6.3 ERMUSR 03-13-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

iffilarff Ay 43 IvI,,Iwe , , ; : ; ;P t ,;r f. /r' r . . Detroit Lakes Public Utility j/ f ; / dedicated its community solar plant during Public Power / / "~Y/,c,,� is I ►� 1. 0 .R Week, October 2017. f 1 .L jI g . r yfi a. t Ar fifrot 7 - ,„ s t r Unfortunately, despite appeals from public MMUA Position infrastructure proponents, Congress and the For communities to maintain safe, sanitary and Administration in 2017 repealed the authority to reliable utilities, we urge Congress to match its advance refund municipal bonds. This will only add moral support for infrastructure by increasing the to the final expense of existing and future public federal proportion of utility infrastructure project infrastructure projects. We urge support of HR funding. 5003, bipartisan legislation that would restore our ability to advance refund bonds. If utility infrastructure funding must compete with transportation funding, then significantly more The Administration's budget extends the scope of resources need to be put on the table than the $200 infrastructure funding to include "a broader range billion budgeted by the Administration. We urge of infrastructure needs,” including railroads and Congress to keep funding focused enough to make it airports. While these infrastructure areas are, effective or increase federal resources significantly. of course, important, they are not matched with sufficient additional funds necessary to include We urge Congress not to take any action that them along with funding for utility infrastructure. further limits the usefulness of tax-exempt The proposed $200 billion investment over ten municipal bonds for financing public infrastructure, years would provide on average only $400 million and to pass legislation restoring the authority for per state per year—only ten percent of Minnesota's advance refunding of such bonds as introduced identified need. in the House by Representatives Hultgren and Ruppersberger (HR 5003). Public-private partnerships provide welcome solutions in certain utility situations like extending Public-private partnerships should be utilized broadband to places that private industry is unable where appropriate and not used to profit private or unwilling to reach alone. However, we have interests at public expense where public service concerns that privatization, as a driving force, is continues to make more sense. Furthermore, being marketed in the budget as simply leveraging public-private partnership should not be confused private funds. with privatization. The Administration's plan to distribute funds We are skeptical of proposals to put states for rural infrastructure as grants to states for in competition with one another for rural governors to allocate may be cause for concern, infrastructure grants and ask Minnesota's making Minnesota compete with other states for delegation members to be wary of them. funds under an undefined scheme that could be inequitable or political. 2018 Federal Position Statements/5 237