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HomeMy WebLinkAbout13.F.2. SCALE Legislative PlatformTO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: CITY OF SHAKOPEE Memorandum Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City Administrator SCALE Legislative Platform December 20, 2010 Comment: Introduction: The Council is asked to review the SCALE Legislative Platform for 2011. Background: Shakopee is a member of the Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency (SCALE). Annually, SCALE adopts policies which its members would like to see enacted by the Minnesota Legislature. The policies are discussed and formulated by committees which have been set up through SCALE. This year, the policies cover such things as: • Regional Governments (Metropolitan Council, and County Transit Improvement Board) • River Crossings (Highways 41, 101, and 169) • Highway planning • Transit • Environmental Policies (clean water) • Fiscal Health (state and local government relationships) • Fiscal Policy (bonding for the Regional Training Facility, and competitiveness in Minnesota) At its December 9 meeting, SCALE voted to give tentative approval to these draft policies. There were a couple of suggested changes, including the addition of Environmental Policies, and a correction on the cost which had been given in the Highway 41 EIS. After review of the changed language, the SCALE Executive Committee is expected to finalize it. It should be noted that those who voted to adopt these policies were the elected representatives of the SCALE member entities -the seven cities, Scott County, School Districts, representatives from four Townships, and the SMSC. Relationship to Visioning: This supports Goal D, "Maintain, improve, and create strong partnerships with other private and public sector entities ". Action Required: The Council should review, and discuss if desired. Mark McNeill City Administrator FISCAL 111+.:1LT1I REFORMING THE STATE /LOCAL RELATIONSHIP Local governments, for the most part, are considered to be the more administrative wing of most state and federal programs and policies. As such, local governments have always advocated for — and worked toward — more of a partnership approach with the state. In forging this healthy and workable partnership, however, the state must also respect local governments' authority and accountability to their mutual citizens. SCALE opposes any further reductions in aid to cities, counties, townships, and school districts, and supports maintaining police and fire aid programs. SCALE supports continuance of modifications to Tax Increment Financing statutes to promote and foster economic development. SCALE opposes any legislation which places further environmental restrictions on new and /or existing businesses. SCALE supports legislation that would provide clear direction to local governments regarding the approval of variance requests. FISCAL POLICY to.smvani BONDING TO COMPLETE THE REGIONAL TRAINING FACILITY An additional $2.2 million in state bonding funds will be needed to complete the project in its proposed entirety, including the unique and critically needed rail safety training feature as well as the inclusion of more technology and training props to make this a comprehensively functional facility. SCALE requests $2.2 million in bonding revenue to complete the SCALE Regional Training Facility. MAKING MINNESOTA MORE COMPETITIVE After the publication of Minnesota s Millennium: LaunchingA New Generation of Competitive Leadership and Economic Growth, it — and its accompanying recommendations — were rather quickly shelved. SCALE encourages the 2011 -2012 legislature and Governor Mark Dayton of Minnesota to provide a thoughtful, fair hearing to all of the Commission's recommendations. MORE ABOUT SCALE For more information about SCALE, visit Formed in the spring of 2003, the Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency (SCALE) has been cited as a model of intergovernmental cooperation in a best practices review authored by the state auditor's office. The organization, which meets monthly, originally consisted of the mayors and administrators from cities within Scott County, as well as the county administrator and county board chair. It has expanded to include representatives of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, local school districts, and townships. Below are the contact numbers of SCALE members: Belle Plaine Elko New Market Jordan New Prague Prior Lake Savage Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Shakopee Scott County Scott County Township Association Scott County School Districts (952) 873-5553 (952) 461-2777 (952) 492-2535 (952) 758-4401 (952) 447-9800 (952) 882-2660 (952) 445-8900 (952) 233-9300 (952) 496-8186 (952) 492-2168 (952) 226-0010 2010 =201 Savage Mayor Janet Williams VVVYW.SCALEINFO.ORG Scott County Association For Leadership And Efficiency rt x WO- 'KING rl`uGErl'IIEh C 1) ttt: ST1:ENGT1IEN .EACII 01211ER +utt: uut, rrrip "t. g i_ REGIONA.L. GOVERNANCE I THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL Given the rapid growth and development in Scott County over the last two decades and the number of unique characteristics that distinguish it from Dist. 4 partner Carver County — SCALE has repeatedly endorsed a Scott County resident for the Met Council, to no avail. With the end of the current Governor's term and the redistricting of the Met Council, it's time to advocate for significant changes to the distribution of members, the reinstitution of original principles, and the role of local elected officials in selecting appointees to the Met Council. SCALE supports legislation that would redistribute Met Council members such that each of the seven metropolitan counties would be provided one representative, with the remaining nine allocated on a per- capita basis. SCALE supports legislation that would mandate that all Met Council members be selected from a slate of candidates advanced by locally elected officials. SCALE supports legislation that would return the charters of the Met Council to that of a regional planning and coordinating entity for the seven county metropolitan area, reassigning its current operational tasks to other agencies. THE COUNTIES TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT BOARD (CTIB) If Scott County had opted into the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) in 2008, it is probable that it too would have exceeded the "minimum threshold" of 3 percent, thus eliminating it from a guaranteed return on any dedicated tax revenue (The current estimate is about 3.09 percent). SCALE supports legislation that would raise the minimum county proportion to 5 percent, allow the minimum counties to retain 3 percent for its own transit priorities, and dedicate up to the remaining 2 percent to a general CTIB fund. CRosSIN& TILE RINTUR SAFE, EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE A comprehensive and long -range study on river crossings is needed that fully and thoroughly assesses the feasibility, cost- effectiveness, and environmental impacts of reconstructing the existing crossing sites in such a manner that they remain above the historical flood levels. Moreover, after expending more than $2 million on a draft Environmental Impact Statement for a new Hwy. 41 river crossing, it's time to invest the funds to complete it. Concomitantly, alternative modes of alleviating the pressures during flood events need more in depth evaluation. For example, the state may find that the total cost of adding a lane to Hwy. 169 — commonly known as "the gateway to the metro" — and/or including additional necessary upgrades would incur far fewer social and environmental impacts then potentially increasing capacity and flood - proofing other bridges. As part and parcel of such an assessment, the entire Hwy. 169 corridor from Mankato to Saint Paul should be qualitatively and quantitatively reviewed for commuter rail feasibility. SCALE supports the administration of a long - range, comprehensive, statewide study on the current Minnesota river crossing needs for short term improvements including Hwy. 41 and Hwy. 101. Evaluating improvements to Hwy. 169 as another means to relieving flood- related traffic congestion pressures, including the addition of a third lane and needed improvements for a managed lane that would add capacity during flood stages. SCALE supports the completion of the draft Environmental Impact Statement on a new Hwy. 41 river crossing. SCALE supports a full assessment of possible commuter rail capacity or long haul bus service along the Hwy. 169 Corridor. SCALE supports the elimination of special legislative restrictions on the study of investment in the Dan Patch commuter corridor. i1IGIi\VAY VISION INVESTMENTS FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND VITALITY The relevant statutes guiding the Right of way Acquisition Loan Fund (RALF) program are in immediate need of revision. More specifically, the antiquated language is simply not reflective of current conditions and realities: Currently, in the Met Council's Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), there is no mention of intermediate arterials — and the region is not constructing any more "controlled access" highways. Further, the developing outer ring areas need more flexibility in the use of RALF funds towards transit advantages, and the "official map" requirement should be amended or eliminated altogether. Finally, if adopted corridor studies exist, they should be deemed eligible corridors; and the RALF fund should be levied to its annual limit. Another key area of adequate infrastructure investment is that of interchanges. In 2000, MnDOT oversaw the administration of a long -term needs study, through which several "high priority interregional corridors" were identified. While the biannual bonding program for interchange should be continued, these "high priority" corridors should be deemed paramount for this funding. Further, the state should mandate the development of an IRC system as adopted by the 2000 study, focusing on these high priority corridors (with the correlated criteria of safety, mobility, and economic development capacity). SCALE supports specific revisions to the RALF program statutes; to wit, language changes that would recognize the unique needs of the growing exurban areas of the metropolitan region. SCALE supports the full utilization of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's 2000 Interregional Corridor Study (IRC) with the follow up corridor studies as the guiding documents for all current and future interchange and interregional corridor investment. SCALE supports the authority of local units of government to establish street improvement districts. Street improvement districts allow for cities in developed and developing areas to fund aew construction as well as reconstruction and maintenance efforts. rJ J, %NSI :1 NOT JUST FOR THE CORE CITIES ANYMORE The Office of the Legislative Auditor is expected to release its findings and recommendations regarding overall transit governance in January 2011. When this report is released, SCALE partner staff will assess the recommendations offered for any possible response. THE I-494 CORRIDOR Many of the residents who travel to the urban downtowns have been captured by the four transit providers. To increase transit ridership from the south metro and beyond, there should be a regional solution in providing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the I-494 corridor in some fashion. The prospect of BRT has the potential to increase ridership and reduce congestion on I-494, I -35 W, Hwy. 77, Hwy. 169 and Hwy. 212 by providing access to a regionally important and central destination. SCALE supports bonding for MnDOT to study the feasibility and implementation of a 1 -494 BRT or transit improvements along this corridor in partnership with the communities and transit providers who provide services along this corridor. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CLEAN WATER Policies that require all parties to accept responsibility for cleaning up impaired bodies of water and protecting others are in everyone's best interests and represent the public good. Funding is also needed to promote research and experimentation aimed at the cost - effective removal of phosphorus from our water bodies. SCALE supports an expanded clean water effort and looks forward to reviewing and possibly responding on the Office of the Legislative Auditor findings and recommendations to consolidate, coordinate, and expand clean water efforts. SCALE supports language that provides for research and innovation for legacy sources of phosphorus in water bodies as identified in approved studies in the Clean Water Legacy biennial funding. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SCALE, VISIT WWW.SCALEINFO.ORG