Title
Ordering a special election to be held on November 8, 2022 to add a ballot question on whether the City should create a dedicated fund for subsidies for children's early care and education through a property tax levy. (Laid over from July 20, 2022.)
Body
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 205.10, subd. 1, a special election may be ordered by the governing body of the municipality on its own motion on a question on which the voters are authorized by law or charter to pass judgment; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Saint Paul City Charter §7.07, the council may by resolution, adopted by affirmative vote of at least five (5) members, order a special election when deemed necessary for any purpose and provide for the holding of the election; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a tax levy to raise dedicated funds to provide subsidies for quality early learning and care would provide equitable educational access for all children and benefit the City; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 205.16 requires that the City Clerk provide the County Auditor written notice of a ballot question at least 74 days before the election, which in this case is on or before August 26, 2022; and
WHEREAS, the written notice must include the title and language for the ballot question as approved by the City Attorney’s Office; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minn. Stat. §275.60 (a), any question submitted to the voters by any local governmental subdivision at a general or special election authorizing a property tax levy or tax rate increase, must include on the ballot the following notice in boldface type: BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby orders a special election to be held on November 8, 2022; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to notify the County Auditor to place a ballot question on the November 8, 2022 ballot; and be it
FINALLY RESOLVED, that the City Council adopts the title and the language of the ballot question as follows:
Title: SHOULD THE CITY LEVY TAXES TO PROVIDE EARLY LEARNING SUBSIDIES?
Question Language: In order to create a dedicated fund for children’s early care and education that provides subsidies to families so that early care and education is no cost to low- income families and available on a sliding scale to other families, should the City of Saint Paul be authorized to levy $2,600,000 in property taxes each year for a period of ten years?
BY VOTING "YES" ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
The maximum amount of increased levy as a percentage of market value is 0.0087194% in year 1 and 0.087194% in year 10.
The amount that will be raised by the new referendum tax rate in the first year it is to be levied is $2,600,000.