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MR-24 SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS <br />As the state works to identify efficiencies in the vehicle registration process and <br />system, policy makers must consider the effects of changes on the financial viability of <br />deputy registrars resulting from decreases in transaction fees collected by local <br />registrars. The perspectives from local deputy registrars should have increased weight <br />in discussions regarding future MNDRIVE system enhancements. <br />Metro Cities supports increases to existing transaction fee levels that are set by state <br />law, to ensure that local deputy registrars can sufficiently function and meet continually <br />evolving local registrar service needs and address any necessary modifications to <br />registrar operations to ensure these services can be provided safely to the public. <br />Metro Cities further supports sharing revenue from mail-in and online transactions <br />between Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) and deputy registrars. <br />When property owners challenge special assessments based on application of the <br />special benefit test, some courts have interpreted “benefits received” to mean the one- <br />year increase in property value that is directly attributable to a construction project. <br />There is currently no consistency between state laws and rulings by some courts on <br />the term “benefits received”. Metro Cities supports modifications to state laws <br />governing special assessments for construction projects or other improvements arising <br />from legislative authority to clarify the definition of “benefits received”. The modified <br />definition should more closely align with how special assessments are calculated and <br />recognizes that the benefit of the improvement to a property may be realized over time <br />and not within one year. <br />12