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service districts is the absence of statutory <br />authority to establish fire taxing districts. <br />The Legislature has granted authority for <br />special taxing districts to provide services <br />such as watershed management and <br />emergency medical services. In spite of <br />growing funding and staffing challenges, <br />this authority does not currently exist for <br />providing fire protection services. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities recognizes that some regions of the <br />state could sustain or improve fire <br />protection services if fire taxing districts <br />were authorized. The League supports <br />authority for local units of government to <br />establish fire service taxing districts <br />provided that 1) participation in a district <br />is a local decision, and 2) fire taxing <br />districts must be governed by elected <br />officials representing the participating <br />entities. <br />FF -25. Housing Improvement <br />Areas/Special Service Districts <br />Issue: In 1996, cities were granted general <br />authority under Minn. Stat. § 428A.11 to § <br />428A.21 to use Housing Improvement Areas <br />(HIAs) in order to finance housing <br />improvements for condominium and <br />townhome complexes. Several cities around <br />the state have used this tool, and found it to <br />be a useful mechanism for maintaining older <br />association homes. <br />The 2013 Legislature also granted HIA <br />authority to a county Community <br />Development Authority (CDA). As part of <br />that authority, the CDA is required to gather <br />local approval before creating an HIA. <br />In 1996, the Legislature also gave cities the <br />general authority to create Special Service <br />Districts (SSDs). Cities around the state <br />have used this tool to provide an increased <br />level of service to commercial or industrial <br />areas, commonly in areas of retail <br />concentration. The 2013 legislature <br />extended the sunset for both tools for 15 <br />years, making it now set to expire on June <br />30, 2028. <br />As cities work to develop and/or redevelop <br />commercial, industrial, and residential areas, <br />new ways of paying for and providing <br />increased levels of service should be <br />available to local entities. Use of Special <br />Service Districts in mixed-use development <br />is one tool that could be available for this <br />purpose. <br />Response: The Legislature should give <br />cities permanent authority to create HIAs <br />and SSDs. The League of Minnesota <br />Cities also supports the potential use of <br />SSDs for mixed-use districts that include <br />residential and commercial/industrial <br />properties. The law should be reviewed <br />to determine to what extent mixed-use <br />properties can and should contribute to a <br />Special Service District from which they <br />will benefit. The League would support <br />legislation that expands SSDs to include <br />mixed use development to the extent it <br />balances the benefits and obligations of <br />residential properties within the district. <br />If the Legislature grants multi - <br />jurisdictional entities the authority to <br />create HIAs, creation of an HIA must <br />require local approval. <br />FF -26. Tax -Forfeited Properties <br />and Local Special Assessments <br />Issue: Special assessments are a charge, <br />authorized by the Legislature and state law, <br />imposed on properties for a particular <br />improvement that benefits those selected <br />properties. Cities follow complex, time- <br />consuming statutory special assessment <br />procedures to specially assess the <br />appropriate amount of the local <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2016 City Policies Page 107 <br />