11-13-2002 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 Other groups, like the Citizens Jury and the media, are discussing the value of fees for providing services. The Citizens Jury gave limited acknowledgment of the value fees may have 3 in providing core city services. The media often urges the public and policymakers to monitor 4 city use of fees. 5 6 Response: While the state has a role in providing a general statewide funding 7 policy, the state should not interfere in the decision- making functions performed by cities 8 when setting city budgets to provide city services. General services - -such as permitting, 9 inspections, or enforcement - -are best funded out of a city's general fund. 10 11 The League supports the Legislature endorsing city authority to charge fees that are 12 reasonably related to the cost of providing the service, permit or license, and 13 acknowledging there are other associated costs inherent in the provision of those services, 14 permits or licenses. However, cities oppose any move to Legislate specific methods to pay for 15 city services or place caps on city fees. 16 17 SD -9. State Assistance for Library Funding (JO) 18 19 Issue: Many community libraries in Minnesota are city owned. Although located in an 20 individual community, city libraries serve a much wider area. Local libraries need to be 21 improved in order to provide access to both written and electronic media to enhance the 22 educational capacity of both adults and children. Response: The League supports a state matching grant program to provide dollars 25 to assist communities to work in partnership to build and improve libraries. 26 27 SD -10. Civil Liability of Local Governments (RS) 28 29 Issue: One of the barriers to the delivery of governmental services and programs is the 30 exposure of local governments and their officials to civil damage claims. The state has acted to 31 protect itself and its local governments by enacting exceptions and limitations to Liability suits, 32 and authorizing self - insurance and other mechanisms to deal with claims allowed by law. 33 34 Response: The League supports: 35 36 ® Creating an exception to municipal tort indemnification law, Minn. Stat. §466.07, where 37 an employee is defended and indemnified for claims under a contract of insurance 38 carried by the employee. 39 • Extending the protection of the state and municipal tort claims act to quasi - 40 governmental entities when performing public services such as firefighting. 41 ® The League supports existing constitutional safeguards for protecting public and 42 private property interests without any statutory expansion of property rights. 43 ® Clarifying and maintaining the applicability of municipal immunity in various areas including, but not limited to, park and recreational immunity, including the extension to entities providing a public service that have not traditionally been included within 25