Title
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING CITY OF DULUTH 2021 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, the Duluth city council finds as follows:
(a) The city desires to establish a legislative agenda for 2021;
(b) The city has devoted meeting time and discussion to the city legislative priorities;
(c) The city supports the following legislative initiatives that are of vital interest to the region.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth’s top legislative priority is to work with legislators and the Administration to safeguard funding for Local Government Aid. To the extent practical, the city will seek increased funding for the Local Government Aid formula. The city will also advocate for maintaining a Local Government Aid formula which does not reduce Local Government Aid payments to the City of Duluth;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Duluth also supports the following local and regional initiatives:
• Funding for housing projects as proposed by the Homes For All Coalition which calls for general obligation bonds for public housing rehabilitation and housing infrastructure bonds for construction of affordable housing through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency;
• Policies to help reduce and prevent evictions; programs to provide emergency and long term rental assistance, identifying and protecting Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing, increasing affordable homeownership development through Minnesota Housing programs such as the Economic Development and Housing Challenge Program, state matching dollars for local housing trust funds; and policies and funding to combat and prevent homelessness;
• Funding for Department of Employment and Economic Development programs such as the Minnesota Investment Fund, the Job Creation Fund and the Redevelopment Account and support for local businesses that may apply for these funds;
• State general obligation bond proceeds for improvements and upgrades to the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge;
• State general obligation bond proceeds for Port Development Assistance Program;
• State funds for programs and incentives to expand and attract opportunities for film, television, and music production in Minnesota;
• State funds to improve access to universal, high quality broadband services for all Minnesotans;
• State funds to support local government efforts to remove and replace trees infested by emerald ash borer and development of markets for products utilizing the resulting wood waste;
• Statutory language that allows Cities of the First Class to require parkland dedication fees for a broader array of development in addition to ‘subdivided’ property;
• Statutory language that allows local entities to adopt higher commercial building energy standards than what is required by the state code;
• A statewide policy requiring employers to provide safe and sick time for employees; and
• Efforts to meaningfully address racial and economic disparities as the state recovers from COVID related economic strain.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution sets the City of Duluth priorities for the 2021 legislative session.