01-08-2025 Workshop Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MR-16 STATE PROGRAM REVENUE SOURCES MR-17 POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS MR-18 HEALTH CARE INSURANCE PROGRAMS Metro Cities supported legislation initiated by the League of Minnesota Cities and enacted in 2023, to address mental injury and prevention and funding for related costs. Ongoing funding will be needed to continue addressing these challenges. Metro Cities further supports efforts by the League of Minnesota Cities, cities and other stakeholders to identify ways to enhance public safety physical and mental wellness, to gather empirical evidence related to treatability of mental injuries, and to developing tools, best practices, resources and guidance for identifying, preventing and responding to post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD). Metro Cities further supports full state funding for the Public Safety Officer Benefit account that reimburses employers for continued health insurance to police officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty, funding to reimburse local governments for providing paid time off to public safety employees who experience work related trauma and/or are seeking treatment for a mental injury, and funding for trauma training, early intervention, and mental health treatment. Metro Cities supports reinstating the PERA aid that was paid to local units of government to help address increased employer contribution costs. Metro Cities opposes any attempt by the state to finance programs of statewide value and significance, that are traditionally funded with state revenues, with local revenue sources such as municipal utilities or property tax mechanisms. Statewide programs serve important state goals and objectives and should be financed through traditional state revenue sources such as the income or sales tax. Metro Cities further opposes substituting traditionally state funded programs with funding mechanisms that would disparately affect taxpayers in the metropolitan area. For these reasons, Metro Cities opposed the metropolitan sales tax for the purposes of funding housing, that was enacted in 2023. Metro Cities supported statutory changes that allow local governments to establish trusts from which to fund post-employment health and life insurance benefits for public employees, with participation by cities on a strictly voluntary basis, in recognition of differing local needs and circumstances. Cities should retain the ability to determine the level of post-employment benefits to employees. Metro Cities supports legislative efforts to control health insurance costs but opposes actions that undermine local flexibility to manage rising insurance costs. 9