Issues of Importance for Washington County

Counties remain highly dependent on property taxes to finance state-mandated programs. This reliance is especially significant in the health and human services and public safety / criminal justice areas. The Washington County Board of Commissioners urges the state to examine how local government services should be funded, including diversifying the funding sources available to local government. Growth in state aid to local governments should be linked to growth in state mandates.

For more information, view the county's 2021 Legislative Priorities.

This includes legislative priorities from the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Inter-County Association.

​2021 Legislative Agenda

Local Property Taxpayer Protection
Coronavirus Pandemic Response
​Licensing Service Fees
Washington County Historic Courthouse Restoration
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Payback to Federal Government
Community Corrections Funding
Trunk Highway 36 and County State Aid Highway 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue Interchange Project)
Proposed 4th Street Bridge - Oakdale
St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park Boat Launch Improvements
County State Aid Highway 5 (Stonebridge Trail) and Browns Creek State Trail Connection Project
Expanded Bus Route 363 - Red Rock Corridor, Phase I Implementation
Regional Parks and Trails Operations and Maintenance Reimbursement
Metropolitan Regional Parks and Trails Share of Parks and Trails Legacy Fund
In-Person Absentee Voting Procedures
Second Daily Train Between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago - Support the Great River Rail Commission's Request for State Funding
Support Jurisdictional Transfer of Trunk Highway 96
Expanding the Regional Transit Capital Area in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area