Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Ramsey County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues with high priority
Election Readiness and Polling Place Rules
Early voting is at record levels — 30,000+ mail ballots out, 2,700 voters on day one of early voting. Election judges have gotten extra training on handling unauthorized people at polling places, and the public can watch the voting machine accuracy test Friday at 9 a.m. at the Plato building.
Capital Host program for property tax relief
Minnesota offers programs like the Homestead Credit Refund to help homeowners with property tax burden, which matters because property taxes hit lower-income households hardest relative to income.
CareerForce Center Operations and Funding
The county and state signed a three-year cost-sharing deal to keep the downtown St. Paul CareerForce center running. It's the busiest comprehensive job center in Minnesota, serving 3,242 job seekers this year, with 77% from low-income ZIP codes. It sits next to county service desks so residents can handle employment help and other services in one trip.
Affordable housing rental property tax deduction fix
The county granted abatements of $10,000 or more on three Saint Paul parcels, including a disaster-related abatement. Abatements reduce tax revenue the county and other local governments would otherwise collect.
Election security and misinformation response
Commissioners pressed elections staff on how judges handle unauthorized people at polling places, election observer rules (observers aren't legal inside polling places in Minnesota), and what happens if another level of government tries to disrupt results. The county has an emergency escalation team, an on-call district court judge, and a sheriff detail on election night.
Effective end of veteran homelessness
Ramsey County was officially recognized as having effectively ended veteran homelessness — 804 veterans housed since 2015 through a coordinated system.
HR 1 staffing and jail overtime reduction progress
The county filled all 28 new eligibility specialists to handle new federal Medicaid redetermination rules (a $1 million annual cost heading into the 2027 budget), and hired 36 correctional officers to cut jail overtime — on track for $600,000 in savings this year and $2.6 million in 2027.
Rice Creek Commons Development (MicroControl)
Commissioners celebrated the grand opening of the first company at Rice Creek Commons — MicroControl — with jobs already surpassing original estimates, on the first ten acres of a 40-acre site with quick access to 35W.
Upcoming Economic Development Authority and program flexibility
The new EDA — created by the Legislature and funded through the county's HRA levy, with no taxing authority — now covers all 18 participating cities. Planned supports include expanded technical assistance, learning cohorts, capacity building for business support organizations, and direct investment in mixed-use projects. A detailed spending plan comes to the board this fall.
$50 Million Dynamic Downtown Fund
Downtown St. Paul's commercial tax capacity is shrinking fast — down 12.2% year over year — which pushes more tax burden onto other areas and property types. Commissioners tied this to the county's Building Stronger Together downtown investment strategy.
County–St. Paul partnership and role clarity
About 204 people live in active encampments on the county's list, and roughly 177 have had coordinated entry assessments. Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong pressed for the county to convene cities and partners on a shared encampment approach; County Manager Ling Becker said the county already carries heavy administrative burdens and cautioned against over-investing in encampment response at the expense of the broader system.
Library Friends gifts fund programs and Roseville study pods
A $150,000 annual grant covers library programs and books, while a new $90,000 gift funds one-time improvements like single-person study pods at the Roseville Library and interactive children's play installations.
Operation Metro Surge public safety costs
The board moved $379,800 to the Sheriff's Office to cover public safety costs for Operation Metro Surge and First Amendment-protected events through March 2026. Commissioner Jebens-Singh separately noted lingering community concerns about safety and surveillance after the operation.
Adult Detention Center staffing costs
The budget includes more officers at the county jail after an independent study found rising complexity in the jail population, high overtime, and staff burnout. It's about keeping the facility safe and legally compliant.
Homelessness response coordination
Commissioners reported on tours, meetings with St. Paul officials, and a planned workshop on homelessness. The board chair of Heading Home Ramsey County noted families wait 881 days for housing and a new property-owner work group is forming.
Crisis response services grant
A $300,000 state grant will fund crisis response services through mid-2028, supporting residents in mental health and similar emergencies.
911 Joint Powers Agreement modernization
The county's regional 911 center — the state's largest, serving 500,000 residents — operates under four 20-year-old agreements. Staff plan to consolidate them into one modernized agreement by March 2027, updating technology, governance, and fund-balance rules while keeping the 60/40 county-city cost split.
Homelessness response continuum and funding strain
Commissioners warned that emergency beds are just one piece — permanent supportive housing has roughly 1,400 people on the wait list, and federal funding cuts threaten housing-first programs.
Homelessness response and the Heading Home Ramsey continuum
Minnesota Housing kicked in nearly $800,000 to support the county's encampment response work with St. Paul. It funds three new Radius Health outreach staff and $316,000 in direct assistance — application fees, deposits, transportation — through June 2028.
3M campus property tax litigation
Behind closed doors, the board approved outside valuation experts and funding for the 3M property tax fight — a case that could affect county tax revenue.
Affordable housing and homeownership investment
The county committed over $8.6 million in state and local housing aid to preservation and construction projects, touching 897 multifamily units — 457 of them at 30% of area median income. It's part of a five-part funding rollout with one more action coming August 18.
Road conditions, crash rates and safety
About 17% of county roads are in poor condition; the goal is 12% by 2030. Ramsey County historically had the second-highest county road crash rate in Minnesota, and investments like the Rice Street rebuild — which had the county's highest crash rate — aim to bring it down.
Aging and disability assessment waitlists
After a staffing crisis left thousands waiting months for care assessments, the county's 80 new hires have cut the backlog from about 2,500 to just over 500, with most waits now within the state's 20-day rule. Developmental disability assessments still take about seven months, and a summer surge team is working to fix that.
Redeployment of funds for county property redevelopment
The county pooled $200,000 from two stalled property accounts into one flexible redevelopment fund. Commissioner Xiong pressed on why Boys Totem Town has sat vacant since 2021, costing millions to maintain, while staff cited environmental and archaeological studies and promised a disposition plan and workshop before year's end.
Rising state hospital costs charged to Ramsey County
When a county resident is ready to leave a state hospital but no community placement exists, the county pays the full hospital cost — about $2,400 a day. The county added roughly $2.5 million to its Social Services budget for AMRTC-related costs, which pressures property taxes.
Public Wi-Fi expansion and cybersecurity
Free public Wi-Fi now reaches 68% of county sites, headed to 95% by 2028, with libraries now on the same network. The county blocked 20.2 million malicious emails in 2025 and earned a rare discount on cybersecurity insurance.
County Program Aid (CPA) formula review
The CPA formula that distributes state aid to counties was written a decade ago and no longer fits Ramsey County's needs — high social services costs and a limited tax base with big tax-exempt state/federal properties. AMC is searching for a path to formula reform but hasn't found consensus among 87 counties.
State human services technology modernization
Counties scored a $90 million human services IT modernization bill, with $10 million earmarked for county IT systems. A new advisory council — with county representation — must approve any major changes.
Eviction prevention and housing crisis 'bundling' of funds
The state put $40 million into the Family Homeless Prevention Assistance Program for emergency rental assistance, and Ramsey County expects about $5.6 million of it. The catch: the housing stability department has to spend it by the end of the year.
Growing the tax base — Building Stronger Together
The county is betting on economic growth to ease future tax pressure: a stronger downtown St. Paul and redeveloping county-owned land like Rice Creek Commons, where a 150,000-square-foot headquarters just brought 200 jobs.
METRO Bronze Line Bus Rapid Transit Engineering Phase
The county signed a grant agreement with Met Council to fund engineering for the Bronze Line BRT project, an early but real step toward the transit line.
RiversEdge Redevelopment Land Acquisition Work
The board authorized moving up to $1.2 million in bond interest and premiums into the downtown St. Paul park project — funding one commenter criticized as debt for a 'downtown park' when basics are being cut.
HR 1 implementation costs and staffing
The federal HR 1 law forces counties to do more SNAP and Medicaid eligibility work without new money. The county is hiring 17.5 staff now, but if the state's payment error rate doesn't drop, Ramsey County could owe an estimated $9.2 million by 2028.
Ballot Measure Litigation
St. Paul voters will still get to decide a right-to-repair measure after the Minnesota Supreme Court kept it on the ballot. That means the fight over whether you can fix your own electronics and appliances is now in voters’ hands, not just courts. Why care? It could affect repair costs, local repair shops, and how much control manufacturers have over fixes.
Public Safety Lawsuit
Ramsey County is asking a court to bar two gangs from the Minnesota State Fair this summer. Officials say the move is about keeping the fairgrounds safe for fairgoers, workers and vendors. The legal fight is aimed at preventing gang-related trouble before it happens.
Capital grant agreement with Met Council
The funding mechanism to transfer county sales tax and railroad levy dollars to the Met Council for its design scope. Comes to the board for a vote on August 18.
Construction impacts and business support
Commissioner Xiong pressed for technical assistance and a business resiliency inventory for corridor businesses facing years of construction — similar to Rice Street lessons. Staff floated a business-preparation manual and coordination with CED, but no grants or loans are currently funded.
Rice Creek Commons redevelopment moves forward
The board approved an updated master plan for the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant redevelopment in Arden Hills, already approved by the city. Site prep is expected this fall with construction next spring and summer.
Behavioral health workforce shortage
Group home staff earn wages in the high teens per hour for dangerous work, and providers face rising insurance costs. Commissioners warned that without action, more providers will exit the field over the next five to ten years.
Community Crime Prevention Grants
The county accepted $675,000 in state grants for youth crime prevention programming in communities most impacted by violence, including culturally specific partnerships with the Karen Organization of Minnesota and others. Commissioners pressed staff on staffing costs, partner selection, and program evaluation.
MPCA Draft Resource Management Report (90% diversion by 2045)
The state's draft report proposes Minnesota reach 90% waste diversion by 2045 while treating waste-to-energy the same as landfilling. County leaders say that could strand decades of local investment, create an unfunded mandate, and leave 400,000+ tons of trash with nowhere to go. Comments are due by August 10.
Continuity of detox and withdrawal management services
The county leased its former detox facility space to a nonprofit provider so services continue without interruption. Residents can still walk in or call to self-refer, and no one will be turned away for inability to pay.
Deeply affordable housing at 30% AMI
Commissioners pressed staff on whether the county is getting enough units at 30% of area median income — the deepest level of affordability. Scoring now rewards projects that include at least 10% of units at 30% AMI, and Commissioner Moran suggested pushing toward 15%.
Countywide EDA business programming
The new EDA — created by the Legislature and funded through the county's HRA levy, with no taxing authority — now covers all 18 participating cities. Planned supports include expanded technical assistance, learning cohorts, capacity building for business support organizations, and direct investment in mixed-use projects. A detailed spending plan comes to the board this fall.
System-involved girls and gender-expansive youth
A five-year study found girls of color, especially Black and American Indian girls, are heavily overrepresented in the county's child welfare and juvenile justice systems, with high rates of abuse history and placement churn. The county plans to use the findings to reshape services through Youth Justice Transformation and a metro-wide continuum-of-care planning grant.
Long-term services and supports cost shift
The state may shift long-term care service costs onto counties. Counties found $122 million in savings, but the state pocketed it for the general fund instead of crediting counties. The fight continues into 2027.
Eastbound Kellogg RiverCenter Bridge Reconstruction
The county is putting up to $11 million toward Saint Paul's federal grant application to replace a 90-year-old, weight-restricted bridge that connects downtown to the RiverCentre, arena and Science Museum. The rebuild would add a protected 12-foot bike/pedestrian path down the viaduct to the river trails. Commissioners stressed they expect reciprocal city support on the county's River's Edge project.
Raising the age of juvenile delinquency to 13
A new law raising the age of juvenile delinquency from 10 to 13 takes effect August 1. Commissioners flagged a real gap: there's no placement for kids who commit serious acts, since foster placements and juvenile facilities may not take them.
Deinstitutionalization legacy and possible new secure capacity
Commissioners debated why community-based care became the default after deinstitutionalization and whether the state should consider new secure facilities for the small group of people who repeatedly cycle through the system — a fraught conversation given the history.
Detox and Withdrawal Management Facility Transition
The county closed its own detox center at the end of 2025 after losing roughly $1 million a year on chronically underfilled beds. A community provider has been selected to lease the building rent-free with $50,000 in startup funds, but state licensing could take six months, so the facility likely won't reopen until late December 2026 or January 2027. Residents can still call 651-266-4900 around the clock for help finding detox services elsewhere.