As expected, Gov. Dayton today vetoed SF 2809 which would have drastically altered the structure of the Metropolitan Council. Regardless of how Met Council members should be appointed or elected and the what the Council's structure ought to be, this bill was not an appropriate solution and failed to attract the support of many of the counties and municipalities that would be directly impacted.
Among other problems, the bill would have created conflicts of interest as members would have conflicting obligations to the Council and their county or municipality, the bill would have eliminated the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB), a well-functioning body that allows for deliberation and input on transportation funding for the metropolitan area by a range of entities and individuals, including locally elected officials, and there was minimal opportunity for public input on changes that would have had drastic impacts for the entire metro region. See Gov. Dayton's veto letter.