Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/27/2018

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Transportation Metro Cities is opposed to legislative or Metropolitan Council directives that constrain the ability of metropolitan transit providers to provide a full range of transit services, including reverse commute routes, suburb -to -suburb routes, transit hub feeder services or new, experimental services that may show a low rate of operating cost recovery from the fare box. In the interest of including all potential options in the pursuit of a regionally balanced transit system, Metro Cities supports the repeal of the gag order on the Dan Patch Commuter Rail Line and opposes the imposition of legislative moratoriums on the study, planning, design, or construction of specific transit projects. In the interest of safety and traffic management, Metro Cities supports further study of rail safety issues relating to water quality protections, public safety concerns relating to derailments, traffic implications from longer and more frequent trains and the sensitive balance between rail commerce and the quality of life impacts on the communities through which they pass. 5-C Transit Financing The Twin Cities metropolitan area is served by a comprehensive_regional transit system that is expanding to include rail transit and dedicated busways. Shifting demographics in the metropolitan region will mean increased demand for transit in areas with and without current transit service. Metro Cities supports stable and growing revenue sources to fund operating and capital expenses for all regional transit providers and Metro Mobility at a level sufficient to meet the growing operational and capital transit needs of the region and to expand the system to areas that currently have insufficient transit options. MVST revenue projections are unpredictable, and the Legislature has repeatedly reduced general fund support for Metro Transit. Thus, regional transit providers continue to operate at a funding deficit. Operating subsidies necessary to support a regional system should come from regional and statewide funding sources and not local property taxpayers. In addition, capital costs for the expansion of regional transit system should be supported through state and regional sources, and not the sole responsibility of local units of government. Metro Cities continues to support an advisory role for municipal officials in decisions associated with local transit projects. 5-D Street Improvement Districts Funding sources for local transportation projects are limited to the use of Municipal State Aid Street Program (MSAS), property taxes and special assessments. In addition, cities under 5,000 in population are not eligible for MSA. With increasing pressures on city budgets and limited tools and resources, cities are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain aging streets. Street improvement districts allow cities in developed and developing areas to fund new construction as well as reconstruction and maintenance efforts. 2018 Legislative Policies 51