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GENERAL LEGISLATION (11) <br />11 -A Mandates, Zoning & Local Authority <br />Metro Cities opposes statutory changes which erode local control and authority or create <br />mandated additional tasks requiring new or added local costs without a corresponding <br />state appropriation or funding mechanism. Metro Cities believes that zoning issues should <br />be made at the local level. Metro Cities supports legislation that gives local officials greater <br />authority and discretion to approve variances to remain flexible in response to the unique <br />land use needs of their own community. New unfunded mandates potentially cause <br />increased property taxes which impede cities ability to fund traditional service needs. To <br />allow for greater collaboration and flexibility in providing local services, Metro Cities also <br />encourages the removal of barriers or hurdles to cooperation and coordination between <br />cities and other units of government or entities. <br />II -6 City Enterprise Activities <br />Metro Cities supports cities having the authority to establish city enterprise operations in <br />response to community'needs, local preferences, state mandates or to ensure residents' <br />quality of life. Creation of an enterprise operation allows a city to provide the desired <br />service while maintaining financial and management control. The state should refrain from <br />infringing on this ability to provide and control services for the benefit of community <br />residents. <br />11 -C Firearms on City Property <br />Cities should be allowed to prohibit handguns in city -owned buildings, facilities and parks. <br />This would allow locally elected officials to determine whether to allow permit - holders to <br />bring guns into municipal buildings, liquor stores, city council chambers and city <br />sponsored youth activities. It is not Metro Cities' intention for cities to have the authority to <br />prohibit legal weapons in parking lots, on city streets or city sidewalks. <br />11-D 911 Telephone Tax <br />Public safety answering points (PSAPs) must be able to continue to rely on state 911 <br />revenues to pay for upgrades and modifications to local 911 systems, maintenance and <br />operational support, and dispatcher training. State funding should also support the <br />technology and training needed to provide the number and location of wireless and voice <br />over internet protocol (VoIP) calls to 911 on computer screens and transmit that data to <br />police, fire and first responders. <br />2011 Legislative Policies 9 <br />