Agenda - Council - 05/27/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Adjusting dollar limits Inflation has had an effect upon cities beyond a mere exertion of upward thrust on budgets and expenditures. The legislature has quite consistent- ly included within authorizing and enabling legis- lation, limitations expressed in dollars. These dol- lar limitations, while quite appropriate at the time of enactment, become progressively more con- stricting with advancing inflation. Therefore, the League recommends that certain of the more important and often used authorizing statutes containing dollar limitations be modified by ap- plication of a constant dollar index figure cal- culated from the year of enactment, to the limita- tion set out in the act. The modification should be made so that when statutes relating to other sta- tutes are modified, the dollar limitations are adjusted in a uniform manner. Campaign financing and disclosure Campaigns and elections to local office are the most important single contact' between voters and representative local government. On the whole, the general public has more confidence in the election process at the city '.level because the candidates are usually well 'known (especially in smaller cities) and campaign activities are more visible than at other levels of government. Moreover, city candidates running for offices which are for the most part IoW paid, part-time and non-partisan, are generally motivated by a sense of civic responsibility. The League perceives no need for new laws in the area of local campaigns although it could support legislation which would simplify the election process or would encourage rather than discourage qualified candidates for local office. The League supports the following: 1. Extending income tax credits for con- tributions to city election campaigns; Eliminating any distinction between types of campaign committees in cities over 20,000 and making the candidate or his or her designees responsible for all funds spent on behalf of the candidate, in order to make the disclosure requirements ef- fective. The League opposes the following: A state-mandated requirement of candi- dates for city office to file statements of economic interest because it is most likely to discourage many qualified candidates from seeking or continuing in office. Campaign contribution limits or report- ing requirements in cities with less than 20,000 population which are made un- necessary by conflict of interest rules governing the actions of election officials in all cities. Collateral for depositories Depositories now are required to collateralize the deposits of local government in the amount of 110%. Local depositories now serve as a valuable market for bond issues of local school districts, counties and cities. If the amount of collateral required is reduced, this market will also be re- duced, making it more difficult to sell municipal bonds. Also, if the collateral is purchased by a state agency on behalf of all depositories, the exist- ing cooperative arrangement between local deposi- tories and local governments will be destroyed and local governments may deposit their funds in larger depositories located outside of the com- munity. Therefore, the League recommends that the legislature keep the collateral requirements for depositories at their present levels a~nd opposes any reduction, and also opposes the purchase of collateral by any agency other than the depository. Election day registration Eliminating outdated and probably uncon- stitutional expenditure limits for city campaigns; Giving cities over 20,000 the authority to establish limits on campaign contributions from individuals and organizations; Requiring reports in cities over 20,000 of each contribution of $100 or more from a single source; The principal purpose of the Minnesota system of election day registration is to improve and in- crease eligible voter access to voting. Unfortunate- ly, the system has become more unworkable es- pecially in the larger and fast growing cities, where individuals are not using the pre-election day regis- tration and where there are a growing number of multiple registrations adding to the costs of elec- tions and to the frustrations of the voters. For these r.easons, the League believes that registration should take place before election day. The fol- lowing steps would improve the current system. -13 -