Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/27/2018

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PURPOSE, PROCESS AND PRINCIPLES OF CITY POLICIES The League of Minnesota Cities is dedicated to promoting excellence in local government through effective advocacy, expert analysis, and trusted guidance for all Minnesota cities. Each year, the League's member cities identify common needs and goals, and the Board of Directors adopts policies designed to help cities overcome obstacles and reach those goals. These policies serve as the foundation of the League's advocacy work on behalf of Minnesota cities. There are 853 cities in Minnesota, and 833 cities are members of the League of Minnesota Cities. Eleven townships and 63 special districts/other members are also League members. The League's members include the smallest rural cities in Greater Minnesota and the largest cities in the urban core; they include suburban communities in the Metropolitan Area and regional centers in every corner of the state. Every member of the League has a voice in developing the following policies. Two core principles guide the development of City Policies and the actions of the League: 1. Local units of government must have sufficient authority and flexibility to meet the challenges of governing and providing citizens with public services. The Legislature must avoid imposing unfunded and underfunded mandates that erode local control and create liability and financial risk for city taxpayers. 2. The increasingly complex and costly requirements necessary for cities to provide services to their citizens require a strong partnership between federal, state, and local governments. This partnership should be based upon a shared vision for Minnesota and should allow individual communities to tailor that vision to the unique needs of their citizens. Because of the fluid nature of emerging issues, state and national politics, and current events, additional and alternative policies may be proposed after the policies are adopted by the Board of Directors. The League will make every effort to notify members of substantial changes or additions to policies after they are adopted by the Board of Directors. League of Minnesota Cities 2018 City Policies Page xii