1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to St. Cloud area cities; authorizing local
1.3 	sales taxes; modifying the use of revenues.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ST. CLOUD AREA CITIES; SALES AND USE TAX
1.6 	AUTHORIZED.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Sales and use tax
1.8 	authorized. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections
1.9 	297A.99, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), and 477A.016, or any
1.10 	other provision of law, ordinance, or city charter, the
1.11 	following cities may, by ordinance, impose a sales and use tax
1.12 	of one-half of one percent for the purposes specified in
1.13 	subdivision 2:
1.14 	(1) the city of St. Cloud, pursuant to the approval of the
1.15 	city voters at the general election held on November 2, 2004;
1.16 	and 
1.17 	(2) the city of Waite Park, pursuant to the approval of the
1.18 	city voters at the general election held on November 4, 2003.
1.19 	The provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.99,
1.20 	except subdivision 3, paragraph (d), govern the imposition,
1.21 	administration, collection, and enforcement of the tax
1.22 	authorized under this section, unless specifically provided for
1.23 	otherwise in another subdivision.
1.24 		Subd. 2.Use of revenues. (a) Revenues received from the
2.1 	tax authorized by subdivision 1 by the city of St. Cloud must be
2.2 	used for the cost of collecting and administering the tax and to
2.3 	pay all or part of the capital or administrative costs of the
2.4 	development, acquisition, construction, improvement, and
2.5 	securing and paying debt service on bonds or other obligations
2.6 	issued to finance the following regional projects as approved by
2.7 	the voters and specifically detailed in the referendum
2.8 	authorizing the tax:
2.9 	(1) St. Cloud Regional Airport;
2.10 	(2) regional transportation improvements;
2.11 	(3) community and aquatics centers;
2.12 	(4) regional public libraries; and 
2.13 	(5) acquisition and improvement of regional park land and
2.14 	open space.
2.15 	(b) Revenues received from the tax authorized by
2.16 	subdivision 1 by the city of Waite Park must be used for the
2.17 	cost of collecting and administering the tax and to pay all or
2.18 	part of the capital or administrative costs of the development,
2.19 	acquisition, construction, improvement, and securing and paying
2.20 	debt service on bonds or other obligations issued to fund the
2.21 	projects specifically approved by the voters at the referendum
2.22 	authorizing the tax.  The portion of revenues from the city
2.23 	going to fund the regional airport will be as required under the
2.24 	applicable joint powers agreement.
2.25 	(c) The use of revenues received from the taxes authorized
2.26 	in subdivision 1 for projects allowed under paragraphs (a) and
2.27 	(b) are limited to the amount authorized for each project under
2.28 	the enabling referendum.
2.29 	Subd. 3.[ST. CLOUD BONDING AUTHORIZED.] (a) The city of
2.30 	St. Cloud may issue general obligation bonds of up to
2.31 	$30,000,000 to pay for the costs of the regional public library
2.32 	pursuant to the approval of the projects by the city voters at
2.33 	the election held on November 2, 2004.
2.34 	(b) Either city may issue general obligation bonds for
2.35 	another project authorized under subdivision 2 without separate
2.36 	bonding approval at a referendum only if the issuance of bonds
3.1 	for that project was included in the authorizing question.  The
3.2 	amount of bonds issued for a project is limited to the maximum
3.3 	amount of local sales tax revenues that may be spent on the
3.4 	project under the authorizing question.
3.5 	(c) The debt represented by the bonds authorized under this
3.6 	subdivision must not be included in computing any debt
3.7 	limitations applicable to the city, and the levy of taxes
3.8 	required by Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay the
3.9 	principal or any interest on the bonds must not be subject to
3.10 	any levy limitations or be included in computing or applying any
3.11 	levy limitation applicable to the city.
3.12 		Subd. 4.Termination of tax. The tax imposed in the city
3.13 	of St. Cloud under subdivision 1 expires when the city council
3.14 	determines that sufficient funds have been collected from the
3.15 	tax to retire or redeem the bonds and obligations authorized
3.16 	under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), but no later than ... years
3.17 	after the date the tax is first imposed.
3.18 	The tax imposed in the city of Waite Park expires July 1,
3.19 	2007.  Any funds remaining after completion of the projects
3.20 	specified in subdivision 2 and retirement or redemption of the
3.21 	bonds may be placed in the general fund of the city.  Either tax
3.22 	imposed under subdivision 1 may expire at an earlier time if the
3.23 	city so determines by ordinance.
3.24 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the city
3.25 	that approves it the day after compliance by the governing body
3.26 	of either the city of St. Cloud or Waite Park with Minnesota
3.27 	Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, for sales and
3.28 	purchases made on and after January 1, 2006.