02-08-1999 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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From M1M To Ron Moorse Date 2/5/99 Time 7 21 54 Pf.1 Page 2 of 2 AMAA FAX NEWS February 1-5, 1999 '8# Aiiodation of Metropolitan Municipalitier 1 For Your Info... HOUSE TAX REBATE Tfie House has passed its Ta - Rebate Bill (HF 1). while the Senate bill will be on the floor ne-t weeK Both bills propose to rebate to individual taxpayers appro*imately $ 1 0 billion but the method of distribution varies The House proposal would distribute the rebate based on income taxes paid, while me Senate would use a formula based on sales ta-^es paid The governor supports the Senate nun The House would pay the rebate within 60 days of passage while the Senate bill v/ould send checKs to recipients in August A conference committee will resolve the differences MET COUNCIL BILL Sen Carol Flynn (D*Minneapolis) has introduced a bill (SF 501) related to the Metropolitan Council The bill would elect the council from districts The bill has been referred to the Senate Local Government Committee Sen Steve Morse (D-DaKota) has introduced SF 477 which would abolish the population threshold for municipal state aid The population tlneshold IS 5 000 and the abolition would increase the number of eligible cities but the amount of the fund would not increase It’s been referred to the Transportation Committee I.UU /’<rv Wtrs i\ faxed penodiotlly to ttH \MM etty mmut^ers ttnd udministrotnrs. I'lic infonntttit*n is intended to he shored w ith nuiyttrs. etnineiiinemhers and staff ' i 'oi\\rif*ht /999 \MM I4> I m\'ersity {ve. H. St hnil. M\ ssUh^-:044 fit one. (hSU 21^-400(1 lax: (051) :SI-12^4^ L^ittnil’ onun a noun 14 5. or Governor reduces budget for economic development programs ^^everal economic development ^Oprocnams are reduced or not funded in the oovernor s recently released li'udget The reductions or funding elimination total approumatei/ S10 0 million and several of the r'roposals impact cities The proposed budget would reduce the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIFi b/ $2 0 million and not fund the community resource pro gram jCRP) and the redevel opment fund The MIF provides loans for busi ness wfiile the (!;RP funded projects Ll (^1^n Minneapolis St Paul and Duluth The ledfvelopment program '.vas funded in iggg as part of the capital projects (bonding; bill but was funded with cash rather than bond proceeds Approximately 32 0 million of the redevelopment fund has been obligated and the remainder will be made available through a grant solicitation process scheduled for April 1999 The budget also eliminates or reduces funding for pass through grants such as Advantage Minnesota and to non-profit economic development agencies Corporate welfare bill to be introduced AMM officials testify on Highway 12 issue I egislation leased on the Corporate Lsubsidy Reform Commission report will be introduced in the Senate on Feb 8 1999 Sen John Hottinger (D-Mankato) will author the bill The bill will require the l?ayment of a living wage (110% of the poverty line 'wage) by li'usmesses that receive a public subsidy Tt ie bill also addresses the issue of inner cit ,' competition and modifies the current reporting requirements I led week the House and Senate i:»oiicV committees v/iii discuss the issue of corporate welfare with Greg Le Roy executive director of Good Jobs First and author of a book related to corpo rate v/elfare T he mayors of Ororio arid Long Lake testified before the Senate Transportation Committee on Feb 4 1999 regarding the future of Highway 12 The mayors jointly slated that the cities have agreed on a nght-of-v<ay for Highv/ay 12 and are discussing otfier cooperative ventures Also, the Mayors of Maple Plain and Independence v/ere in attendance and indicated that the t ,vo cities .vill also attempt to work together with the Minnesota Departmerit of Transporta tion (MnDot) to complete the planning of Highway 12 through their cities The hearing highlighted the ability of local governments to cooperate arid resolve a major issue f