Business View Magazine | March 2020

251 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA C I T I ES to network with each other. Through these venues, city officials share good ideas and smart practices for making their cities great places to work and live. While some cities and states in the upper Midwest have suffered from slow population growth, or even population declines over the past several years, Minnesota has shown steady growth. According to our state’s demographer, Minnesota’s total population is estimated to exceed six million by the year 2032 and grow to nearly 6.8 million by 2070. And, League member cities are proud to note that Minnesota is the third best state in the country for business, according to 2019 rankings by the U.S. News and World Report. Metrics consider states’ economies, transportation infrastructure, internet, public safety, and fiscal stability of state government. Additionally, the state was ranked as the seventh best state for businesses by 24/7 Wall St., 2018. That source reviewed nearly 50 measures of doing business. Minnesota has received additional high marks by other organizations that rate business climates among the states with noted strengths in early- 830 of our state’s 853 municipalities. From Ada to Zumbrota, the League supports our members through consulting, research, legislative advocacy, training, and provision of risk management services. The League’s Insurance Trust, a self-insured municipal pool, provides cities with property/casualty and workers’ compensation coverage. Through participation in League policy development committees, city officials – elected and appointed - help to shape legislative policy that serves as the foundation for the League’s state legislative advocacy efforts. Much of that policy is designed to maintain and enhance favorable city fiscal and quality of life conditions that are important in fostering a prosperous business climate. And, by participating in League trainings and conferences, city officials learn and refine skills for promoting economic development in their communities by hearing about best practices through case studies, and learning from their counterparts and professional experts in panel presentation formats. Additionally, League conferences allow members opportunities