2012 Legislative Priorities

Issues of Importance for Washington County

Washington County seeks to protect its local taxpayers from any further shifts of state costs to the county property tax and the subsequent erosion to its ability to deliver high-quality essential services in an efficient manner. The county encourages the Legislature and the Governor to develop a state budget that provides flexibility and full funding for any mandates imposed on local government.

Washington County supports special legislation that will allow the county to convey or sell a parcel located in the City of St. Paul Park that borders water.

Washington County supports the efforts of the Minnesota Department of Transportation to deliver the new St. Croix River Crossing project in 2013. It requests that the Legislature continue to allocate needed funding for completion of this critical project in Washington County.

Washington County and the Washington County Regional Rail Authority requests $1,000,000 in state bonds for the preliminary engineering work for the Gateway Corridor, based on the recommendations of the Alternative Analysis study and the draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Washington County requests $5 million to design and construct two trail bridges and related trails that would connect the Washington County and Dakota County regional trail systems.

Washington County encourages the state to fund a grade separation project at the crossing of Manning Avenue and the Brown’s Creek State Trail to increase safety.

Washington County supports:

• Eliminate shift of public defender costs to the county for representing parents in Children in Need of Protection or Termination of Parental Rights cases (appoximately $152,000 annually).

• Eliminate remaining state court costs paid by the counties (approximately $406,000 annually).

• Elminate county share for medical assistance costs for those under 65 years of age who are disabled and placed in nursing homes for more than 90 days; for certain intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded; for individuals placed in institutions for mental disease; and for holding sex offenders (approximately $450,000 annually).

• Eliminate the requirement that counties be responsible for detoxification costs (approximately $230,000 annually).

• Allow web publication in lieu of newspaper publication of County Board minutes, financialstatements, summary budgets and delinquent property tax notices (approximately $17,000 annually).