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Politics & Government

Dakota County Board's 2012 Business Begins with Transit, Legislative Updates

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners is focusing on bus rapid transit for Cedar Avenue and the county's legislative platform.

Editor's Note: Dakota County Commissioner Tom Egan represents Mendota Heights, Lilydale, Mendota and a portion of Eagan. He was elected to office in 2004 and is now serving his second four-year term. Egan will write regularly to Patch readers about county government.

In typical fashion, the Dakota County Board began formal business of the 2012 new year Jan. 10 with a flurry of meetings.

Before the scheduled board meeting, a subcommittee of commissioners that I belong to received an hour long briefing from transit and transportation staff pertaining to progress on the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System.

On the agenda for that briefing were details of the vehicles to be procured for the new BRT System. Because the county board so strongly desires to meet our commitment to commence BRT service without delay on Cedar Avenue by Nov. 1, 2012, it was agreed that a special workshop would be held on Jan. 23 to review many of the features and options to be included on these vehicles so that decisions on their selection could be made without delay.

The regular board meeting began with election of the new chair and vice chair for 2012. Commissioner Joe Harris surrendered chairmanship of the county board for his last time. Harris is retiring from the county board at the end of this year after serving as a commissioner from Hastings for thirty-two years. The county board voted to replace Harris as chair in 2012 with Commissioner Nancy Schouweiler (Inver Grove Heights and the south 9 precincts of Eagan). Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord (South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Sunfish Lake) was voted to act as vice chair.

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Legislative Preview Capped by Taxation Statement Criticism

New Chair, Nancy Schouweiler, welcomed our legislative delegation and very capably facilitated the agenda, held at Thompson Park's Dakota Lodge in West St. Paul. After introductions of all legislators, county commissioners and staff, the county's new intergovernmental relations team from Messerli and Kramer were introduced. Commissioner Kathleen Gaylord and Deputy County Administrator Matt Smith covered the agenda items dealing with the way we believe we can help improve the partnership between the state and Dakota County. Transportation and transit items and the county's role in providing human services for the state were specifically covered.

State Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-Apple Valley) then gave the 2012 legislative preview on behalf of our delegation. We appear to be starting this session on a more positive financial footing than the year before. Gerlach felt it is likely we will see a bonding bill this year since in this biennium, 2012 would normally be the year for a bonding bill. He didn't know what size the bill might be. The Vikings stadium issue will be given serious consideration. Many policy items will likely be taken up this year including some proposals for constitutional amendments. If this session can be kept as non-partisan as possible, it should be a short session, perhaps wrapping up by mid-April.

Commissioner Schouweiler then introduced the county's legislative platform. Our bonding requests for 2012 were the largest specific focus. Physical Development Director Lynn Thompson covered our bonding requests for the Byllesby Dam and proposed bridge crossing the Canon River into Goodhue County. State Representative Tara Mack (R-Apple Valley) and Community Services Director Kelly Harder covered their perspectives on human services reforms that can produce much needed improvements in the delivery of services. Schouweiler then covered the remainder of the county's priorities.

When the agenda had almost been fully covered, Schouweiler opened the meeting up for discussion. Gerlach expressed dismay with the insert contained within the Truth-in-Taxation Notice envelopes sent to all Dakota County property owners by Dakota County.

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He admitted that if a lawyer were to analyze the insert he would find it perfectly accurate but he didn't understand why it was necessary to point out the implications of the change from the Market Value Homestead Credit to the Market Value Exclusion system that I have reported on before. Several of us commissioners pointed out that it was not our intention to blame anyone for the change but rather that the public needs to fully understand what caused the change in this system.  

I pointed out that I believe this was especially true since state-wide the change in this system reduced the local property tax capacity by approximately $261 million at a time when property values are substantially declining, causing taxes to go up. It was pointed out that there were inserts contained in the Truth-in-Taxation Notice envelopes sent by 86 of Minnesota's 87 counties. While Gerlach and certain other legislators may not have been happy with the insert, they have a much healthier understanding of the county's position and I personally appreciated the opportunity we had to discuss that issue.

Many other items of organizational business were also handled, including the appointment of commissioners to serve on the many agency boards and committees that we all serve on. We also appointed and reappointed many citizens to serve on the county's numerous advisory boards and committees.  

We are well on our way for a very fruitful and productive year for 2012.

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