|
11110ake the comprehensive planning ' " r t ' r s '* ' -.:-..•;:-.7:',:p",,,,,.,:,47,7-- '.
<br /> process to court. Likewise, when `� x3,; 9g r t ' i'"" C—-...:4c
<br /> the 1976 land planning act was '- xt
<br /> before the state legislature, the " ''; ';,-1', . ; ",,A �: F '
<br /> homebuilders association and .„;,..L:‘,-.:;1-1-,, -(,,,,,Y � r Y .....
<br /> ,,-�x ,-.1,x - z ,."4?=,t�•t
<br /> many developers joined together _ _
<br /> to lobby for its defeat.Now most
<br /> of the players,with nearly 20 years _ "i' .,
<br /> f.
<br /> of investment in the regional plan- , . +l r . r __ .- ; ,I
<br /> ning system, believe they have a _�. �� � j -
<br /> � t a �
<br /> z ; fl
<br /> stake in it and would not want to - =�j� � � - js�J f �--� � I
<br /> be without it. 1 j 1111111111mm l'mm„ �.i� �� �►
<br /> But the council is not without :/� -� - — \ I,
<br /> critics. Some suburban jurisdic / �,' ,
<br /> dons claim it unduly favors growth ' �'
<br /> in the two downtowns,sometimes -_ — 7� r . . / ,Its `'-'?
<br /> at the expense of suburban corn-
<br /> munities. Richard Geshwiler, Maintaining and upgrading highway systems serving fully developed areas is a prior-
<br /> Bloomington's planning direc—
<br /> tor, says the Met Council treats
<br /> Bloomington like a Cinderella It is questionable that the coun- ties with the largest populations
<br /> stepsister city. cil could have accomplished what never thought they would lose
<br /> Because its members are ap- it has in the absence of a strong tax base. In other words, timing
<br /> pointed, and thus lack a defined regional attitude, an attitude that was all-important.No matter how
<br /> political constituency, some per- was forged long before the council good an idea it is and no matter
<br /> sons believe the council is vulner- came on the scene. Also, in evalu- that it has proved to be a rela-
<br /> able to pressures from the gover- ating the council's growth manage- tively useful growth management
<br /> nor and legislature.The Citizens
<br /> •League and other groups have mens strategy and its potential ap- tool, tax-base sharing would most
<br /> plicability elsewhere, one must likely face daunting political resis-
<br /> been pressing for an elected consider that growth pressures in tance in many parts of the country.
<br /> council. Others believe that the the Twin Cities area have been On the other hand, says Jody
<br /> council, which represents the relatively modest. Hauer of the Citizens League,
<br /> wealthier areas of the state and What about the tax-base-sharing one of the politically attractive
<br /> half the state's population, is al- program?Could it play in Peoria? features of the program is that
<br /> ready too large and too powerful. For that matter, could it pass "it is totally self-sustaining and
<br /> again in the Twin Cities area? has required no further tamper-
<br /> Many say no. Some of the pro- ing by the legislature. Unlike
<br /> Transferability gram's most steadfast supporters many programs in other states
<br /> concede that without the conflu- where each year the legislature
<br /> Can or should the Metropoli- ence of special circumstances must appropriate new funds to
<br /> tan Council be a model for other such that occurred in 1971, such be distributed among the iocali-
<br /> U.S. metropolitan areas?What- a program probably would not ties, the tax-base sharing law
<br /> ever the problems and disappoint- pass today. In 1971, it was incon- merely reshuffles existing re-
<br /> ments, the council appears to rep- ceivable that Minneapolis would sources among the participating
<br /> resent an "unusually promising ever be a loser under the program. municipalities."■
<br /> effort at substate regional govern- Since World War II, the down-
<br /> ment," writes former mayor town had averaged only one Terry Jill Lassar is research counsel
<br /> Naftalin. It has instituted success- major project a decade. If the at ULI. In addition to those persons
<br /> fully policies that have furthered city could have anticipated the quoted in the article,she wishes to
<br /> the greater regional good, some- building surge that would push it thank other staff of the Metropolitan
<br /> times at the expense of individ- into the contributor category, it Council,particularly Barbara Senness,
<br /> ual communities. One reason the very well might not have supported Eugene Knaff,and Carl Ohm at the
<br /> the fiscal disparities program.
<br /> Citizens League, as well as Oliver
<br /> council has been more effective P P g Byrum and Steve Keefe; and various
<br /> than most COGs is that state Most jurisdictions in 1971 pre- ULI members including Peter Jarvis,
<br /> laws grant it specific implements- dicted they would gain under the
<br /> .
<br /> donRobert Engstrom, and Robert
<br /> and enforcement powers. program. And those communi- I loffman.
<br /> IMfilig,:iiiI 1.'/ February 91 25
<br />
|