09-1250Snspension 11/04/2009
RESOLUTION
Council File # 09-1250
Green 5heet # 3087057
CITY OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
Presented by
] RESOLUTION OUTLINING THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL'S 2010 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
2
3 WHEREAS cities aze the front-line providers of important public services to our region and state, such as
a police and fire protection, librazy services, pazks and recreation, housing and economic devetopment; and
6 WHEREAS the combination of State aid reductions and changes to State property tax laws in recent yeazs
7 has resulted in a shift of the tax burden to the local property tax payers; and
9 WHBREAS the Mayor and City Council have responsibly maintained and improved essential City services
to during a time of reduced State support for our city's work; and
Il
12 WHEREAS the economy of Saint Paul and the entire state benefits when the State of Minnesota makes
13 appropriate investments to construct and maintain tcansportation infrastructure, and the efficient movement
14 of people and goods which is a key State responsibility; and
15
16 WHEREAS the Mayor and City Council are committed to securing additional funds for the Central
17 Conidor to support mitigation and community needs and are advocates for gowth in a statewide transit
18 system, including high speed rail connection from Chicago to the Saint Paul Union Depot; and
19
2o WHEREAS the Capitol City of Minnesota provides cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities
21 for the benefit of the entire state, and the State should partner with Saint Paul to improve opportunities for
22 the public through investmenY in capital infrastructure projects; and
23
24 WHEREAS Yhe City of Saint Paul is a leader in promoting projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
25 and is working with the private sector to build cleaner, greener manufacturing plants to produce green
26 products;and
27
28 WHEREAS the national foreclosure crisis is causing great stress on individuals and communities
29 throughout Saint Paul and the State; and
30
31 WHEREAS improving Saint Paul residents' access to quality education and workforce opportunities is a
32 responsibility of the City; and
33
34 WHEREAS the City of Saint Paul continues to act with purpose to ensure that people in our region can
35 live and work in a diverse, vibrant community with quality educational opportunities, safe streets, thriving
36 local commerce and modern infrastructure;
37
38 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the following items are the legislative agenda of the City of Saint
39 Paul for the 2010 Minnesota legislative session:
40
09-1250
4I CAPITAL INVESTMENT
4z
43 • Advocate for the following projects in the 2010 State Bonding Bill, including:
44 o Como Zoo: Asset Preservation and E�ibit Renewal -$11M
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
o Arts Partnership: Ordway Performing Arts Center -$17.SM
o Asian Pacific Cultural Center: $5M
o Saint Paul Outdoor Recreation and Team Sports Initiative (SPORTS): Regional Ball Park -
$25M
o University Ave Streetscaping: Public Improvements and Infrastructure -$I OM
o I-94 Pedestrian Bridge Aeplacement: $3M
• Support the following projects:
n
O
0
o Support Phalen/Keller Regional Park improvement requests
o Support Ramsey County request for Battle Creek Recreation Area
o Support request of fiuids for Saint Paul Port Authority priorities, including failed dock wall
replacement and 3M infrastructure
Support request of Metro Parks, a division of the Metropolitan Council
Support request of funds for Gillette Children's Hospital
Support Minnesota Housing's request for area housing programs
o Support request of funds for Metro State University to renovate existing buildings and to
construct a new science facility
o Support request of funds by Ready 4 K to rehabilitate early education facilities
o Support request of funds for Saint Paul's Union Depot
09-1250
67 REVENUE
68
69 • Advocate for improving the Local Government Aid formula to restore previous cuts, reduce the
7o year-to-year volatility of aid levels that cities receive and reform the formula to consider inflation in
7 i the cost of providing City services.
7z
�3 • Advocate for the repeal of levy limits scheduled for taxes payable in 2010 and 20ll . In absence of
74 a repeal, prevent extension beyond 2011, maintain existing special levy authority, maintain the
7s ability to adjust levies by 100% of any reductions in State aid, remove or increase the 3.9% cap on
76 inflauon, and adjust inflation for household growth and commercial/industrial new construction
�7 growth from 50% to 100%.
�s
79
so
s�
82
83
$4
85
86
87
88
89
• Advocate for flexibiliry on the 5 year rule for the Snelling/University TIF district with increment to
be spent on public infrastructure and improvements related to Central Corridor.
• Advocate for fair and equitable distribution of new revenue as a result of the passage of the
constitutional amendment to fund conservation, the environment, and the arts.
• Support the removal of sales taY on all City purchases, including materials for public works, public
safety, and water distribution.
• Advocate for the repeal of sewer access charges currently required by Metropolitan Council.
09-1250
90 TRANSPORTATION
91
92
93
94
95
96
47
• Advocate for State bonding dollars and changes to State TIF law that would allow the City to make
additaonal investments in public infrastructure and improvements related to the Central Corridor.
o Additional public investment includes money for additional transit stations, streetscape,
business mitigation, affordable housing, parking mitigation, and other related costs.
98 • Support Transit Investments: Union Depot is a critical hub for transportation in eastern Minnesota
99 and the Central Corridor is the lifeline of that hub. The City of Saint Paul supports working with
100 other communities to build a 21st century transit and transportation system in eastern Minnesota.
10t
� 02 • Support MnDOT's efforts in continued maintenance funding and other additional resources to
103 better meet the departmenYs needs.
]04
1 os • Support enactment and funding for a statewide Complete Streets policy, requiring that all new and
I o6 reconstructed streets accommodate all users of those streets, including motor vehicles, pedestrians,
io7 bicycles, and people in wheelchairs.
to8
109
I10
111
ll2
113
114
I15
• Support funding of a statewide effort to educate motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians about the
rules of the road and best practices in order to increase safety and decrease crashes, injuries, and
fatalities.
• Support additional resources to continue to improve base bus service within the City of Saint Paul.
• Support incentives to use local steel for Central Corridor and other transit construction.
09-1250
>>6 EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
>»
11 s • Support legislation brought forth by the Building Jobs Coalition with the purpose of putting
� I9 Minnesotans back to work. The City supports incent3ves and job creation measures that encourage
t20 invesrinent in both public and private infrastructure.
12]
122 • Support recommendations made by the Mayoss' Green Jobs Initiative that will create and expand
123 green jobs in Saint Paul with the overazching objectives to espouse green manufacturing policies
1z4 benefiting core cities and to achieve as much energy efficiency as possible.
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
]32
133
134
135
136
137
• Support efforts to increase funding for job search assistance, skills training, childcaze, and related
programs to help people find and retain employment.
• Support initiatives of partnering organizations such as Ready 4 K, Youth Community Connections
and local School Districts as appropriate and as they complement programs administered in Saint
Paul.
• Support Pre-K Allowance program funds.
• Oppose cuts to after school community learning projects.
09-1250
138 PUBLIC SAFETY
139
140
141
]42
143
144
]45
146
147
148
149
I50
t51
152
• Support maintaining cities' abilities to effectively prosecute quality of life crimes and impose
penalties for those crimes.
• Support permanent State funding for the Survivor Resources Program administered by the Saint
Paul Police Department.
• Support efforts to provide specific State authority for municipalities to enforce housing
maintenance codes in light of Minnesota Supreme Court decision Morris v. Sax.
• Support appropriations changes to the Minnesota Fire Safety Account to fund critical services.
• Oppose legislation establishing a Minnesota Board of Residential Construction.
o9-�zso
iss ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY STABILITY
154
i 55 • Advocate for Accelerated Housing Recovery Legislation through the use of housing replacement
156 districts, general law pooling provisions, property maintenance provisions and vacant building
157 legislation.
158
159 • Advocate for stable statewide funding to address neighborhood recovery, housing preservation, and
16o increased affordable housing supply as a direct result of the mortgage foreclosure crisis. Support
167 collaborations with Minnesota Housing Partnership, Minnesota Foreclosure Partners Council and
162 others on priority housing issues, including:
163
�64 o Restoring housing markets in communities impacted by foreclosures;
165 o Rehabilitating vacant and abandoned houses far economic recovery; and
I66 o Providing a housing safety net for vulnerable home owners.
(67
] 68 • Support expansion of programs to provide low cost financing to improve the energy efficiency of
169 existing homes and buildings, particularly those in low and moderate income communities hit by
17o the foreclosure/vacant housing crisis. This may also include working with utilities on shut-off
] 71 norifications and access to homeowners prior to Apxil 15.
172
173
174
175
176
• Support limiYed and targefed use of eminent domain in distressed neighborhoods with heavy
concentrations of vacant and foreclosed houses and/or commercial properties as a result of the
mortgage foreclosure crisis.
� 77 • Support incentives allowing the Ford Plant to continue operations, promote retention of employees
t7s and job growth opportunities, such as reseazch into hybrid vehicles or other green manufacturing
179 funcUons.
180
181
]82
183
184
185
186
187
188
• Support State funding for University Enterprise Laboratories.
• Support dedicated State funding for programs at the Department of Employment and Economic
Development focusing on women and minority-owned businesses, redevelopment areas, and transit
improvement areas.
• Support funding for operations and maintenance of regional pazks.
189 • Support incentives, mandates, and policies that increase solar and thermal production for public and
190 private entiries in conjuncrion with the Solar Energy Grant awazded to Saint Paul and Minneapolis
19t by the US Department of Energy.
t92
193
194
195
196
197
198
• Support efforts to create a fund for construction of grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods in
urban and rural areas.
• Support the removal of property tax exemptions for propefty of the Metropolitan Airport
Commission surrounding the airport at Holman Field.
09-1250
�99 • Support legislation directing State funds for planning purposes to enhance the Wamer Road Bridge
20o as part of the overall improvements being made to the bridge in 2010.
20]
202 • Support modifications to liquor laws clarifying a City's ability to impose license restrictions.
203
04-1250
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
• GENERAY. MUNICIPAL ADVOCACY
• Support the 20101egislative agendas of the Leab e of Minnesota Cities, MetroCities, Ramsey
County and the Saint Paul Public School District, except in cases of conflict.
• Support a State demonstration project in the City of Saint Paul as a precursor to ensuring that all
children in the state have access to adequate health insurance.
z12 • Support the rights of cities to manage their operations without inappropriate interference from the
213 State. The State should not attempt to coerce cities to change their ordinances by threatening to
2t4 withhold property tax relief for city residents. Local voters are the appropriate authority to hold
2t5 1oca1 governments accountable for their ordinances.
216
217
218
Requested by Department oE
Adoption Cert b Coun 1 Secretary
BY� /' Y //.iG'� i�-SiJra
Approv� or: Date ��Q-°�
���-
By: �
By:
Approved by the Office of Financial Services
By:
Approved by City Attorney
By:
Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
By: °7�� o �, P��--.�/
l/- `f- r�-J'
Adopted by Council: Date /�����G'�f
09-1 0
� Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet �
DepartmenVOfficeiCouncil: Date Initiated:
� co -�°un°�� 03 NOV 2009 Green Sheet NO: 3087057
Contact Person 8 Phone- Denartment SentTo Person InitiallDate
Ann Olson o ouncu C�
6-8651 I ooncB DeuartmeutDirector I
Assign Z ' Clerk Ci Clerk
Musc Be on Councit Agenda by (Dafe): Number 3 �
For 4 r ----�
Routing
Doc.7ype:RESOLUTION Order 5 �
E•Document Required: Y
Document Contact: Donna Sanders
Contact Phone: 6-8653
Total # of Signature Pages _(Ctip AI{ LoGations for Signature)
Action Requested:
Resolution outliuing the Ciry of Sain[ Pau]'s 2010 Legislative Agenda.
Recommendations: Approve (A) or Reject (R): Personal Service Controcts Must Answer the Following Questions:
Planning Commission 1. Has this person/firm ever worked under a contract for this depaAment?
CIB Committee Yes No
Civil Service Commission 2. Has this person/firm ever been a ciTy employee?
Yes No
3. Does this person/firm possess a skill not normally possessed by any
current city employee?
Yes No
Explain all yes answers on separate sheet antl attach to green sheet.
Ini[iating Problem, Issues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Why):
Advantages If Approved:
DisadvantageSlfApproved:
DisadvanWges If Not Approved:
Total Amount of
Transaction: CosVRevenue Budgeted:
Funtling Source: Activity Number:
Financial Information:
(Explain)
November 3, 2009 432 PM Page 1