Metro Cities News 04/23/21

 

In This Issue:

 

Legislative Updates

This week, the processing of omnibus bills continued, including omnibus House and Senate tax bills. See below for brief status updates on bills, several of which have provisions of interest to Metro Cities. See Metro Cities’ April 9th newsletter for detailed information on specific provisions. Metro Cities has provided testimony to support as well as oppose specific provisions in bills and will continue to advocate support or opposition on provisions of significance as bills advance to conference committees. Conference committees have been appointed for some bills, included below.

House and Senate Tax Bills
This week, the House passed its omnibus tax bill on the floor, and the Senate passed its omnibus bill in the Senate Taxes Committee. The Senate bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

There are several items in both bills of interest to Metro Cities and to which the association has provided advocacy and testimony.

The House bill, HF 991-Marquart, a summary of which can be found HERE, provides flexibility in the use of tax increment financing to address the pandemic and for local housing needs and extends the five-year rule to 10 years for certain redevelopment districts. These provisions have been jointly initiated and advocated for by Metro Cities and the LMC. The bill includes a study of the 4d classification program to analyze the impacts of an expansion in the class rate that is also supported by Metro Cities. The bill exempts construction materials for public safety facilities from state sales tax, which Metro Cities supports. The bill also provides specific exemptions for the cities of Plymouth and Maplewood. The bill adds requirements for the annual truth in taxation process. Metro Cities has expressed support for the existing truth in taxation process and concern about additional requirements and administrative costs for cities.

HF 991 authorizes local sales taxes for the metropolitan cities of Edina, Maple Grove, and Oakdale, and extends a local lodging tax for the city of Plymouth. Metro Cities does not take positions on local bills but has testified in support of allowing a diversification of local revenue bases. The bill includes specific tax increment financing provisions for the metropolitan cities of Bloomington, Burnsville, Fridley, Minnetonka, Richfield, St. Louis Park and Wayzata. Further, the bill allows local jurisdictions to establish special taxing districts to provide fire protection and emergency medical service.

The Senate tax bill, SF 961-Nelson, a summary of which can be found HERE, passed the Senate Tax Committee Friday morning. The bill contains provisions for which Metro Cities provided advocacy and testimony. The bill includes a one-time supplemental local government aid payment for cities losing aid between 2021 and 2022, supported by Metro Cities. SF 961 expands the 4d rental tax classification rate to .25% and requires local approval for newly enrolled properties. Metro Cities continues to support a 4d study to allow analysis of the impacts of expansion prior to the statutory enactment of an expansion. The bill includes tax increment financing provisions for the cities of Bloomington, Burnsville, Ramsey, and Wayzata and requires the Commissioner of Revenue to issue a report on affordable housing projects paid for by tax increment or a local housing trust fund. The bill authorizes local sales taxes for the metropolitan cities of Edina and Oakdale. Further, the bill further establishes a housing tax credit contribution fund which Metro Cities supports. During the markup of the bill Friday, an amendment was added that prevents cities and counties from imposing or increasing excise taxes on the manufacture and distribution of food and packaging. Metro Cities expressed concern about the amendment to the committee on Friday.

The Senate bill passed on a voice vote to the Senate floor. Questions? Contact Patricia Nauman at 651-215-4002 or [email protected]

House and Senate Transportation Bills
HF 1684 – Hornstein passed the House last Saturday 69-62. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary. HF 1684, as amended using Senate language (SF 1159 – Newman), passed the Senate Thursday on a vote of 40-26. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary.

House and Senate State Government and Elections Bills
HF 1952 – Nelson passed the House 68-62 last Friday. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary. SF 1831 – Kiffmeyer, as amended, awaits consideration by the Senate. Click HERE for the State Government Finance budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary of the bill.

House and Senate Environment Bills
SF 959, as amended using House language (HF 1076 – Hansen), passed the House on a vote of 70-63. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary. SF 959 – Ingebrigtsen passed the Senate Floor on a vote of 37-29. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet, and HERE for a summary.

House and Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Bills
SF 970, as amended using House language (HF 1078 – Mariani), passed the House on a vote of 70-63. Use these links for the Public Safety and Judiciary budget spreadsheets. Use these links for the Public Safety and Judiciary summaries. SF 970 – Limmer, as amended, passed the Senate last week on a vote of 44-23. Click HERE for the budget spreadsheet and HERE for a summary.

House Jobs Bill
The House Jobs bill passed the House on Tuesday on a 69-64 vote. The bill summary is here and the spreadsheet is here. House conferees are Reps Noor, Ecklund, L. Olson, Berg and Hamilton and Senate conferees are Sens Pratt, Rarick, Housley, Draheim and Eken.

Senate Housing Bill
The Senate Housing bill passed the Senate on Tuesday on a vote of 39-27. The spreadsheet is here. House conferees are Reps Hausman, Howard, Agbaje, Reyer and Theis and Senate conferees are Sens Draheim, Duckworth, Dahms, Pratt and Dziedzic.

 

Recreational Cannabis Bill

HF600 - Winkler that would legalize recreational cannabis, had two committee hearings, House State Government Finance and Elections last Saturday and Education Finance on Wednesday. The summary can be found here and the fiscal note can be found here.

In State Government Elections and Finance, supporters spoke in favor of the bill’s state-wide approach to regulation. Local control would be restricted but municipalities would be able to use ordinances to control the location of cannabis shops. The bill would restrict cities from banning cannabis stores and would place licensing control with a Cannabis Management Board. Some members expressed concern that a state-wide approach would stifle the voices of locally elected officials who are closest to the community. In the Education Committee, there was support for the proposed cannabis education program for schools, significant concerns about students bringing cannabis to school and how the legislation would conflict with federal law banning cannabis on school property. The bill was re-referred to the Public Safety Committee.


Met Council Considers Funding Single Family Homeownership

Single family home ownership could be a new use of the Metropolitan Council’s Local Housing Incentives Account (LHIA) in the Livable Communities Program. Staff presented a pilot project proposal to the Community Development Committee this week.

Under the proposal, the Council would establish an in-house single-family program under LHIA, which is currently shared with Minnesota Housing. The Council would target single-family funding proposals from across the metropolitan region. Staff said the goals would be to decrease racial disparities in homeownership and increase the geographic diversity of single-family LHIA funding.

More information on the proposal can be found here and here. The proposal was one of many discussion topics raised during Metro Cities recent review of the Livable Communities Program. Metro Cities will continue to monitor the Council’s actions on this pilot project proposal. Contact Charlie Vander Aarde at [email protected] or 651-215-4001 with any questions.

 

RentHelpMN Opens – State Asks Cities to Help Market Program

The state’s new COVID-19 emergency rental assistance program, called RentHelpMN, is taking applications. The fund can provide up to 15 months of assistance going back to mid-March 2020. Renters can go to RentHelpMN.org to apply. Landlords will be able to enter property information into the portal and individuals can also request a paper application. 211 is available to answer questions Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm and translation services are available. The state is asking cities to help market the program to renters and landlords. Sign up here for a toolkit. Each toolkit includes a community flyer, poster, social media posts, ads, text and email messaging, and is available in English, Somali, Hmong and Spanish.

 

DEED Coronavirus CDBG-CV Program: Call for Applications

DEED is accepting grant applications from cities for eligible activities that address community needs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). These activities include broadband development, public services, retrofitting/repurposing buildings and commercial rehabilitation. The program is being run through DEED’s Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) under M.S. 116J.401 but all cities are eligible to apply.

Eligible applicants are non-entitlement and entitlement jurisdictions. Non-entitlement jurisdictions include units of general local government that do not receive CDBG funds directly from HUD (incorporated municipalities under 50,000 and counties under 200,000 in population). Entitlement cities in the metro include Bloomington, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, St. Paul, and Woodbury.

The State of Minnesota CDBG-CV Program is designed to help entitlement and non-entitlement communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). These efforts will aid in health and economic recovery. Additionally, the State has established the following funding priorities by eligible activity: broadband development, public service, retrofitting buildings and commercial rehabilitation. The application deadline is June 1, 2021. More information is available here.

 

National League of Cities’ American Jobs Plan Webinar

On Monday, April 19th, the National League of Cities hosted a webinar featuring U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg who spoke about the American Jobs Plan and answered questions submitted by attendees. Secretary Walsh, a former mayor spoke to the impact federal investments could make in cities across the country and Deputy Secretary Trottenberg said transportation safety is a top priority. Click HERE for a recording of the webinar. Metro Cities is monitoring this plan and will provide further updates. Questions or feedback? Contact Michael Lund at 651-215-4003 or [email protected]

 

2021 Metro Cities Policy Committees

Metro Cities is preparing for 2021 policy committees and your participation is encouraged! Meetings will be conducted remotely and will be held in July, August, and September. Four committees - Transportation and General Government, Municipal Revenues, Metropolitan Agencies, Housing and Economic Development. Committees will recommend legislative policies for 2022. Policy committees are open for participation by member city elected officials and staff. Committee dates and sign-up forms are on the Policy Committees page of Metro Cities’ website.

Committees will meet either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday in the morning from 9:00-11:30 am or the afternoon from 1:00-3:30. Committees and dates are on our website. Additional information, including remote meeting access, will be posted as it becomes available.

Please be sure to sign up for the committee(s) you wish to attend, even if you have been on the committee in the past. This will help us keep our rosters current and accurate.

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

 

Sensible Land Use Coalition: Housing in a Pandemic and Beyond

The Sensible Land Use Coalition will host a discussion titled “Housing in a Pandemic and Beyond: Fact v. Fiction” next Wednesday, April 28th, at noon, by Zoom. For more information and to register visit the Coalition’s website at: www.SensibleLand.org


Bills of Note

HF 2536, Novotny/SF 2437, Kiffmeyer: Bill requires the termination of Northstar Commuter Rail.

HF 2543, Hassan/SF 2423, Bigham: Bill prohibits law enforcement agencies from using the number of traffic stops, citations, or enforcement activity as criteria for the evaluation of peace officers.

HF 2546, Xiong, J./SF 2446, Fateh: Prohibits law enforcement use of tear gas, chemical weapons and kinetic energy munitions.

HF 2558, Grossell: Bill revises the posttraumatic stress syndrome benefits that law enforcement agencies must provide peace officers.

SF 2445, Howe/HF 2522, Demuth: Bill expands the right to use deadly force during declared states of emergency.

SF 2462, Fateh/HF 2529, Frazier: Bill limits the authority of peace officers to stop or detain drivers for motor vehicle equipment violations.

SF 2441 - Gazelka: Bill appropriates funding to the commissioner of public safety for safety costs related to civil unrest.

 

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