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a Municipal <br />pD <br />1-A State and Local Fiscal Relationship <br />Revenue & <br />Taxation <br />Metro Cities supports a strong state and local fiscal relationship that emphasizes <br />adequacy, equitability and accountability for public resources, and effective <br />communication among the state, its cities, and the public about the roles and <br />responsibilities of state and local governments. Services provided by cities have <br />traditionally been funded through a combination of property taxes, fees/charges and state <br />aids. Increasingly, cities are bearing more of the responsibility for the costs for services <br />that have historically been the responsibility of the state. <br />Metro Cities supports a state and local fiscal relationship that affirms the goal of all <br />citizens receiving adequate levels of basic public services at relatively similar levels <br />of taxation, that compensates cities for service costs created by non -taxpaying users <br />of city services, that reduces tax burden disparities among communities, and that <br />assists cities with high needs and relatively low fiscal capacities. <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 emphasizes <br />maximizing efficiencies in service delivery and effective communication between the <br />state and local units of government, and to the public, about state and local roles and <br />responsibilities; <br />• Certainty and predictability in revenue sources including the property tax and local <br />government aids, and the use of dedicated funds that meet specific local government <br />needs. Metro Cities opposes the diversion of such dedicated funds to help balance <br />state budgets; <br />• Adequate revenue sources available to cities that allow the needs of cities to be met, <br />mandates to be funded, and that maintain our state's economic vitality and <br />competitiveness; <br />• Adequate and timely notification regarding new legislative programs or modifications <br />to existing state programs or policies to allow cities sufficient time to plan for <br />implementation; and <br />2016 Legislative Policies <br />