Laserfiche WebLink
Metropolitan Agencies <br />should convene a group of local officials to identify any technical changes necessary for <br />implementingthenewstructure. <br />Metro CitiessupportsallowingtheCounciltoutilizeaSACÒtransferÓmechanismwhenthe <br />SAC reserve fund is inadequate to meet debt service obligations. Any use of the transfer <br />mechanism must be done so within parameters prescribed by state law and with appropriate <br />notification and processes to allow local official input and should include a timely Òshift backÓ of <br />anyfundsthatweretransferredfromthewastewaterfundtotheSACreservefund. Efforts <br />should be made to avoid increasing the municipal wastewater charge in use of the transfer <br />mechanism. <br />4-OFundingRegionalParks&OpenSpace <br />In the seven-county metropolitan area, regional parks essentially serve as state parks, and the <br />stateshouldcontinue toprovide capitalfunding forthe acquisition,developmentand <br />improvement of these parks in a manner that is equitable with funding for state parks. State <br />funding apart from Legacy funds should equal 40 percent of the operating budget for regional <br />parks.Legacyfundsforparksandtrailsshouldbebalancedbetweenthe metroandgreater <br />Minnesota. <br />Metro Citiessupportsstatefundingfor regionalparksandtrailsthatisfair,createsa <br />balance ofinvestmentacross the state,andmeetstheneedsoftheregion. <br />4-PLivableCommunities <br />TheLivableCommunities Act(LCA)isadministeredbytheMetropolitanCouncilandprovides <br />a voluntary, incentive-based approach to affordable housing development, tax base revitalization, <br />job growth and preservation, brownfield clean up and mixed-use, transit-friendly development, <br />and redevelopment. Metro Cities strongly supports the continuation of this approach, which <br />is widely accepted and utilized by cities. Since its inception in 1995 the LCA program has <br />generated billions of dollars of private and public investment, created thousands of jobs and <br />addedthousands ofaffordablehousingunits intheregion. <br />Metro Cities monitors the LCA programs on an ongoing basis and supports any necessary <br />program modifications to ensure that the LCA program criteria are flexible and promote <br />theparticipationofallparticipatingcommunities,andtoensureallmetropolitanareacities <br />areeligible toparticipate intheLivable CommunitiesDemonstrationAccount(LCDA). <br />Metro Cities supports increased funding and flexible eligibility requirements in the LCDA <br />to assist communities with development that may not be exclusively market driven or <br />market proven in the location, in order to support important development and <br />redevelopment goals. Metro Cities supports the findings of a recent local official working <br />group that identified the need for the Metropolitan Council to expand its outreach to <br />communitieson the LCAprogramsandtocontinue effortstoensurethatLCAcriteria are <br />sufficiently flexible to meet the range of identified program objectives. These efforts should <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br />52 <br /> <br />