Agenda - Council - 12/20/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

I I I I I :! I I I I I '1 '1 I I i I I Page -3- protection analysis: (1) What is the purpose of Local Government Aid; and (2) does the distribution of funds pursuant to the statutory aid formula produce results which achieve the legislative purposes. These questions can only be answered by the court's making a finding of fact based upon substantial testimony relating legislative history to cities fiscal needs and what impact the statutory formula has had on those needs. Defendants fail to appreciate the importance of these considerable factual issues because they have misconstrued the method of analysis to be applied in equal protection cases. B. Equal Protection Analysis Under the "Rational Basis" Test. The Minnesota Supreme Court has described the "rational basis" test of equal protection analysis as follows: "The rule is that legislative classification will be held to be constitutionally valid if: 1. The classification uniformally~ without discriminations applies to and embraces all who are similarily situated with respect to conditions or wants justifying appro- priate legislation; 2. The distinctions which separate those who are included within the classifications from those who are excluded are not manifestly arbitrary or fanciful~ but are genuine and substantial so as to provide a natural and reasonable basis in the necessity or circumstances of the members of the classification to justify different legislation adapted to their peculiar conditions and needs; and 3. The classification is germane or relevant to the purpose of the law; that is, there must be an evident connection between the distinctive needs peculiar to the class and the remedy or regulations therefor which the law proports to provide." Grassman v. Minnesota Board of Bar Examiners, 30# NW2d 909, 911 (Minn. 1981); Miller Brewing Co. v. State, 28t4 NW2d 35~3 (Minn. 1979). This detailed description of the analysis to be conducted by the court is a much more useful guide than the