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development, as well as providing a clean <br />and pleasant place for pedestrian use. DEED <br />has designated over 50 Transit Improvement <br />Areas; all but two are located in the seven - <br />county metropolitan area. Although the <br />language passed and was signed into law by <br />the governor (Minn. Stat. § 469.35), there <br />was no funding put into place to implement <br />the new program. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities urges the Legislature to increase <br />the ability of traditional economic <br />development tools, including tax <br />increment financing, tax abatement, and <br />special service districts, to address the <br />needs of transit -oriented development. <br />The League encourages the Legislature to <br />appropriate bonding and general fund <br />dollars for revolving loan grants to fund <br />the TIA program. Additionally, the <br />Legislature should consider adding park <br />and ride facilities to the list of qualifying <br />transportation modes, as defined in Minn. <br />Stat. § 469.351. Because the majority of <br />the DEED -designated Transit <br />Improvement Areas are currently located <br />in the seven -county metropolitan area, <br />increased funding for this program will <br />not be balanced between greater <br />Minnesota and the metro area. Additional <br />funding for this program should not <br />change the overall balance of state <br />funding between greater Minnesota and <br />the seven -county metropolitan area. <br />LE-26. Business Development <br />Programs <br />Issue: The 2013 Legislature made <br />substantial investments in statewide <br />economic development programs, reversing <br />recent funding shortfalls. Proven programs <br />such as the Minnesota Investment Fund <br />(MIF), the Redevelopment Program, and <br />contaminated site clean-up grants all <br />received substantial funding increases. The <br />2013 Legislature also appropriated $24 <br />million for the newly created Minnesota Job <br />Creation Fund, which replaced the JOB-Z <br />program as a way for local communities and <br />businesses to access state development <br />dollars, and the Department of Employment <br />and Economic Development (DEED) has <br />awarded a number of grants to cities across <br />Minnesota. <br />Response: On a statewide level Minnesota <br />has recovered from the Great Recession, <br />but the Legislature must recognize that <br />certain communities will need additional <br />time and assistance to fully recover from <br />the impacts of the economic downturn. <br />The League of Minnesota Cities <br />supported the increased funding levels to <br />statewide economic development <br />programs to assist local communities <br />recover and thrive. <br />The League supports the continuation of <br />the Minnesota Job Creation Fund and <br />DEED should solicit input from cities <br />about how best to implement the Fund, <br />and make adjustments to the <br />administration of the program as <br />necessary. <br />LE-27. Land Recycling and <br />Redevelopment <br />Issue: Communities across Minnesota are <br />faced with expensive barriers to re -using <br />property. These roadblocks include <br />deteriorating, obsolete, and vacant <br />structures, and contaminated land. <br />Larger scale redevelopment projects often <br />require the purchase and assembly of <br />multiple, smaller parcels of land that are not <br />suitable for development on their own. <br />Cities and development authorities may <br />need to purchase land over a period of years <br />and hold them for later development, <br />reducing the effectiveness of traditional <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2015 City Policies Page 63 <br />