Title
Approving the 2021 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Program Guidelines.
Body
WHEREAS, on July 13, 1994, the City Council of the City of Saint Paul established the Cultural Capital Investment (“Cultural STAR”) Program; and
WHEREAS, the Cultural STAR Program is funded with ten percent of an additional one-half of one percent sales tax on sales transactions that occur within the City of Saint Paul, pursuant to Minnesota Laws 1993, Chapter 375, Article 9, Section 46, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Cultural STAR Program is to promote economic growth in Saint Paul by strengthening the arts and cultural sector and by supporting downtown as a vital cultural center; and
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2009, by Resolution 09-236, the Cultural STAR Guidelines were approved; and
WHEREAS, on December 12, 2018, by Resolution 18-2027, the Cultural STAR Guidelines were amended to allow 80% advance payment for Special Projects and Organization Development; to establish consistent dates for eligible programming for each of the two funding rounds, and to allow Saint Paul-based organizations located outside of the Cultural District to receive two awards in one year as long as one project takes place within the Cultural District and the other project takes place outside the Cultural District; and
WHEREAS, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Cultural STAR program has been delayed and has reduced funding so that the 2021 Cultural STAR Guidelines must be amended to allow for only one round of funding, as more fully set forth in the Cultural STAR Program Guideline changes, attached as Guideline Changes;
WHEREAS, the amended 2021 Cultural STAR Guidelines will only be effective for the 2021 calendar year; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby approves the changes to the 2021 Cultural STAR Program Guidelines, attached as Guideline Changes