fall on cities
• Supports regional capital bonding equity
MLC City Statistics
• Total Population: 885,259
• Total Jobs: 565,747
MLC Cities - Population and Jobs
City Population Jobs
Apple Valley 53,429 16,268
• Total Legislators in MLC
Bloomington 89,654 91,785 Delegation: 45
Burnsville 62,657 35,073 • MLC cities generate
Chanhassen 26,266 15,323 approximately 22% of
sales tax in MN
Eagan 68,347 59,530
Eden Prairie 63,456 62,893
Edina 52,535 44,581
Inver Grove Heights 35,381 10,931 fh1LC (a.o.'..T9 ram e
La kevi Ile 64,334 17,276 Re 1.jions Tainrn
Maple Grove 66,903 35,898 Tom Poul
• tpoul@messerlikramer.com
Minnetonka 53,713 49,366 • 651-260-0696
Plymouth 78,351 55,488 Katy Sen
• ksen@messerlikramer.com Savage 31,407 8,551 • 612-280-2249
Shakopee 41,506 26,841 Rachel Stuckey
Shoreview 26,480 11,117 • rstuckey@messerlikramer.com
• 651-556-9205
Woodbury 70,840 24,826
mlcmn.org
2020 State Legislative Priorities
Development of Parks
• Allow cities to collect park dedication fees for
multifamily redevelopment projects
• Support an Edina Local Option Sales Tax
Local Authority
• Eliminate the exemption of Hennepin/Ramsey
counties in the Motor Vehicle Lease Sales Tax
Allocation
• Preserve utility franchise fees
• Support municipal liquor operations
• Eliminate city requirements for public notices
in newspapers
• Increase City Manager authority to adjust for
inflation
• Repeal statutory salary limitation on city
employees
• Adopt enabling legislation to allow cities to
implement local environmental protection
measures
Public Safety
• Support a bonding request for the South Metro
Public Safety Training Facility
• Support funding of fire resources, training and
statewide response teams
• Support railroad and hazardous substance
safety
• Oppose statutory prohibition of residential fire
sprinklers
• Oppose the expansion of retail fireworks sales
Housing
Protect low- and moderate-income tenants
o Tenant protection in affordable housing
property ownership change
o Eviction expungement reform
• Support regulatory tools for affordable housing
o 4d tax classification tax rate program
o Land trust tax reduction
o Inclusionary zoning ordinances
o Affordable housing fee on development
• Environment
• Support advanced energy standards for
Create new funding sources for affordable
housing
commercial buildings o Affordable housing financing bonding
authority
•
•
Support limited liability for private commercial
salt applicators
Support local environmental public health
o
o
Establish revenue resource for
affordable housing
Support affordable housing trust funds
programs o
o
Tax credit contribution fund
Use of pooled Tax-Increment Financing
• Maintain local authority for building energy
benchmarking
(TIF) for affordable housing
• Support Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) Municipal
Grant Program
Transportation
• Support Municipal State Aid (MSA) funding
• Support cities' ability to create street
improvement districts
• Support Local Bridge. Replacement Program
Funding
The CITY of
EDINA