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Transportation <br />unpredictable, and theLegislaturehasrepeatedly reduced general fund supportforMetroTransit, <br />whichcontributes topersistentoperatingdeficitsforregionaltransitproviders. <br />Operating subsidies necessary to support a regional system should come from regional and <br />statewidefunding sourcesand not localtaxpayers.Inrecent years,stateand regionalresources <br />for transithavediminished,with costsshiftingto local taxpayersin themetropolitanarea.A <br />systemoftransit providessignificanteconomicbenefitsto thestateandmetropolitanregion <br />andmust be supported with state and regional revenue sources. In addition, capital costs for <br />theexpansion of the regional transit system should be supported through state and regional <br />sources, andnotthe soleresponsibilityoflocalunits ofgovernment. <br />Metro Cities supports stable and predictable state and regional revenue sources to fund <br />operating and capital expenses for all regional transit providers and Metro Mobility at a <br />levelsufficienttomeetthe growingoperationalandcapitaltransitneedsoftheregionand <br />toexpandthesystemtoareas thatlacksufficienttransitservice options. <br />MetroCitiescontinuesto support anadvisory roleformunicipalofficialsindecisions <br />associatedwithlocaltransitprojects. <br />5-DStreetImprovementDistricts <br />Funding sources for local transportation projects are limited to the use of Municipal State Aid <br />StreetProgram(MSAS),propertytaxesand specialassessments.Inaddition,citiesunder5,000 <br />in population are not eligible for MSA. With increasing pressures on city budgets and limited <br />toolsandresources,citiesarefindingitincreasinglydifficulttomaintainagingstreets. <br />Street improvementdistrictsallowcitiesin developed and developing areastofund new <br />constructionas wellas reconstructionandmaintenance efforts. <br />The street improvement district is designed to allow cities, through a fair and objective fee <br />structure, to create a district or districts within the city in which fees are raised on properties in <br />the district and spent within the boundaries of the district. Street improvement districts would <br />alsoaidcitiesunder 5,000withanalternativetothepropertytaxsystemand specialassessments. <br />Metro Cities supports the authority of local units of government to establish street <br />improvement districts. Metro Cities also supports changes to special assessment laws to <br />make assessing state-owned property a more predictable process with uniformity in the <br />paymentofassessments acrossthestate. <br />5-EHighwayandBridgeTurnBacks&Funding <br />Cities do not have the financial capacity and in many cities the technical expertise other than <br />throughsignificantpropertytaxincreases, toabsorbadditionalroadwayorbridgeinfrastructure <br />responsibilities without new funding sources. The existing municipal turnback fund is not <br />adequate basedoncontemplatedturnbacks. <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br />58 <br /> <br />