HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-27RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING DEDICATED STATE FUNDING FOR CITY STREETS
WHEREAS, Minnesota contains over 141,000 miles of roadway, and over 22,500 miles —or 16 percent- -
are owned and maintained by Minnesota's 853 cities; and
WHEREAS, almost 85 percent of municipal streets are ineligible for dedicated Highway User Tax
Distribution Fund dollars; and
WHEREAS, the more than 700 Minnesota cities with populations below 5,000 are ineligible for
dedicated Highway User Tax Distribution Fund dollars; and
WHEREAS, city streets are a separate but integral piece of the network of roads supporting movement of
people and goods; and
WHEREAS, existing funding mechanisms, such as Municipal State Aid (MSA), property taxes and
special assessments, have limited applications, leaving cities under - equipped to address growing needs;
and
WHEREAS, city cost participation in state and county highway projects diverts resources from city -
owned streets; and
WHEREAS, maintenance costs increase as road systems age, and no city- -large or small —is spending
enough on roadway capital improvements to maintain a 50 -year lifecycle; and
WHEREAS, for every one dollar spent on maintenance, a road authority- -and therefore taxpayers - -save
seven dollars in repairs; and
WHEREAS, cities need greater resources, including an additional dedicated state funding source for
transportation, and flexible policies in order to meet growing demands for street improvements and
maintenance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS that the City
of Columbia Heights supports an omnibus transportation funding bill that provides additional dedicated
state funding for city streets including funding that can be used for non -MSA city street maintenance,
construction and reconstruction.
ADOPTED by the City of Columbia Heights this 27`'' day of March, 2017.
Offered by:
Seconded by:
Roll Call:
Ayes:
Nay:
Buesgens
Williams
3 Ayes, 1 Nay: Motion Carried
Buesgens, Williams, Murzyn, Jr.
Schmitt
Donna Schmitt, Mayor
Attest:
6)t��,
Katie Bruno, City Clerk/Council Secretary