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tax levies and special assessments, seemed to be the most common funding techniques in our <br />sample, franchise fees seem to be increasing in importance and popularity as cities search for new <br />ways to raise dedicated road improvement funds. As the City of Ramsey is concerned with the <br />future of their road financing, franchise fees could be a good resource that allows the city to collect <br />a reliable stream of revenue from a broad base at a rate that is reasonable and predictable for <br />residents. <br />Given the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it had on collecting comprehensive data, we <br />recommend the City of Ramsey continue to survey cities throughout the state and continue <br />compiling ideas and best practices. Should the City of Ramsey decide to move forward with the <br />implementation of franchise fees, we recommend the following courses of action in order to meet <br />their future road construction needs: <br />1. Increased community engagement - We heard from numerous cities that community <br />engagement was critical for the political feasibility and success of implementing a new <br />funding program. Given the pandemic, we would recommend a focus on online <br />engagement opportunities. This could include Facebook posts, Zoom meetings, and other <br />virtual engagement. We would suggest reaching out to Inver Grove Heights to discuss <br />success with virtual engagement. Additionally, when social distancing rules are relaxed, <br />we suggest contacting Brooklyn Park to discuss their success with strategically focused <br />and curated community meetings. Establishing a robust and purposeful community <br />engagement plan can help grow public support for new road funding programs and help <br />residents understand the current state of the city's road funding situation. <br />2. Establish a new road funding structure: Given the inadequacy of the current road <br />funding program in Ramsey, we recommend that the city adds another funding tool to its <br />toolbox. Currently franchise fees seem to be the best available alternative, equally <br />distributing the cost of road improvements across the entire community and allowing <br />residents to plan for a consistent monthly bill (as opposed to large, unplanned bills from <br />assessments). We also recommend that the city track the legislative process of other road <br />funding tools that the Minnesota Legislature is considering such as the wheelage tax and <br />street improvement districts. These alternatives would provide the city with more tools to <br />generate dedicated road funding revenue. <br />3. Work in a coalition - Whether it be through partnership with League of Minnesota Cities <br />or more informal relationships, we recommend the City of Ramsey collaborates with <br />comparable cities to share best practices and advocate to the Minnesota State Legislature. <br />Sharing information will help cities to better understand their available options and how <br />unique combinations of road funding tools fare in other city contexts. Additionally, many <br />other Minnesota cities are also dealing with inadequate road funding budgets. Working <br />together can help elevate the issue to the state and present a strong rationale for the passage <br />of additional road funding tools for local governments. <br />Our research highlights that the State of Minnesota, specifically the Minnesota State Highway <br />Investment Plan (MnSHIP), is concerned of costs being too high and funding levels being too low <br />for future road infrastructure over the next 20 years. Through our results and recommendations, <br />we may jump-start cooperation and coalitions from other municipal actors in the state to work <br />together in addressing this ongoing issue and create decisive outcomes to mitigate it. <br />14 <br />