Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 06/17/2008

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'rm TRUST ,~ Pu'BLlC LAND m_._mm RAMSEY CITY MINNESOTA M~ ' - Feasibility Study proposed tax rate, how the revenues will be used, the total amount to be raised before the tax expires, and its estimated duration. If authorized by the legislature, the question must be put to a vote at a general (not special) election, which may be either a state or local general election. The enabling legislation may allow other methods of local approval. For instance, laws authorizing the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and Rochester (first authorization) sales taxes provided that the city council could impose the tax by ordinance.42 Some local communities in Minnesota have considered the deed transfer tax as a funding source for specific purposes. However, the bulk of deed transfer and mortgage registry taxes (97%) and all income taxes are directed to the state general fund and are not currendy available to local governments direcdy.43 Proposals have been made over the years by counties to regain the mortgage and deed tax as a local revenue source; but none of the proposals have become law.44 Election History Results and Turnout Election results can often be helpful in gauging voter support for capital projects and tolerance for public spending. However, there have been no finance questions voted on in the City of Ramsey in the last eight years. As such, TPL recommends conducting a public opinion survey to determine public priorities and willingness to commit additional government funds to parks and land conservation among current residents of the city. As of May 2008, 12,230 Ramsey city residents are registered to vote. A breakdown of voter registration by precinct is included in Appendix III. In recent years, turnout at elections has ranged from 10 to 18 percent for September primary elections to 67 to 86 percent for general elections. Sept. 2006 General 2006 Sept. 2004 General 2004 Sept. 2002 General 2002 Sept. 2000 General 2000 12,385 13,633 10,699 13,515 10,379 11,561 10,342 11,801 1,249 9,087 1,169 11,559 1,829 9,125 1,446 9,111 10% 67% 11% 86% 18% 79% 14% 77% Source: Diane Teff, Anoka County Elections 42 Excerpted from: Minnesota Local Sales and Use Taxes: a report to the 2004 Legislature, http://www.taxes.state.mn.usltaxes/legal policy/research reports/content/local sales tax studv.pdf, also Minn. Stat. 297A..99, subd 2 431000 Friends of Minnesota, Land Conserntion Tools - http://www.1000fomorg/lctools7.htm 44 Excerpted from: Information Brief, MN House of Representatives, April 2002, http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/ pubs/ mortdeedtx.pdf 22