St. Paul wants to do better than basic when it comes to street design along the planned Central Corridor light-rail line.

It will cost $27 million, however, and would need to be separate from the $914 million budget that's under strict federal guidelines.

To raise the extra money, along with another $43 million for other improvements along the avenue, St. Paul wants the Legislature to allow the city to combine the proceeds of four tax-increment financing districts along the avenue, extend the life of those districts for another 20 years and be able to use the money for projects all along the route.

The city is asking Ramsey County and St. Paul Public Schools for support in their quest at the Capitol, because the four taxing districts are set to expire in coming years and would go back on the tax rolls. In other words, the county and school district wouldn't get their share of the money until 2029.

Nancy Homans, policy director for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, presented the idea Tuesday to the Ramsey County Board. "We believe that it's important to build a beautiful place," she said. The best chance for that, she added, is during construction.

Although the project hasn't received full federal approval yet, construction is set to begin in 2010 and finish in 2014. The 11-mile line would stretch from downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul, following University the bulk of the way.

The $70 million the city hopes to generate from extending and combining the taxing districts would go toward nicer streetlights, greenery, bike and pedestrian connections, affordable housing, helping small businesses and trying to solve the problem of losing more than 80 percent of on-street parking along the avenue.

At a recent meeting of Central Corridor partners, Coleman called the basic street design "awful." But project planners said anything more than basic most likely wouldn't fit in the budget.

The city hasn't given up on finding another agency, namely the Met Council, to put up the money for University Avenue enhancements, Homans said. But because there are no guarantees, the city is pushing forward with the legislative request.

"To do the Central Corridor without these improvements on University makes no sense whatsoever," said Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt. That said, she suggested that the special districts go back on the tax rolls as soon as possible instead of waiting until 2029.

Commissioner Janice Rettman asked for a detailed analysis of how the extended districts would affect the county's budget in the future.

Commissioners who represent suburban areas also questioned Homans about whether their constituents' viewpoints had been sought, and not just those of neighborhoods surrounding University.

Commissioners also asked whether the city would consider paying the county its share of tax money as though the districts weren't extended.

The Ramsey County Board is expected to get its answers and vote during its March 17 meeting on whether to lend its support to St. Paul.

Chris Havens • 612-673-4148