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Burnsville seeks legislatorsí help with aggregate fee
Posted: 3/14/03 by John Gessner Burnsville officials are asking their state legislators to help them pass a law allowing municipalities to impose a ìhost feeî on producers of mineral aggregates. Aggregate producers ó with their heavy trucks, dusty operations and mining-pit explosives ó burden their host communities while providing resources used statewide, officials contend. They raised the issue Thursday in a meeting with Burnsville-area legislators, who also heard the cityís worries about Gov. Tim Pawlentyís proposed budget cuts. Dakota County cities are seeking a host fee of 30 cents per ton of aggregates produced, said Craig Ebeling, Burnsvilleís director of development and redevelopment. A portion of the fee would be dedicated to fixing roads worn by producersí heavy gravel trucks, Ebeling said. In Burnsville, the Edward Kraemer and Sons limestone quarry south of the Minnesota River produces 3 million tons of aggregates annually, Ebeling said. Operations are expected to continue for 15 more years. Thirty-five percent of the aggregates used in Minnesota come from Dakota County cities and townships, Ebeling said. ìIf one of you would be willing to sponsor this for us, I know you would not be alone,î Ebeling told legislators. ìWe can get that done for you,î responded District 40 Sen. Bill Belanger, R-Bloomington. A host-fee bill was introduced in the 2002 Legislature but died in the House Taxes Committee without a vote, Ebeling said. Opposition from road-construction contractors helped kill the bill, Ebeling said. He contends that a host fee is needed to entice cities to allow aggregate operations. Because cities donít like such operations, many sources of needed aggregate are being paved over, Ebeling said. A host fee would ìfacilitate a long-term, dependable supply of reasonably priced aggregate products,î he said. Budget blues If the state must cut aid and credits to cities to balance its budget, cities should be allowed more freedom to raise revenues, officials told legislators. Burnsville would lose all of its local government aid and market-value homestead credit under Pawlentyís plan to erase Minnesotaís $4.2 billion deficit. The $2 million loss is equal to 12.5 percent of the cityís total tax levy. Officials contend that suburbs are targeted unfairly, with 79 of them losing all their aid and credits. They object to limits Pawlenty would impose on local levies in 2004. Cities could exceed the limits the following year but would be subject to reverse referendums by voters opposing the higher taxes. Pawlenty also proposes that citiesí 2004 debt levies for roads and other projects be counted as part of their total levies and thus subject to levy limits. Debt levies are currently exempt from state-imposed limits. ìThis would put significant restrictions on whether or not we even have road construction in Burnsville this year,î said Deputy City Manager Steve OíMalley. City Council Member Charlie Crichton told legislators, ìWe understand you taking the state aid away, though weíd feel a lot better if you took it away from everybody, not just some of us. If youíre going to take it away, fine, but let us run our government.î City officials also oppose Pawlentyís proposed two-year freeze on public employeesí salaries, but got good news from Belanger. He said the governorís office told him itís willing to exempt employees of cities, counties and townships. ìThey want to keep it on the schools, but theyíre willing to give it up for you,î Belanger said. Other legislators attending the meeting were District 38 Sen. Mike McGinn, R-Eagan; District 37 Sen. Dave Knutson, R-Burnsville; District 40A Rep. Duke Powell, R-Burnsville; and District 37A Rep. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley. © Thisweek Newspapers |
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