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• • CfL4P1'ER 17 3. Mass transit Minn. Stet. § 412.227, subd. 32. Some Minnesota cities operate mass transit systems, either under the Minn. stet. § 17a.z7. general authority of the statutory city code, charter provisions, or special laws. The law authorizes cities to have commuter van pools for employees. Some of these state grants are discussed an MDOT's web site: A variety of state grants to assist public transit systems are available. http://www.dot.state.mn Contact the Minnesota Department of Transportation for more information. .us 1. ~ Advertising Minn. stet. § a69. ~ x9. Cities have wide discretion in using city funds to promote their communities. Because the laws treat certain types of cities differently, this discussion will deal with the laws governing the use of city money for advertising purposes. Mmn. stet. § a69.ia9. Except for first class cities (Minneapolis, Duluth, St. Paul), the council of any statutory or home rule charter city may appropriate money each year for advertising. A city may use the appropriated money only for the purpose of advertising the municipality and its resources and advantages, including cooperative programs of more than one city. Minn. scat. § a69.ts7. First class cities may levy a tax not to exceed .00080 percent of their taxable market value. Minn. stAt. § a69. ~ ss. Second class and third class cities may levy a tax for advertising agricultural, industrial, business, and the community's other resources. A.G. Op. 59-A-22 (May 23, The council has considerable discretion in deterrn;ning what constitutes 19ss). advertising. The attorney general has ruled, for example, that a survey of A.G. Op. 59-A-22 (May 20, business and business development is permissible; that the council may 196s). decide whether the cost of a city progress report is a legitimate advertising A.G. Op. 469-B-2 (May 25, expenditure; that the city may pay for signs outside city limits advertising 1959)• the city; that under similar authority to levy a tax to advertise the A.G. Op. 476-8-5 (Oct. 29, agricultural, industrial, business, and general resources, the city could pay 19x9). for a parade float if the council determined that the float would advertise the city; and that whether the law authorized Christmas decoration was a fact question for the council. Mitchell v. City of St. Poui, 1 la ~ far back as 1911, the Minnesota Supreme Court held that a contract with Minn. 1a,13o rr.w. 66 (1911). a publicity bureau was a reasonable means to promote the general welfare of See 16 McQuillin, Municipal the city. It is important, of course, that whatever a city chooses to do should corporations § aa.ao. be within the bounds of the public rather than the private interest and benefit the community as a whole. • HANDBOOK FOR MINNESOTACITffiS 17-17 31