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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/12/10 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - Study SessionAGENDA DECEMBER 10, 2024 6:00 p.m. City council study session – Council Chambers Discussion item 1. 2025 Legislative delegation discussion •Welcome •Overview of political landscape for 2025 •Discussion •Concluding remarks Members of the public can attend St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority and city council meetings in person. At regular city council meetings, members of the public may comment on any item on the agenda by attending the meeting in-person or by submitting written comments to info@stlouisparkmn.gov by noon the day of the meeting. Official minutes of meetings are available on the city website once approved. Watch St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority or regular city council meetings live at bit.ly/watchslpcouncil or at www.parktv.org, or on local cable (Comcast SD channel 14/HD channel 798). Recordings of the meetings are available to watch on the city's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@slpcable, usually within 24 hours of the meeting’s end. City council study sessions are not broadcast. Generally, it is not council practice to receive public comment during study sessions. The council chambers are equipped with Hearing Loop equipment and headsets are available to borrow. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952.924.2505. Meeting: Study session Meeting date: December 10, 2024 Discussion item: 1 Executive summary Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Recommended action: None. The purpose of this report is to provide the council with the finalized legislative positions and priorities for the 2025 legislative session and to allow them to discuss those priorities with local representatives. Policy consideration: None. Summary: Minnesota’s 95th legislative session will be convened on Jan. 14, 2025. Staff previously prepared and presented draft legislative positions and a selected subset to be 2025 legislative priorities at the city council study session Nov. 18, 2024. Feedback at that session resulted in two additional priorities being added: building performance standards and construction demolition debris diversion. As the 2025 legislative session progresses, additional issues may arise that can be addressed and guided by the positions document or the city’s strategic priorities. State, Hennepin County and Metropolitan Council officials were invited to attend this session. Financial or budget considerations: None. Strategic priority consideration: All. Supporting documents: Final 2025 Legislative Positions Prepared by: Clancy Ferris, legislative and grants analyst Reviewed by: Cheyenne Brodeen, administrative services director Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Page 2 Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Discussion Background: The city’s legislative positions are detailed in the full document attached to this report. Each year a few of these items are selected as priorities. As this legislative session will include a capital investment bill, staff has identified two priority capital investment projects to highlight below: 1. Oxford/Louisiana Area Infrastructure Investment – planned improvements include repairs to sidewalks, water and sewer facilities, and upgrades related to traffic and pedestrian safety. 2. Wayzata Boulevard/Zarthan Avenue/16th Street Improvements – planned improvements include replacement or repair of streets and sidewalks, repairs to water and sewer facilities, and upgrades related to traffic and pedestrian safety. Present considerations: As presented to council on Nov. 18, 2024, the city’s legislative priorities and positions have been updated to reflect work accomplished in the 2024 session. New issues and those with significant changes are positions on: building performance standards, construction and demolition debris diversion, e-bike rebate program, right to cooling, right- sizing vehicle registration fees, undergrounding power funding, cashless businesses, Equal Access to Broadband Act, paid family and medical leave, wireless provider franchising authority, community land trust classification, group home licensing and registration, housing policy, fire mutual aid, light rail and public safety, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, public safety aid and underground infrastructure funding. These issues are indicated with an “*” in the attached legislative positions. Following the Nov. 18, 2024, study session, staff also added two additional positions to the priority list – building performance standards and construction demolition debris diversion. Next steps: Staff will continue to research additional positions and priorities as they emerge. Additional resources: • League of Minnesota Cities: 2025 Legislative policies • Metro Cities: 2025 Legislative policies City of St. Louis Park 2025 Legislative Priorities Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 3 Strategic Priorities The St. Louis Park City Council adopted the following strategic priorities in 2018. These priorities guide long-range planning as well as daily decisions and activities. St. Louis Park is committed to: Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all. Continue to lead in environmental stewardship. Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development. Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 4 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Capital Investment Projects Increase access, replace aging infrastructure, promote climate preparedness and enhance pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. 1.Oxford/Louisiana Area Infrastructure Investment The planned public improvements for the Oxford/Louisiana area include construction and repair of aging sidewalks; critical repairs to water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer facilities; general improvements or upgrades related to traffic and pedestrian safety, including replacement of streetlights, striping, and signs; replacement or repair of pavement and curb; roundabout construction; stormwater quality improvements and flood storage. This investment creates connections for all users to affordable housing, job centers, transit, and healthcare. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 5 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position 2.Wayzata Boulevard/ Zarthan Avenue/ 16th Street improvements The planned public improvements for this project include replacement or repair of pavement, curb, and sidewalks; critical repairs to water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer facilities; installation of a multi-use trail; general improvements or upgrades related to traffic and pedestrian safety; intersection upgrades including roundabout construction and signal replacement; stormwater quality improvements. This project improves connections for all users to affordable housing, commercial land uses, and job centers. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 6 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position St. Louis Park Priority Positions A small subset of positions is selected each year to be the St. Louis Park specific legislative priorities for that session. Building performance standards*‡ Support legislation to enact Building Performance Standards (BPS) for large existing buildings. BPS will establish required energy and/or carbon targets as well as a timeline to meet targets and resources to help building owners comply. Construction and demolition debris diversion* Support legislation that would include a diversion/recycling incentive and funding mechanism for materials coming from buildings being demolished or reconstructed. Increase fees on construction and demolition waste disposal to fund reuse and recycling of building materials. Group home licensing and registration*‡ Support a repeal of the legislation passed in 2024 that prohibited all cities from subjecting state licensed group assisted living facilities licensed under Minn. Stat. § 144G and Minn. Stat. § 245D.02 with six or fewer residents from any city-imposed life safety rental licensing requirements. The Legislature should recognize the importance of city rental licensing requirements that ensure minimum life safety standards and hold providers accountable and protect residents. Housing policy*‡ Support legislation that expands housing opportunities (“missing middle” housing) across the state that helps to ensure all communities are planning for and able to accommodate a variety of housing types by supporting policies that allow local leadership on zoning and land use changes that are sensitive to individual community needs and housing goals including incentive-based approaches and options that can be tailored to each individual community and oppose policies that seek to impose one-size-fits-all rigid zoning and land use framework on cities. Housing TIF District Modifications‡ Support expanding authority for all cities to transfer unobligated pooled increment from a housing or redevelopment TIF district to support a local housing trust fund for any eligible expenditure under Minn. Stat. § 462C.16 and modify the housing district income qualification level requirements to allow the levels to vary according to individual communities to support deeply affordable units Light rail and public safety* Support legislation allocating funding to local jurisdictions for staffing and equipment to support public safety measures related to the light rail. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 7 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Paid Family and Medical Leave*‡ Support legislation that would: a) With respect to ESST, amend Minn. Stat. § 181.9445, subd. 5 to incorporate a well- defined “public employee” definition, not to include unique positions in which there is not a formal employer-employee relationship such as paid appointed advisory, committee, or commission members, election judges, or other non- traditional positions. b) Minimize legal mandates to incentivize employers to establish and/or continue to provide more generous paid leave benefits to employees. Specifically, eliminate the expansion of mandated benefits to paid leave previously negotiated in good faith and/or adopted in personnel policies in excess of what is legally required. c) Provide funding that pays the full costs of any mandated employment-related expenditures. d) Avoid and eliminate expensive and time- consuming duplicative legal protections and processes for public employees, including those that preclude promotional probationary periods. e) Eliminate contradictory existing laws regarding public employment. Reallocate solid waste management tax Support legislation that would eliminate the diversion of solid waste management tax revenue to the general fund for other purposes and provide to local government for recycling programs as originally intended, through increasing SCORE recycling grants. Underground infrastructure funding*‡ Support creating funding for underground infrastructure replacement. Urban forest management‡ Support establishing an ongoing state grant program with at least $15 million per year that is usable for urban forest management and wood waste utilization. Urban forests are facing numerous threats from Dutch elm disease, oak wilt, drought, storms and emerald ash borer. Related costs put pressure on city budgets. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 8 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Climate, Energy, and Buildings The City of St. Louis Park supports innovative strategies in the pursuit of a more sustainable climate worldwide, including the adoption of near-term emission reduction targets as described in the city’s Climate Action Plan. Amend state health code Support legislation that reduces barriers for businesses to use refillable containers for food and beverages to reduce single-use packaging waste. Building performance standards*‡ Support legislation to enact Building Performance Standards (BPS) for large existing buildings. BPS will establish required energy and/or carbon targets as well as a timeline to meet targets and resources to help building owners comply. Compost use Support the adoption of a food waste compost requirement in MNDOT specs. Legislation would support markets for compost use by providing a uniform standard to be used in city, county and state projects and close the circle between food waste collection, composting and compost use. Construction codes‡ Oppose legislation that would reduce current minimum building code and energy code standards or limit future adoptions of improved energy conservation standards. Construction and demolition debris diversion* Support legislation that would include a diversion/recycling incentive and funding mechanism for materials coming from buildings being demolished or reconstructed. Increase fees on construction and demolition waste disposal to fund reuse and recycling of building materials. Environment and sustainability‡ Support the adoption of ambitious policies and the creation of innovative programs to reach the goals of the state’s Climate Action Framework and the St. Louis Park Climate Action Plan. E-bike rebate program* Support increasing funding for the e-bike rebate program and creating an additional program with greater rebates for cargo e- bikes, which are more suitable for replacing vehicle trips that require hauling. The 2023 legislative session created a new e-bike rebate program, which reached its funding capacity on the day it opened. Fee-for-service programs‡ Oppose legislation that would eliminate local government ability to establish the amount of fee-for-service permitting, licensing, and inspection service delivery. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 9 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Reallocate solid waste management tax Support legislation that would eliminate the diversion of solid waste management tax revenue to the general fund for other purposes and provide to local government for recycling programs as originally intended, through increasing SCORE recycling grants. Residential fire sprinklers Oppose legislation that prohibits future adoption of residential fire sprinkler codes. Previous unsuccessful legislative efforts have attempted to prevent the state building code from requiring residential fire sprinkler systems, which poses safety risk. Right to cooling* Support legislation to ensure renters have a right to cooling. Pairing this legislation with additional funding for the state’s energy assistance program, as well as funds to ensure installed cooling systems are as energy efficient as possible, is needed to ensure this legislation does not have adverse consequences. Right-sizing vehicle registration fees* Support adjusting the state vehicle registration tax to more accurately reflect the external cost (including tailpipe emissions, road wear and tire pollution) of passenger automobiles with a GVWR over 6,000 pounds (3 tons). The registration tax for passenger automobiles is determined by the vehicle’s base value and age but not the vehicle’s weight. A credit could be allowed for passenger automobiles over 6,000 pounds that are fully electric, as well as those registered for commercial use. Smart salting‡ Support the creation of incentives for private salt applicators to reduce the volume of salt they apply to improve the effectives of salt application while reducing chloride pollution in waterways. Urban forest management‡ Support establishing an ongoing state grant program with at least $15 million per year that is usable for urban forest management and wood waste utilization. Urban forests are facing numerous threats from Dutch elm disease, oak wilt, drought, storms and emerald ash borer. Related costs put pressure on city budgets. Truth in labeling*‡ Support legislation that would reduce the amount of misinformation on product labels and disclosure through city collection system. Undergrounding power funding* Support funding for undergrounding power lines to harden against effects of climate change, including both more frequent and intense rainstorms and warmer winters icing lines. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 10 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Economic Development The City of St. Louis Park supports a thriving local economy of small and large businesses and strives to create a place where people can live, work, and play. Cashless Businesses* Support legislation that requires businesses to accept cash as a payment method. Individuals without bank accounts (unbanked) and those who do not utilize their bank accounts (underbanked) often rely on using cash to make purchases. Businesses that do not accept cash “cashless businesses” limit the ability of unbanked individuals to make purchases, leading to the unintended consequence of their exclusion from the local marketplace and further marginalization. Payment access for unbanked and underbanked populations is a racial equity and inclusion issue as it disproportionately impacts people of color, immigrants and other marginalized communities. DEED program funding‡ Support the continued annual funding of DEED programs at stable, sustainable or increased levels, as well as tools to invest in underserved areas of the state that would allow all regions to better prosper. Equal Access to Broadband Act*‡ Support the Equal Access to Broadband Act (HF 4182 and HF 3679) updates Minnesota telecommunications statutes to reflect the changing conditions of the market and extends local franchising authority in statute to allow Minnesota cities the ability to franchise wireline broadband providers. Also removes statutory barriers that require a supermajority voter approval for a city to provide municipal broadband. Property tax reduction for commercial properties purchased under community/commercial land trust arrangements Support a property tax classification rate reduction for commercial properties purchased under community/commercial land trust arrangements (similar to the 4d(2) classification rate established for homesteads purchased through community land trusts) to stimulate the creation and purchase of affordable commercial properties for limited income entrepreneurs throughout the state. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 11 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position General Government The City of St. Louis Park supports good governance in the form of legal authority to help residents to thrive. Adult use cannabis‡ Support a regulatory framework that maintains or expands local control and removing the fee-cap for local service. Future state regulations should allow cities to manage related registration fees so they may recoup the necessary compliance costs. Aircraft Noise Support evaluating the effects of consolidated flight tracks because of RNAV on departures. Cable franchising authority‡ Support congress to recognize, support and maintain the exercise of local franchising authority. Municipal cable franchising is key to providing uniform quality, access and pricing to city residents. Earned sick and safe time‡ Support legislative clarification on the application of these rules for unique and limited city positions including seasonal employees. The 2023 legislature enacted a law requiring all employers to provide employees one hour of sick and safe time for every 30 hours worked. Employer mandates‡ Oppose any employer mandates that diminish the inherent managerial rights as they pertain to collective bargaining. Limiting public employers from determining the number of personnel hired could hinder the city’s crisis response and subjects cities to risk if they are unable to meet bargained terms due to external challenges such as a competitive labor market. Levy limits‡ Oppose levy limits or other proposed restrictions for local government budgets. Many local factors impact the annual decision-making around the property tax levy, including other non-tax revenue forecasts, infrastructure needs and changes to the local tax base and tax increment financing districts. Local control over the tax levy is a key tool in the city's toolbox for achieving long-term financial stability. Local control‡ Support local control as a principle that applies to many issues. Local governments must have sufficient authority and flexibility to meet the challenges of governing and providing residents with public services. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 12 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Open meeting law‡ Support including virtual options for open meetings. City responses to COVID-19 illustrated that remote participation can allow for meaningful public interaction. Cities are in need of continued flexibility to utilize technology for meetings to protect the health of elected officials, city staff and the public and to keep pace with changes to remote technology in the future. Safeguard public code employees‡ Support League of Minnesota Cities’ policy related to assaults on code compliance officials and inspectors. Because of the nature of their job, code enforcement officials can be subjected to verbal assaults, threats and physical violence. Under current law, an assault on a code enforcement official not enumerated in Minn. Stat. § 609.2231, subd. 6, while performing official business can only be charged as fifth degree assault, a misdemeanor, unless it results in substantial bodily harm. All code enforcement officials should be afforded the same protections under Minnesota Statutes, and the legislature should amend the statute to expand the employees covered by the statute Paid Family and Medical Leave*‡ Support legislation that would: a) With respect to ESST, amend Minn. Stat. § 181.9445, subd. 5 to incorporate a well- defined “public employee” definition, not to include unique positions in which there is not a formal employer-employee relationship such as paid appointed advisory, committee, or commission members, election judges, or other non- traditional positions. b) Minimize legal mandates to incentivize employers to establish and/or continue to provide more generous paid leave benefits to employees. Specifically, eliminate the expansion of mandated benefits to paid leave previously negotiated in good faith and/or adopted in personnel policies in excess of what is legally required. c) Provide funding that pays the full costs of any mandated employment-related expenditures. d) Avoid and eliminate expensive and time- consuming duplicative legal protections and processes for public employees, including those that preclude promotional probationary periods. e) Eliminate contradictory existing laws regarding public employment. Public health insurance‡ Support the continued expansion of the state’s public health insurance program MinnesotaCare, allowing all Minnesotans to buy in to the program. The 2023 legislative session expanded Minnesota’s state-funded health insurance program to let residents with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level enroll as well as undocumented Minnesotans. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 13 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Wireless Provider Franchising Authority*‡ Support congress to recognize, support and maintain the exercise of local franchising authority. Municipal wireless provider franchising is key to providing uniform quality, access and pricing to city residents. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 14 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Housing The City of St. Louis Park supports housing for all residents in the city including policies that build and maintain housing and aid in associated costs. Community land trust 4d tax classification*‡ Support the current .75 class-rate reduction for community land trust properties and support efforts by the Minnesota Community Land Trust Coalition and other housing preservation stakeholders to develop property tax valuation modifications to lower property taxes for qualifying low-income sales-price-restricted properties enrolled in CLT. Corporate ownership of single-family homes Support additional research on the impacts of home ownership by corporate entities and tools to address and limit impacts from corporate ownership of single-family houses and encourage increased access to homeownership through programs and resources for Minnesota families to build equity and wealth. Group home licensing and registration*‡ Support a repeal of the legislation passed in 2024 that prohibited all cities from subjecting state licensed group assisted living facilities licensed under Minn. Stat. § 144G and Minn. Stat. § 245D.02 with six or fewer residents from any city-imposed life safety rental licensing requirements. The Legislature should recognize the importance of city rental licensing requirements that ensure minimum life safety standards and hold providers accountable and protect residents. Housing policy*‡ Support legislation that expands housing opportunities (“missing middle” housing) across the state that helps to ensure all communities are planning for and able to accommodate a variety of housing types by supporting policies that allow local leadership on zoning and land use changes that are sensitive to individual community needs and housing goals including incentive-based approaches and options that can be tailored to each individual community and oppose policies that seek to impose one-size-fits-all rigid zoning and land use framework on cities. Housing TIF District Modifications‡ Support expanding authority for all cities to transfer unobligated pooled increment from a housing or redevelopment TIF district to support a local housing trust fund for any eligible expenditure under Minn. Stat. § 462C.16 and modify the housing district income qualification level requirements to allow the levels to vary according to individual communities to support deeply affordable units Prohibition on discrimination Support a statewide prohibition on discrimination against source of income for renters receiving rental assistance. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 15 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Rental rehab loan program Support legislation making resources and methods available to maintain and improve existing affordable homes, including publicly subsidized deeply affordable, and housing stock that is aging such as naturally occurring (unsubsidized) affordable housing. Support voucher acceptance Support additional funding for the housing choice voucher programs and other rental assistance programs and financial, tax and/or other incentives for rental property owners to participate in these programs. TOD Housing fund Support legislation to increase the ability of traditional economic development tools, including tax increment financing, tax abatement, and special service districts, to address the needs of transit-oriented development. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 16 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Public Safety The City of St. Louis Park supports public safety policies and rules that help our front-line workers and ensure equitable and safe outcomes for residents. Criminal background checks Support preventing individuals who are not legally able to purchase a gun from doing so without background checks at gun shows, online, or in private transactions. Emergency medical services‡ Support a solution for EMS services that balances the needs of residents and providers statewide. Support allowing local units of government to designate which licensed provider may serve their communities and to determine the appropriate level of service. Current regulations do not require ambulance services to disclose important data points that would ensure a community is receiving quality services. Expansion of legal fireworks‡ Oppose legislation that expands fireworks in Minnesota. Fireworks can cause serious injuries and fires. The legal sale of consumer fireworks undermines fire prevention efforts, and their sale and use increase local public safety enforcement, emergency response and fire-suppression costs. Fire mutual aid*‡ Support passage of a statute to provide uniform provisions when fire departments assist each other. These provisions should include statutory definitions and clarifications for: a) Who is in command of the mutual aid scene. b) Who will cover the firefighters for worker's compensation. c) How liability and property claims will be handled. d) Who will pay for expendable supplies such as foam. e) When fire departments will charge each other for these services. f) The ability for fire departments to opt out by having a separate written agreement. Gun violence protective orders Support allowing law enforcement in certain cases to temporarily remove any guns in an individual's possession and to prohibit new gun purchases for the duration of the order. Health insurance coverage for disabled public safety officers‡ Support this mandate being fully funded by the state in perpetuity. In 2023, a bill passed reinstating full funding to reimburse employers for the cost of continued health insurance for duty disabled peace officers and firefighters, but this is one-time funding that is expected to run out in approximately three years. Light rail and public safety* Support legislation allocating funding to local jurisdictions for staffing and equipment to support public safety measures related to the light rail. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 17 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Mandated law enforcement training‡ Support continuing the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board training reimbursement allocation to local agencies. Current funding is not permanent and sunsets in 2024. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards*‡ Support permanent and ongoing state funding to assist fire departments statewide to improve emergency response and work toward industry standards. Opposes any attempt to mandate standards for minimum staffing levels of fire, specialized or EMS vehicles controlled by units of local government. Also opposes any attempt to adopt a standard dictating or affecting the response time of any fire, specialized or EMS vehicle. If mandated, the NFPA standards would force local governments to shift dollars from fire prevention programs to fire suppression activities, potentially increasing the risk of fire and the danger to local firefighters. Public safety aid*‡ Support legislation that increases aid for public safety. Race data collected on Minnesota Driver’s licenses and state identification Support the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to require individuals self- identify their race when applying for a driver's license or state identification. This anonymized, aggregated data would be shared with the Office of Traffic Safety for research, analysis and reporting to monitor traffic stop disparities. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 18 *New position in 2025 ‡League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) position Transportation and Infrastructure The City of St. Louis Park supports providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely, and reliably. Metro Green Line extension Support the continued work and completion of the Metro Green Line Extension Project to provide businesses, residents and visitors with multiple transportation options. Texas Ave. and Minnetonka Blvd. Support Hennepin County partnering in Texas Avenue/ Minnetonka Blvd intersection reconstruction. Texas Avenue between Lake Street and Wayzata Boulevard is one of the few continuous north-to-south roadway connections in St. Louis Park. To finish the upgrade of the Texas Ave. corridor, the new intersection would include separated bicycle facilities, sidewalk, improved driver sightlines, signal replacement and ADA upgrades. Transit financing‡ Support stable and growing revenue sources to fund the operating budget for all regional transit providers now and into the future. Transportation funding‡ Support sufficient and stable statewide transportation funding, for all modes of travel and local control to serve long-term needs. A comprehensive transportation system is a vital component for meeting the physical, social and economic needs of our state and metropolitan region. Railway safety‡ Support accountability, safety and funding of accident prevention, as well as new rules around railway safety. Railways connect local and regional economies to the global marketplace and generate billions of dollars in economic activity. Recent high-profile freight train derailments, however, have highlighted safety concerns in an industry that travels through thousands of communities, including St. Louis Park. Underground infrastructure funding*‡ Support creating funding for underground infrastructure replacement. Study session meeting of December 10, 2024 (Item No. 1) Title: 2025 Legislative delegation discussion Page 19