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In recent years, the Legislature has <br />occasionally enacted general laws that affect <br />a single local unit of government. By <br />enacting a general law with limited <br />application, local approval is not required. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports the constitutional <br />requirement that a special law must be <br />approved by the affected local unit of <br />government before it can take effect. If a <br />law is intended to affect or benefit a single <br />local unit of government, the Legislature <br />must follow the requirements for enacting <br />a special law set forth in the Minnesota <br />Constitution and in state statute. The <br />League specifically opposes the <br />Legislature's technique of bypassing the <br />constitution by not naming the local <br />government, but describing the local <br />government in such narrow terms that it <br />can only apply to one entity. <br />SD-4. Redesigning and Reinventing <br />Government <br />Issue: Every level of government is <br />redesigning, reinventing, and reevaluating <br />its organizational structure and programs in <br />response to financial realities and citizens' <br />needs and problems. Reforms, however, <br />must be more than change for the sake of <br />change to existing programs. It is <br />imperative that government officials talk <br />with citizens about how services are <br />currently provided and how they can be best <br />provided in the future. <br />To be meaningful, redesign of governmental <br />entities and services should: <br />a) save money where feasible; <br />b) deliver improved services; <br />c) serve essential needs; and <br />d) be equitably structured. <br />Cities have and will continue to re-evaluate <br />city programs and services, pursue the use of <br />cooperative agreements, and consider <br />organizational changes that provide greater <br />government efficiency and result in better <br />service to citizens. Citizen input and <br />participation should be gathered and taken <br />into account as decisions about service <br />delivery are being made and implemented. <br />All levels of government are encouraged to: <br />a) Ensure that in redesigning, reinventing <br />or reassigning government services and <br />programs, the appropriate level of <br />service to citizens is evaluated and <br />citizen demands and expectations are <br />adequately addressed. <br />b) Engage as many citizens as possible, <br />from diverse backgrounds and interests, <br />to determine what services matter most <br />to citizens and how the delivery of those <br />services can be changed to increase <br />efficiency and lower cost. <br />c) Educate citizens about what services <br />government delivers, how they are <br />delivered, and how those services are <br />funded. <br />d) Engage in traditional and nontraditional <br />partnerships to make service changes <br />and do things in new ways. <br />e) Identify and repeal programs or <br />discontinue services that are no longer <br />necessary, and evaluate which services <br />can readily and fairly be provided by the <br />private sector. <br />Response: Federal, state, and county <br />governments should: <br />a) Promote and support local redesign <br />efforts through incentives rather than <br />mandates. <br />b) Communicate and establish a process <br />of negotiation before shifting <br />responsibility for delivering services <br />from one level of government to <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2018 City Policies Page 2 <br />