5.5. SR 03-24-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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X~r 14 Z883 1G:81:88 Vi~ F~x -> 76344174Z5 ~&~inistrator Page 88Z 0£ 884 · -FrldayFax- A weekly legislative update from the League of Minnesota Citi~ any further downturn in the state's economy could increase the chance that aid cuts as well as payment delays could occur. When coupled with the deep aid reductions and levy limits in the governor's budget, such a delay almost certainly creates severe cash flow problems for cities. Senate Property Tax Freeze heads to the floor The Senate bill that would impose a two-year hard freeze on city and county property tax levies and tight restrictions on the ability to issue new debt was moved to the floor after a brief stop in a Senate Rules Subcommittee. During the tax committee debate on the bill, Senator Julianne Ortman (R- Chanhassen) challenged the motion to refer the bill to the Senate floor. She raised concerns about the effect of the bill on school districts, cities and counties and she felt the bill should be considered by the Education Committee as well as the State and Local Government Operations Committee. Her challenge was not upheld and the bill will now officially go to the Senate floor. League staff is working on a variety of other issues of importance to cities. While much attention at the legislature is focused on the '04-'05 budget, committees are taking action on numerous bills that impact cities. Here is a sampling of the issues in which the League is actively engaged: Open Meeting Law: SF 3:16 (Marry), which would have required cities to pay the cost of administrative law judge proceedings to resolve complaints, has been substantially modified to simply provide that the Department of Administration may issue nonbinding advisory opinions on March 14, 2003 Page 2 which city officials will be able to rely in case of future litigation alleging violation of Chapter 13D. Representative Don Borrell (Dist. 19B-Waverly), who is the author of the companion bill, HF 564, has agreed to consider changes incorporated in SF 316 as amended that the League, the MN School Boards Association and Minnesota Association of Townships support. Elections: HF 67 (Kahn), which would require that all city council members elected by ward be elected to new terms at the first regular city election after wards are redrawn, is now on General Orders on the House floor. In its current form, the bill now only applies to cities of the first class that do not have staggered terms for such council positions where the change in the population of any redistricted ward is 5 percent or more. The League has expressed concern that cities should continue to exercise authority to determine the terms and schedule of election for city council member ward positions. Current state election law also requires cities to wait to re-establish ward boundaries until after the legislature is redistricted. Some legislators have voiced concern that the bill does not sufficiently address the need to re-establish ward representation immediately after redistricting and may try to amend the bill on the House floor to make its provisions apply broadly to all cities with wards. Housing: HF 706 (Severson) will be heard next Tuesday in the House Local Government & Metropolitan Affairs Committee to clarify that language added in the '02 session does not alter existing local authority to regulate subdivision development. (Chapter 315 provides that the city and a builder may negotiate a development agreement that provides for a mix of housing in which some units are affordable to lower income households.) For mote information on oily legislalive issues, contacl any member of Ihe League of Minnesota C[lies Inletgovetnmenlal Relalion$ team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122