Laserfiche WebLink
General Government <br />Metro Cities supports new laws enacted during the 2013 legislative session to <br />streamline statutory requirements to allow cities to work with existing haulers to <br />achieve the benefits of organized collection or investigate the merits of organized <br />collection without the pressure of a rigid timeline and requirement to pass `an intent <br />to organize' at the beginning of the discussion process. Metro Cities opposes any <br />legislation that would further increase the cost or further complicate the process <br />cities are required to follow to organize waste collection or prohibit cities from <br />implementing or using organized waste collection. <br />2-0 Election Administration <br />Cities play a critical role in managing and ensuring the integrity of elections. Any <br />changes made to election laws should not place undue financial or administrative burdens <br />on local governments. Additional costs resulting from election law changes should be <br />the responsibility of the state. <br />Eligible voters in Minnesota may vote by absentee ballot prior to Election Day. Starting <br />46 days before the election, a voter can request, receive and cast an absentee ballot in one <br />visit to their county or city election offices. <br />As more and more voters choose to vote early with absentee balloting, improvements <br />must be made to increase efficiency of administering absentee balloting before Election <br />Day, reduce the potential for errors and to improve voter experience. <br />Metro Cities supports: <br />Allowing in-person absentee voters to place their ballots in a secure tabulator <br />instead of a series of envelopes to be processed after the voter has left the <br />building; <br />Establishing an earlier deadline for ending in-person absentee voting; <br />Revising absentee ballot regulations to allow any person 18 and older to <br />witness the absentee process and sign the envelope as a witness; and <br />Authorizing cities with health care facilities to schedule election judges to <br />conduct absentee voting at an earlier date in health care facilities. <br />2-P Utility Franchise Fees, Accountability and Cost Transparency <br />Minnesota cities are authorized by Minnesota statutes M. S. 216B and 301B.01 to require <br />a public utility (gas or electric) that provides services to the city or occupies the public <br />right of way within a city to obtain a franchise. Several metro area cities have entered <br />into such agreements which require that the utility pay a fee to help offset the costs of <br />16 2016 Legislative Policies <br />