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technical assistance and incentives to achieve those goals. Local governments are <br />ultimately responsible for zoning, land use planning and development decisions within <br />their borders. <br />Any additional responsibilities taken on by, or authority granted to the Metropolitan <br />Council should be limited to a specific statutory assignment, or grant. <br />Metro Cities supports a comprehensive analysis of the Metropolitan Council's current <br />authority and governance structure, activities, services and geographical jurisdiction. <br />The analysis should include participation by local officials. <br />1V -C Selection of Metropolitan Council Members <br />Members of the Metropolitan Council should be selected via an open process that includes <br />an opportunity for local governments and other stakeholders to provide meaningful input. <br />Council members should understand and be responsive to the districts they represent <br />while also serving the best interests of the region. Metropolitan Council members should <br />serve .fixed, staggered terms. <br />IV -D Funding Regional Services <br />The Metropolitan Council should continue to fund its regional services and activities <br />through a combination of user fees, property taxes, and state and federal grants. <br />The Metropolitan. Council should set user fees via an open process that includes public <br />notices and public hearings. User fees should be uniform by type of user and set at a <br />level that supports effective and efficient public services based on commonly accepted <br />industry standards, and allows for sufficient reserves to ensure long -term service and <br />fee stability. Metro Cities supports the use of user fees and property taxes to fund <br />regional projects so long as the benefit conferred on the region is proportional to the <br />fee or tax, and the fee or tax is comparable to the benefit cities receive in return. <br />■ Metro Cities supports user fees for regional projects so long as the fees are not used to <br />coerce a particular response from cities. <br />■ Fee proceeds should be used to fund regional services or programs for which they are <br />collected. <br />IV -F Regional Systems <br />Regional systems are currently defined in statute as transportation (with aviation), <br />wastewater treatment and recreational open space. The purpose of these regional systems <br />and the Metropolitan Council's authority for them is clearly outlined in state statute. In <br />order to alter the focus or expand the reach of any of these systems, the Metropolitan <br />Council must seek a statutory change. <br />26 Metro Cities <br />