Minnesota Session Laws - 1988, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1988 

                        CHAPTER 517-H.F.No. 1302 
           An act relating to Itasca county; permitting the 
          county to levy a tax for economic development; 
          providing for a reverse referendum. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [ITASCA COUNTY; DEVELOPMENT LEVY.] 
    The Itasca county board may annually levy a tax of not more 
than one mill on taxable property in the county, to provide 
funds to be used by the county for tourist, agricultural, 
industrial, and economic development.  This tax may be levied 
only if, by October 1 of the levy year, the county board has a 
commitment from a foundation or similar organization to provide 
matching funds for this purpose in the amount equal to the levy 
to be paid during the following 15 months.  No part of the 
proceeds of this levy may be used to provide a direct loan or 
grant to any individual or for-profit enterprise.  A levy under 
this section is in addition to any other permitted by law and 
shall be disregarded in the calculation of any other levies or 
limits on levies provided by Minnesota Statutes, sections 275.50 
to 275.56 or other law.  
    Sec. 2.  [REVERSE REFERENDUM.] 
    If the Itasca county board intends to exercise the 
authority provided by section 1, it shall pass a resolution 
stating the fact.  The resolution shall then be published for 
two successive weeks in the official newspaper of the county or, 
if there is no official newspaper, in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the county, with a notice fixing a date for a 
public hearing on the matter.  The hearing shall be held not 
less than two weeks nor more than four weeks after the first 
publication of the resolution.  Following the public hearing, 
the county may determine to take no further action or adopt a 
resolution confirming its intention to exercise the authority.  
That resolution shall also be published in the official 
newspaper of the county or, if there is no official newspaper, 
in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.  If within 
30 days after that publication, a petition, signed by voters 
equal in number to five percent of the votes cast in the county 
in the last general election, that requests a vote on the 
proposed resolution is filed with the county auditor, the 
resolution shall not take effect until it has been submitted to 
the voters at a general or special election and a majority of 
votes cast on the question of approving the resolution is in the 
affirmative.  The commissioner of revenue shall prepare a 
suggested form of question to be presented at the election.  The 
referendum must be held at a special or general election before 
October 1 of the first year for which the tax authorized under 
section 1 is proposed to be levied. 
    Sec. 3.  [LOCAL APPROVAL.] 
    This act takes effect the day after the Itasca county board 
complies with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3.
    Approved April 14, 1988