The Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC), an organization representing all 87 Minnesota counties, recently passed its top legislative priorities for the 2023 legislative session.  These priorities were approved by the AMC Board of Directors and represent the highest needs of Minnesota’s elected county governments who administer a variety of services on behalf of their residents.  

“Minnesota counties welcome the recent surplus news and the opportunities afforded by strong economic foundations,” said AMC President and Ramsey County Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire.  “While the economic forecast projection is continued good news for state coffers, it’s also important to note the many areas of urgent needs, particularly after a year of inaction at the Capitol.”

From rural to urban, Minnesota’s county governments agree that the Legislature should be using the state’s historic surplus to make strategic and long-term investments in mental health supports, programs that improve the lives of children and families, community corrections and public safety, broadband internet infrastructure expansion and improvement and transportation systems like roads and bridges, as well as pay attention to rising impacts of property tax burdens and housing market valuations.  

“Local governments have been on the front lines the past few years in dealing with the adverse effects of the pandemic and growing inequities across the state,” said AMC Past President and Lac qui Parle County Commissioner Todd Patzer.  “Counties have invested hundreds of millions of dollars across the areas of housing affordability, homelessness supports, rental relief, business aid, local public health response, transportation infrastructure and more.  In short, counties worked overtime for the State of Minnesota, and it’s now time for the state to reinvest in its counties.”

“Minnesota stands at a historic moment of opportunities to both right inadequacies of the past and to make strategic investments that will positively impact generations to come.” said AMC Executive Director Julie Ring.  “We hope the Legislature will turn to counties’ expertise and proven public service track record to be a partner and help ensure a brighter future for all Minnesotans.”

Minnesota County 2023 Legislative Priorities:

• County Program Aid (CPA): Counties’ one stop categorical aid is still not back to original 2002 levels when accounting for inflation. This aid is a critical lifeline that supports an array of county operations and intended to provide local governments a dependable stream of revenue to provide mandated services while not overly burdening property taxpayers. In 2002, CPA represented (on average) 14% of a county’s levy; today, that number is under 7%.  The unfortunate outcome of the Legislature’s lack of investment in this funding stream is that county governments are increasingly more reliant on property taxes/levies to finance their required government services straining local property taxpayers and limiting counties options to respond to the pressing needs of their residents.  A strong investment in CPA will not only have positive effects on property tax burdens across the state, but also provide counties with additional resources to meet ongoing mandates as well as act proactively across a variety of acute community needs particularly in the areas of social services, housing, corrections, transportation, public safety and solid waste management.  

• Mental Health: Minnesota counties are united in supporting additional investments in mental and behavioral health infrastructure that alleviates built up pressures and gaps across the continuum of care.  Counties see firsthand the strains that our state’s mental health system is under and the negative effects these shortcomings are having across sectors of society.  In particular, the lack of a sufficient state-operated safety net of mental and behavior health facilities is contributing to poorer socio economic and health outcomes across the state—particularly in vulnerable communities. AMC supports strategies aimed at addressing immediate/acute challenges but is also laying the groundwork for long-term investments that target prevention and general infrastructure that will provide better outcomes for years to come.

• Child Protection and Wellbeing Investments: It’s past time for Minnesota to commit to adequately supporting children and families throughout the state.  Minnesota currently ranks at the bottom nationwide in terms of state investment in child protections systems, instead relying heavily on local property tax levies to fund services. Counties are seeing increases in child protection cases while also being limited by staff and resources and are in desperate need of systems modernization efforts to help alleviate administrative burdens and prioritize limited caseworker time to working with families.  Legislative success also means more than just supporting child protection staff but also investing in family supports and resources that focuses on keeping families together, safe, and out of the child protection system altogether. Counties look forward to continued conversations around new opportunities to utilize innovative approaches such as Family Resource Centers that provide community-driven programming and supports around areas of substance use disorder, mental health, parenting skills that are inclusive of local, tribal, and state needs and have the overarching goal of keeping strengthening families.

• Community Corrections: Probation is the cornerstone of Minnesota’s criminal justice system. Counties provide 80% of probation services in Minnesota, also including supervised release (commonly known as parole). In a state with one of the lowest incarceration populations, adequately investing in probation is key to decreasing criminal reoffending, diverting negative outcomes, and most importantly, keeping communities safe.  Unfortunately, Minnesota’s probation system has been underfunded for at least the last two decades and the legislature has not kept up with its funding obligation since the 1990’s. AMC looks forward to advocating for a properly funded, county-driven, probation system that works by changing the funding formula and reinvesting in probation. 

• Transportation: The absence of a strong, ongoing transportation funding package had had debilitating effects on transportation systems across the state.  While the state surplus is at a record high, Highway User Tax Distribution Fund (HUTDF) revenues are currently projected to be at a deficit. Counties maintain and operate 44,552 miles or 38.9% of the public roads/highways in the state. Of those, 30,629 miles are County State Aid Roadways that rely on CSAH funding from the HUTDF. Counties are advocating for a transportation funding bill that would provide new, sustainable revenue to help plan for future projects and address the growing need at the local level as well as a bonding bill that would provide significant investments in transportation through statewide programs geared towards local roads, bridges, and transit. 

•Solid Waste Management Tax/Waste Management: The Solid Waste Management Tax (SWMT) was created in 1997 to help state and local governments address waste management. Currently, 30% of the taxes collected are diverted to the general fund for other purposes. Counties are required to provide for the management of solid waste and meeting state goals for recycling and waste reduction and receive funds from the state to help support that work. Unfortunately, while SMWT revenues have continued to grow increasing the state revenues from this source, the level of funding sent back to counties has remained mostly stagnant. AMC seeks to redirect the General Fund SWMT dollars to fundamental waste management efforts through SCORE Grants to counties.

•Broadband: Minnesota is a national leader in deploying broadband to unserved communities. Despite our work, nearly 25% of rural Minnesota communities do not have access to a reliable broadband internet connection. The Office of Broadband Development estimates it will take $1.3 billion to connect the rest of the state to world-class, high speed broadband internet. Counties partner with internet service providers to find areas with no service and often use their own levy dollars to make expansion projects possible. The Legislature and federal government have made historic investments in broadband, but there will likely be a gap in available funding and the amount required to finish the job. Counties support fully funding the state’s Border-to-Border Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program.

•Public Health:  County public health departments firmly believe that your zip code should not determine your access to health. Local public health departments play a crucial role in protecting health in their communities yet their capacity to provide service varies across the state. Foundational capabilities need to be in place in each health department across the state, so they are always ready to serve their community and achieve equitable health outcomes. AMC supports increased state-level funding so that local health departments have a strong baseline of organizational competencies such as assessment and surveillance of health threats, emergency preparedness and response, infectious disease prevention and control, communications, development of community partnerships, administrative competencies, and expert staff they can leverage to protect public health. Investing in prevention and a strong local public health infrastructure pays off by saving health care and other public program costs, such as those from corrections and child protection. 

•Human Services Systems Modernization: The current human services technology system is complex, fragmented, and administratively burdensome for all. Too many of our current statewide systems operate on antiquated technology platforms that are inefficient and burdensome for workers and those receiving services. The lack of interconnectivity between data and technology systems makes the work done at the county level more difficult, time-consuming, and costly. It is long overdue for major state investments in systems transformation and modernization – which must include appropriate county collaboration, oversight, and guidance – to achieve efficient service delivery in health and human services. Program simplification must accompany these investments to align systems and maximize the impacts of investments.

The Association of Minnesota Counties is a voluntary statewide organization that assists the state’s 87 counties in providing effective county governance to the people of Minnesota. The association works closely with the legislative and administrative branches of government in seeing that legislation and policies favorable to counties are enacted. In addition, the Association provides educational programs, training, research and communications for county officials.