Laserfiche WebLink
Municipal Revenue & Taxation <br />1 -A State and Local Fiscal Relationship <br />A functional state and local fiscal relationship must emphasize adequacy, equitability, <br />sustainability and accountability for public resources, and effective communication among the <br />state, cities, and the public on the roles and responsibilities of state and local governments. An <br />effective partnership must also emphasize practices that strengthen collaboration and partnership <br />between the state and local units of government. <br />Services provided by cities are traditionally funded through a combination of property taxes, <br />fees/charges and state aids. Increasingly, cities are bearing more of the costs for services that <br />have historically been the responsibility of the state. <br />Metro Cities supports a strong state and local fiscal partnership that emphasizes the <br />following principles: <br />• Strong financial stewardship and accountability for public resources that <br />emphasizes maximizing efficiencies in service delivery and effective communication <br />between the state and local units of government, and to the public, about state and local <br />roles and responsibilities; <br />• Certainty, predictability and reliability in revenue sources including the property <br />tax and local government aids, and dedicated funds to meet specific local government <br />needs. Metro Cities opposes the diversion of such dedicated funds to help balance state <br />budgets; <br />• Full state funding to cover mandates enacted by the state, and flexibility for local <br />governments in implementing state mandates to ensure local costs are minimized; <br />• The need for local decision -making authority by local elected officials with regard to <br />the terms and conditions of employment for local government employees, including <br />compensation, recognition, and benefit decisions; <br />• Adequate revenue sources available to cities that allow the needs of cities to be met, <br />citizens to receive adequate services at similar levels of taxation, and that maintain our <br />state's economic vitality and competitiveness; <br />• Adequate and timely notification regarding new legislative programs or <br />modifications to existing state programs or policies to allow cities sufficient time to plan for <br />implementation, and any effects on local budgeting processes; <br />The concept of performance measuring, but opposition to using state established <br />2019 Legislative Policies <br />