2019.01.23 CC Packet - Goal Setting Session

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Municipal Revenue & Taxation Metro Cities supports modifications to help align PERA contributions and costs, and reduce the need for additional contribution increases, including a modification of PERA eligibility guidelines to account for temporary, seasonal and part-time employment situations, the use of pro -rated service credit and a comprehensive review of exclusions to simplify eligibility guidelines. Further employer contribution rate increases should be avoided until other cost alignment mechanisms are considered. Metro Cities supports cities and fire relief associations working together to determine the best application of State Fire Aid. Flexibility in the application of State Fire Aid, where combination departments exist, will ensure that fire services can be provided in the most cost effective means possible. Regarding police pension contributions, Metro Cities supports a proactive review of factors contributing to the financial status of police and fire pension plans, to ensure that structural adjustments are considered in conjunction with potential increases in employee and employer contribution rates. Specifically, an area that could be considered is contractual overtime impacts on pension levels. 1-Q State Program Revenue Sources 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. 1-R Post -Employment Benefits 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 that cities have differing local needs and circumstances. Cities should also retain the ability to determine the level of post -employment benefits to be provided to employees. 1-S Health Care Insurance Programs Metro Cities supports legislative efforts to control health insurance costs, but opposes actions that undermine local flexibility to manage rising insurance costs. Metro Cities encourages a full examination of the rising costs of health care and the impacts on city employers and employees. Metro Cities also supports a study of the fiscal impacts to both cities and retirees of pooling retirees separately from active employees. 2019 Legislative Policies