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RELEASE: Representative Nash Introduces Met Council Reform Legislation

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

SAINT PAUL, MN—Recently, Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, introduced a bill, HF7, to reform terms of Metropolitan Council members. The bill would create staggered, four-year terms for members instead of the current congruent four-year terms.

“The current system allows a governor to wipe out the entire council and appoint 17 new faces who all agree with the governor,” said Nash. “My bill would ensure that in the event of a transfer of power, there are still dissenting voices to be a check on this powerful body.”

The Metropolitan Council is a group of 17 unelected officials appointment by the governor, and oversees almost a $1 billion budget for the metro area.

“This is just one step in reforming the Met Council,” said Nash. “When a body of unelected members can drastically change the entire metro area without any repercussion, there’s a significant problem that must be addressed.”

House File 7 is a bipartisan bill, co-authored by the House Transportation Finance Committee’s DFL-lead, Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis.

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