05-23-22-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-19- LEGISLATIVE UPDATES As the first year of the fiscal biennium, the primary focus of the 2021 Minnesota legislative session would typically have been the development of the state’s fiscal year (FY) 2022–2023 biennial budget. Positive news on the state’s budget forecast entering the session, with projections for the end of the FY 2020–2021 biennium improving from a $2.4 billion shortfall predicted in a May 2020 special pandemic budget projection to a $940.0 million surplus predicted in the February 2021 budget and economic forecast, was expected to ease the budget process and relieve the pressure to make budget cuts during an already uncertain time. However, given the significant events of the preceding year, including the COVID -19 pandemic and death of George Floyd, the focus of the regular session shifted to legislation responding to the pressing issues that resulted from those events. The business of setting a biennial budget was ultimately not addressed until a June special session that ended in the early morning hours of July 1st. The following is a brief summary of legislative changes from the 2021 session or previous legislative sessions potentially impacting Minnesota cities. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act – The federal ARP Act, signed into law in March 2021, provided federal economic recovery funding for federal, state, and local government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota local governments received approximately $2.1 billion in funding under the ARP Act, including $644.0 million awarded to 21 large cities (over 50,000 population) and $377.0 million awarded to cities and towns with a population below 50,000, with half distributed in FY 2021 and half in FY 2022. Local governments can use ARP Act funding in four broad categories: responding to public health and economic impacts; providing premium pay to essential workers; providing general government services to the extent of revenue loss; or investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Potential State Aid Enhancements – The 2021 Legislature increased state general fund base spending by approximately $1.3 billion. Included are funding increases for several programs potentially of benefit to Minnesota cities, Including: • A one-time appropriation of $5.5 million for supplemental aid to cities for FY 2022, to offset losses of local government aid (LGA) for 96 cities under the current formula. It is expected the Legislature will review and consider updating the LGA formula during the 2022 session. • Annual appropriations of $1.8 million for the Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program, intended to bolster local economic growth by providing grant assistance to cities for public infrastructure needed to create and retain jobs. • Annual appropriations of $2.5 million for local community childcare grants, intended to assist local communities to increase the number of childcare providers to support economic development. • Allocating a total of $70.0 million from the state’s ARP Act funds over the biennium ($35.0 million per year) to fund the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program, which provides grants to local governments for enhancing broadband availability. • Annual allocations of $4.5 million for reimbursements to local governments for firefighter training and education costs. • Annual allocations of $2.9 million for reimbursement to local governments for peace officer training costs. • A one-time appropriation of $18.0 million for FY 2022 to the small cities assistance account to provide additional road repair funding for cities under 5,000 population. Truth-in-Taxation Changes – Effective for property taxes payable in 2023 and thereafter, county auditors will be required to prepare a new statement for inclusion in its parcel -specific truth-in-taxation notices that contains summary budget information for the county, cities, and school districts for which they spread and collect tax levies. Cities with a population greater than 500 will be required to compile and provide current and proposed summary budget information to the county auditor, based on the summary budget information cities are required to submit each year to the Minnesota state auditor.