The Minnesota Legislature in 2010 created the Council on Local Results and Innovation. In February 2011, the council released a standard set of 10 performance measures to help residents, taxpayers, and state and local elected officials determine how efficiently counties are in providing services and to measure residents' opinions of those services. The following year, the council created a comprehensive performance measurement system for cities and counties to implement.
In 2013, performance measures were revised and clarified to increase participation in the program. Counties that participate in the standards measure program may be eligible for a reimbursement in state aid and an exemption from levy limits.