1i. Approve Resolution Regarding City Unity DayF
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League of Minnesota Cities
3490 Lexington Avenue North
St. Paul, n2N 55126
(612) 490 -5600
TO: Mayors, Managers /Administrators /Clerks
FROM: League of Minnesota Cities President
and Mayor of St. Cloud, Chuck Winkelman4
DATE: March 30, 1994
RE: CITY UNITY DAY RESOLUTION AND RALLY ��3i spy
Thursday, April 21 will be Minnesota Cities Unity Day.
To celebrate this event, I would like you to do three things:
• Pass the enclosed resolution at your next council meeting and send copies to your
Legislators and the Governor;
• Send the enclosed news release to your local paper; (be sure to fill in the blanks
with your city's name and your mayor's name) and;
• Encourage one or two people from your city to attend the Cities Unity Day Rally at
the State Capitol on April 21st (see enclosed registration) CITY GOVERNMENT
MAY ONCE AGAIN BE DEALT WITH UNFAIRLY IN THE TAX BILL UNLESS
YOU COME.
We must make sure the Governor and Legislature are hearing our message: cities are not a
"special interest" lobbying on their own behalf at the Legislature; cities are a partner in the
government of Minnesota providing city services to the over three million people who live
in cities as well as those who come to our cities to work, for entertainment, or receive an
education. Almost every person in Minnesota uses city services on a daily basis.
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CITY UNITY DAY RESOLUTION
' WHEREAS, the City of
Minnesota Cities; and
is a member of the League of
WHEREAS, Thursday, April 21 1994 is Minnesota Cities Unity Day;
' WHEREAS, cities working together have established the League of Minnesota Cities action
agenda for the 1994 session of the legislative; and
' WHEREAS, in the closing days of the 1994 session many of these issues remain unresolved;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF ,
' that:
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1. The Legislature and Governor restore the shortfall in the Local Government Trust
Fund which they created so that there will be no cuts in government aid (LGA) and
homestead agricultural aid credit (HACA) in 1994, and provide reliable additional
funding for LGA and HACA in future years to preserve the fiscal stability of cities;
2. Preserve and improve the ability of cities to expand their boundaries in order to
provide city services to all who need them;
3. Remove the aid penalties in manufacturing and redevelopment districts so that
cities will not be penalized for improving their local economies.
4. Increase funding for roads and transit;
5. Establish a new program to clean up landfills and adequately fund pollution clean
up grants and;
6. Support the other legislative initiatives of the League of Minnesota Cities.
(Note: Send copies of this resolution to your Legislators and the Governor).
NEWS
For Immediate Release
For more information call Duke Addicks, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, League of
Minnesota Cities (612) 490 -5600.
LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES PRESIDENT DECLARES CITY
UNITY DAY.
"Thursday, April 21st, will be the first City Unity Day." League of Minnesota Cities
President and Mayor of St. Cloud Chuck Winkelman declared. "The League of Cities Board
of Directors has authorized a City Unity Rally at the State Capitol to demonstrate that all city
officials throughout the state are working together to improve the delivery of city services to
the over four million people who live, work and receive an education in one of our
communities."
The city of at its meeting on
the declaration of Cities Unity Day, according to Mayor
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joined in I
"Residents of Minnesota Cities appreciate the ability of cities to provide services at a
reasonable cost," League President Winkeeman continued. "Drinkable water, plowed and
maintained streets, sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreation programs, police and fire
protection are all taken for granted. But city government leaders are also working to
improve the local economy, ensuring that there are decent jobs and adequate housing for
all."
"To do this, city government needs fiscal stability," Winkelman adds, "Every city would like
to be fiscally independent from state assistance, but the local property tax base often is
inadequate to provide the financial resources to achieve this goal. The state contributes about
five percent (just over five hundred million dollars) of its annual revenues to help cities
maintain these services. This assistance to cities, in the form of homestead agricultural
credit aid and local government aid, helps us to keep property taxes down."
"If the Legislature and the Governor would help us strengthen our own local economies we
could rely even less on state aids, and an improved property tax base would mean lower
taxes for all. "
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"The Legislature and Governor seem reluctant to help cities, and the residents who use city
services daily. A modest 5 % increase in state aid payments would help us avoid property
tax increases next year. We're seeking more authority to improve our focal economies,
through the use of tax increment financing to pay a portion of the cost of new manufacturing
' and redevelopment, and a greater ability to manage the growth of our communities through a
more efficient boundary adjustment process."
' "By rededicating ourselves to the goals of all the cities in Minnesota and working together
through the League of Minnesota Cities, we can send a strong message to the state: either
help cities maintain their viability or accept the responsibility for their decline."
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League of Minnesota Cities
3490 Lein&n Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55126.8044
(612) 490 -5600
CITY UNITY DAY RALLY
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
9:00 a.m. Coffee and Rolls
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Briefing
Then walk to the Capitol to confront our Legislators outside the Senate and House
Chambers.
Meet at the Kelly Inn near the State Capitol in St. Paul
Find out how the Legislature will affect cities in the closing days of the 1994 session. Tell
your legislators how they can help cities achieve fiscal stability and improve their local
economy. THIS WILL BE THE CRITICAL TIME WHEN THE OMNIBUS TAX BILL
WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT DEAL ADEQUATELY WITH OUR ISSUES IS BEING
FINALIZED. Your presence will strongly influence the outcome of this legislative session.
We hope that one or two persons from every city in the state will attend.
Return the registration below to Julie Johns, Legislative Secretary at the League.
YES! WE'RE COMING TO ST. PAUL TO THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES
CITY UNITY DAY RALLY.
City _
Name
Name
Name
(please print or type)
Registration Fee $5 in advance, $5 at the door. (Please make advance registration if at
all possible so we can have an adequate number of briefing papers) Make check payable
and mail to:
League of Minnesota Cities
Attn: Finance Department
3490 Lexington Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55126