Title
Outlining the City's 2016 Legislative Agenda.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is a major center of commerce and business activity; and
WHEREAS, cities provide important public services including police, fire, public works, code enforcement, libraries, parks and recreation, housing and economic development, and city administration; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul, as the capital city, must protect and enhance its community cultural, educational, and entertainment assets of statewide importance which contribute to our regional economic competitiveness; and
WHEREAS the City of Saint Paul continues to act with purpose to ensure that people in our region can live and work in a diverse, vibrant community with quality educational opportunities, safe streets and modern infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is challenged to address the societal impacts related to the academic achievement gap, employment disparities, and the concentration of poverty; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul welcomes a continued partnership with the governor and legislature to help stabilize property taxes, create economic development, improve public safety, and repair or replace our core infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul encourages the governor and legislature to view all legislative action through an equity lens and that legislation proposed and passed avoid further marginalization and continuing disparities. Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the following items are the legislative agenda of the City of Saint Paul for the 2016 Minnesota legislative session:
Revenue, Taxes and Finance
Advocate for the continued restoration of previous cuts to LGA and add a growth factor for the cost of providing city services.
Advocate for property tax exemption and sales tax exemption on construction materials for a professional soccer stadium in Saint Paul.
Oppose state-imposed levy limits and ensure maximum flexibility for local revenue options.
Support strategies for a regional tax base including fiscal disparities and sales tax equalization.
Advocate for development opportunities at the Ford Site Tax Increment Financing.
Capital Investment and Economic Stimulus
Advocate for the following projects in the 2015 state bonding bill:
Reconstruction of Kellogg Bridge - $48 million
Great River Passage Environmental Learning Center - $19.5 million
Como Zoo Habitat Preservation Exhibit Renovation - $14.5 million
Wakan Tipi Center at Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary- $3 million
Support the following projects:
Minnesota Museum of American Art project funding request - $8 million;
Minnesota Humanities Center asset preservation and remediation request - $1.6 million;
Dorothy Day Revision Phase 2 facility project funding request - $12 million;
Science Museum of Minnesota Building preservation request - $13 million;
New Roy Wilkins Auditorium and RiverCentre parking ramp request - $1.9 million;
Metropolitan Council’s request in state bonds to match funding of Metropolitan Council bonds to improve and expand the Metropolitan Regional Park system;
Eastside Freedom Library request - $2.2 million;
Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission’s request for planning dollars to design an Urban Regional Sports Center;
The Homes for All Coalition request for legislative funding for affordable housing projects and services, utilizing both housing infrastructure and general obligation bonds.
Support the Saint Paul Public Schools in their effort to secure funding of the Learning Jet at Holman Airfield.
Transportation
Advocate for a new dedicated revenue to city streets across the state. This includes at least a $200 million bonding appropriation to the Local Road Improvement Program.
Advocate for funding for a new Kellogg/3rd Street bridge to return this critical artery to full capacity and functionality. This includes state and federal resources. This also includes at least $200 million in bonding to the local bridge account for bridges across the state.
Advocate for additional funding for transit projects across the region, including a sales tax increase for metro transit.
Support the implementation of streetcars, including recognition of streetcars as a potential transit way mode for metropolitan regional planning, and the identification of funding for planning, study and construction.
Support legislation that furthers the goals of Tax Increment Financing for Transit-Oriented Development, including the inclusion of parks and open space development as an eligible expense within any TIF for TOD legislation as well as the use of increment for the development of affordable housing.
Oppose any efforts to increase the speed limit on I-35E through Saint Paul, as determined by a federal lawsuit settlement.
Support MnDOT’s efforts in continued maintenance funding and other additional resources to better meet the department’s needs.
Support increased funding for Safe Routes to School.
Support funding for the statewide Complete Streets policy, requiring that all new and reconstructed streets accommodate all users of those streets, including motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and people in wheelchairs.
Support funding of a statewide effort to educate motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians about the rules of the road and best practices in order to increase safety and decrease crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Support an increase in penalties to those causing injuries and fatalities.
Support the selected preferred alternative and funding of the Gateway Transit Corridor extending from McKnight Road to the Union Depot in Saint Paul.
Support Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority (RCRRA) in the continued development and funding of the Riverview Transit Corridor.
Support changing state law to give local governments the ability to reduce the default speed limit on residential streets from 30 mph to 25 mph.
Monitor legislative activity related to railroads.
Parks and Trails
Support an equitable distribution of funds through the Legacy Amendment.
Support fully funding the Metro Parks biennial budget at 40 percent of parks financial needs.
Support funding designed to help Saint Paul and other communities slow the spread of EAB and move toward reforestation of their urban forests, including trees that provide millions of dollars in economic, environmental and social benefits.
Monitor efforts by state agencies to fund Invasive Carp mitigation and population control programs.
Monitor legislative activities regarding the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Areas rulemaking process.
Monitor legislation related to pollinators.
Education and Workforce
Support legislative efforts that increase access to high quality early learning and education opportunities.
Support a new state public funding stream to fund competitive grants for afterschool programs targeted to youth below 185% of poverty.
Support efforts to increase state funding for job search assistance, skills training, childcare, and related programs to help people find and retain employment.
Support additional state resources and policies that assist cities in creating sustainable environments for their citizens.
Support the reclassification of the Central Certification Program (CERT) Application Information as non-public and the streamlining of the CERT application process.
Public Safety
Advocate for a data classification for body-worn camera data that recognizes the privacy interests of victims and witnesses interacting with law enforcement while enabling the accountability and transparency that supports a trusting relationship between Law Enforcement and the public.
Support efforts to reduce gun violence including criminal background checks and bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Support a biennial allocation of $6 million per year for the State Disaster Assistance Contingency Fund to help build up a fund balance, increasing the reliability of the fund both short- and long-term.
Support the creation of a criminal statute for the unauthorized disclosure of certain intimate images (“revenge porn”) and using another’s identity to solicit sex. As well as, support the creation of civil causes of action for nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images and nonconsensual sexual solicitation.
Support the Minnesota Fire Safety Account funding change from a yearly authorization to a standing appropriation to fund critical services
Support the full implementation of the national fire code for residential sprinklers in Minnesota
Support adding concealing criminal proceeds § 609.496 and engaging in business of concealing criminal proceeds § 609.497to the list of forfeitable offenses and monitor other legislative changes to the state’s forfeiture laws including removing DUI from forfeitable offenses
Support increasing the crash reporting threshold above the $1000.00 currently in statute
Monitor legislation related to outside investigation of critical incidents
Support legislation that makes the Driver’s License Diversion pilot program permanent and available statewide
Support the DWI Task Force recommendation to address expungements during an enhancement period
Support amending §152.021-152.025 to assign weights to marijuana derivatives such as wax or BHO
Expand Minn. Stat. § 609.2231, sub. 6 to include code enforcement officials, thus allowing for escalated charges for assaults perpetrated on these public employees while they are performing their official duties
Support efforts to end sex trafficking and protect victims.
Housing, Economic and Community Stability
Finance rehabilitation of older housing stock in low and moderate income Census tracts;
Address the demand for housing for the long-term homeless;
Provide public housing and publicly-assisted low-income housing;
Provide new housing construction, at a range of income levels;
Preserve and reinvest in existing aging affordable housing stock;
Provide additional state resources to help construct much needed affordable senior housing;
Expand programs to provide low cost financing to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes and buildings, particularly those in low and moderate income communities hit hard by the foreclosure/vacant housing crisis.
Support land use and economic development incentives to benefit redevelopment and job creation at the Ford Plant Site.
Support increased funding for brownfield site remediation programs.
Support dedicated State funding for programs at the Department of Employment and Economic Development focusing on women and minority-owned businesses, redevelopment areas and transit improvement areas.
Support UFCW efforts to create a fund for construction of grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods in urban and rural areas.
Renewable and Distributed Generation: Support incentives, mandates, and policies that increase distributed generation technologies, such as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal production, wind, combined heat and power for both public and private entities.
Support legislation to streamline and improve the zoning amendment process for cities of the first class.
Support legislation creating statewide paid parental leave.
Support additional clarity in §197.46 on the use of the civil service commission.
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Support the 2016 legislative agendas of Ramsey County, Saint Paul Port Authority, League of Minnesota Cities, Metro Cities, The Homes for All Coalition, Saint Paul Public Schools, except in cases of conflict.