Lead removal and zoning among greater Minnesota's 2026 legislative priorities
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Minnesota’s legislative session begins in two weeks, and lawmakers have said they’ll be busy dealing with the aftermath of the state’s fraud scandals and the ongoing immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis.
At the same time, a coalition of more than 100 cities in the rest of the state is hoping it can make headway with its own legislative agenda, which includes funding various grant programs, passing local tax reform and blocking legislation it said would wrest control of zoning away from local governments.
Bradley Peterson, lobbyist and executive director of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, said he’s worried the agenda may be overshadowed by the situation in the Twin Cities.
“All of the discussion around ICE and fraud, I think, will potentially suck a lot of energy out of the room,” he said.
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Still, Peterson said his organization will try to stay focused on its priorities, such as funding the replacement of lead service lines, the pipes that connect water mains to interior plumbing. The state’s goal is to identify and replace all of the ones made of lead by 2033.
The coalition is asking the legislature to fund the program with $250 million this year — it received $240 million in 2023.
“It's going to be, over time, about a billion dollars in order to replace all of the lead service lines in the state,” Peterson said.
The coalition will also be lobbying for $200 million for water infrastructure improvements and for the current allocation of Local Government Aid money to remain intact. That’s the money local governments receive from the state — about $644 million annually since 2024.
The coalition lobbied against a bill last year that would have cut that figure by $20 million. It didn’t pass.
While Minnesota is currently in a budget surplus, the state projects a shortfall for fiscal year 2028-2029, according to a November report. Peterson doesn’t want greater Minnesota to get the short end of a tighter budget.
“The state’s fiscal situation has changed, and so any dollar ask is going to be tough,” he said. “But on lead service lines specifically, we think if the legislature is going to spend money on anything, it should be something like this.”
The group also plans to lobby against what it calls “one-size-fits-all zoning and land use mandates.”
Minnesota groups such as the Yes To Homes Coalition support state laws that would loosen local building restrictions that they say make it harder to build homes — and drive up the price of housing — such as some parking, aesthetic and zoning requirements.
The coalition opposes those reforms being enforced statewide, Peterson said.
“These local officials are very protective of their prerogatives in terms of local control and local decision making,” he said.
Peterson noted that several cities are enacting proposals that are variations on what pops up at the legislature.
“But they’re doing it in dialogue with their residents, with other stakeholders in the community without legislative direction, and we think that that’s the best for everybody,” he said.
The coalition will also be seeking reform on local sales tax policy. City governments need approval from the legislature to levy a local tax. A moratorium on these requests expired last year with no new policy language being passed.
The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities is hosting a press conference Thursday to discuss its priorities. A full list can be found online.
