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MA-4 FUNDING REGIONAL SERVICES <br />MA-5 REGIONAL SYSTEMS <br />Metro Cities supports an objective study of the Metropolitan Council’s activities and <br />services as well as its geographical jurisdiction to ensure that its services are <br />positioned to be effective and adequate in addressing the future needs of the region. <br />Such work must include the participation of local officials. The Metropolitan Council <br />should also examine its scope of services to determine their benefit and efficiency and <br />be open to alternative methods of delivery to assure that services are provided at high <br />levels of effectiveness for the region. <br />Metro Cities supports appropriate legislative oversight of the Metropolitan Council to <br />regularly review the Council’s activities, and to provide transparency and accountability <br />of its functions and operations. <br />The Metropolitan Council should continue to fund regional services and activities <br />through a combination of user fees, property taxes, and state and federal grants and <br />should set user fees through an open process that includes public notices and <br />hearings. User fees should be uniform and set at a level that supports effective and <br />efficient public services based on commonly accepted industry standards and allows <br />for sufficient reserves to ensure long-term service and fee stability. Fee proceeds <br />should be used to fund regional services or programs for which they are collected. <br />Metro Cities supports the use of property taxes and user fees to fund regional projects <br />so long as the benefit conferred on the region is proportional to the fee or tax, and the <br />fee or tax is comparable to the benefit cities receive in return. <br />Regional systems are statutorily defined as transportation, aviation, wastewater <br />treatment and recreational open space. The purpose of the regional systems and the <br />Metropolitan Council’s authority over the systems is outlined in state law. The <br />Metropolitan Council must seek a statutory change to alter the focus or expand the <br />reach of any of these systems. <br />Systems plans prepared by the Metropolitan Council should be specific in terms of <br />size, location, and timing of regional investments to allow for consideration in local <br />comprehensive planning. Systems plans should also clearly state the criteria by which <br />local plans will be judged for consistency with regional systems. <br />Additional regional systems should be established only if there is a compelling <br />metropolitan problem or concern best addressed through the designation. Common <br />characteristics of the existing regional systems include public ownership of the system <br />and its components and established regional or state funding sources. These <br />characteristics should be present in any new regional system that might be established. <br />Water supply and housing do not meet necessary established criteria for regional <br />systems. Any proposed additional system must have an established regional or state <br />funding source. 63