8.4. SR 07-31-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Law summaries continued ~1 • Petrofund amendments Chapter 240 extends from five to seven the number of years contractors must retain documents relating to cleanups of underground storage tanks, changes the reimbursable percentage for cleanup involving residential sites, requires competitive bidding or proposals far cleanups seeking reim- bursement from the petrofund, extends petrofund eligibility for large tanks owned by political subdivisions, and clarifies emergency responder immu- nity for oil dischazges. Effective May 26, 1995. Solid waste designation Chapter 247 is this year's amend- ments to the Waste Management Act. The changes are mostly technical, with fewer policy initiatives. The section of most importance for cities deals with waste designation and prohibits public entities, including cities, from entering into waste management activities that aze inconsistent with an approved county plan except for activities to reduce waste generation or reuse waste materials. Before a city enters into an activity that is lower on the preferred practices list than that in the county plan, the city is required to consider its potential liability in doing so, make a plan for dealing with it, and submit that information to the agency. Effective June 2, 1995. Finance Financial audit provisions for certain cities clarified Chapter 27 clarifies that legislation passed last session regazding cities with a combined office of clerk and trea- surer and annual revenues for all governmental and enterprise funds i~+ ~~s -~~"' ex>casa~ef $100,000 are required to provide an audit to the state auditor only once every five years, and that the audit only needs to cover one yeaz, not all five yeazs. This bill was effective March 30, 1995. • Appropriates $2.5 million for ice arena construction grants of up to $250,000/arena. • Appropriates an additional $790,000 for the Mille Lacs Treaty litigation. • Clarifies state zoning laws to differentiate between building and land use or zoning permits. • Increases the state's ability to collect unpaid debts, including those owed by cities. Budget report date moved and summary budget publication re- quirements for certain cities modi- fied Chapter 134 gives cities another month to forwazd summary budget information to the state auditor. Instead of December 31 of the year preceding the budget year, the deadline will be January 31 of each budget yeaz. Additionally, cities in the metro area will now have the option of publishing their summary budget statement in a city newsletter or other city mailing sent to all households in the city, instead of the official newspaper or qualified newspaper of general circulation. If the city newsletter is used, it must be the lead story. If a mailing is used, the summary budget statement must be printed on different- colored paper than other information contained in the mailing. If either a newsletter or mailing is used, a copy must be sent to any nonresident requesting the summary budget statement. This law becomes effective on August I , 1995. State Department appropriations bills Chapter 254 appropriates money and mandates programs for state agencies and departments. The bill: • Requests that the legislative audit commission consider directing the legislative auditor to conduct a full program evaluation of the Depart- ment of Human Rights in 1995. Reduces the state general fund diversion of the building code surcharge. funds to a little over a million dollars and transfers excess surcharges to the building codes and standards division. Public finance amendments Chapter 256 contains the annual amendments to state laws regulating the issuance of debt by cities and other political subdivisions. Counties and schools aze given powers similar to cities to bond for ice azenas and other recreational facilities, tax credits. in enterprise zones are renamed or redesignated as incentive grants, and self-insuring political subdivisions or their pools are .authorized to issue bonds for necessary reserves or for the payment of claims. Ice arena bonding - procedures are also modified, allowing for reverse referendums rather than authorizing elections. Effective June 2, 1995. Omnibus tax bill Chapter 264 is this year's omnibus tax bill It contains many sections affecting cities. Aid reduction to local governments Cities, counties, towns, and special taxing districts will shaze in a one-time $16 million cut in HACA in 1996 (see printout in the June 2 Cities Bulletin for city-specific reductions). Economic development -Tax Incre- ment Financing local contribution Development authorities will be able to elect at the time of approving the TIF plan to exempt the district from the LGA/HACA penalty by making a local contribution to the district equal to a percentage of the annual increment revenue. Economic development, 1995 Law Summaries LS 3