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St. Joseph Asking Lawmakers, Voters for Half Cent Sales Tax
ST. JOSEPH (WJON News) -- The St. Joseph city council would like to add a half-cent sales tax.
The council approved a resolution during a special meeting Monday. It now needs approval from the Minnesota State Legislature with city residents getting the final say with a referendum question on a ballot. Mayor Rick Schultz says he doesn't know if that would happen this fall or sometime next year.
Schultz says the money raised from the half-cent sales tax would help pay for community projects like possibly creating a safe County Road 75 crossing near the downtown.
We have new businesses moving in on the north side, we'd like to find some way to bridge that gap either with a bridge or an underground passage or something like that. We've looked at that before.
Schultz says other potential projects that could be funded with the new tax include amenities to Mill Stream Park, Phases 2 and 3 at East Park, and some equipment at the future community center.
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He says they've identified about $20 to $25 million worth of projects, but the tax will only raise $10 to $15 million over 20 years, so they'll will have to prioritize.
The city's current half-cent sales tax is dedicated to a good chunk of the cost to build a community center.
Waite Park voters just passed a half-cent sales tax back in November. That city will begin collecting that tax starting on April 1st.
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