On Tuesday, December 12, Senator Julia Coleman was unanimously elected Chairwoman of the Minnesota Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Government by her fellow committee members. The commission was established to oversee the Metropolitan Council’s operating and capital budgets, work program, and capital improvement program.

“It is humbling to be selected unanimously by my fellow colleagues to lead this committee,” said Coleman. “We have important work to do to reform and improve the Met Council, so it better serves the needs of Minnesotans across the seven-county metro. I will fight for Carver County residents and work with my colleagues to bring needed transparency and accountability to the Council.” 

The bipartisan commission is comprised of seven members of the Minnesota House of Representatives and seven members of the Minnesota Senate. Each member must represent a portion of the seven-county metropolitan area. The commission’s areas of focus are the tax rate and dollar amount of the Metropolitan Council’s property tax levies and any proposed increases; any request for an increase in the debt of the Metropolitan Council; the overall work and role of the Metropolitan Council; and the Metropolitan Council’s operating and capital budgets, work program, and capital improvement program.