Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
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
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes