| Anoka group revives ‘Thriller’ for Red Bull Flugtag crowd |
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The “Back for the First Time” team hauled their flying coffin in a full sized semi truck to reach Harriet Island for the Red Bull event. Submitted photo
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One of the more creative endeavors to hit Minnesota since the milk
carton boat race began some 39 years ago entertained, launched, flew
and ultimately floated as Red Bull brought its Flugtag event to Harriet
Island July 24.
| Anoka County Board approves new sales tax increase |
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| Tuesday, 25 March 2008 | ||
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by Kelly Johnson Staff writer Anoka County residents will soon pay more for the things they buy. That’s because the Anoka County Board Tuesday approved an increase to the state sales tax in the county. Commissioners Rhonda Sivarajah and Robyn West voted against the increase and accompanying joint powers agreement, which passed 5-2. “This may seem like a small dollar amount to us, but for people on a fixed income, this is a big amount,” Sivarajah said. The bill gives seven metro counties the power to individually vote to raise the sales tax by a quarter of 1 percent from 6.5 to 6.75 percent. The sales tax increase, which applies to all items that have a sales tax, except new vehicles, becomes effective July 1 if counties vote to approve the increase and joint powers agreement by April 1. If the counties do not meet the April 1 deadline, the increase will not be in effect until Oct. 1, with a June 30 deadline for action. Money from the sales tax increase is specifically earmarked for transitway projects in the seven-county area. Transitways are defined as commuter rail, light rail and bus rapid transit. Regular Metropolitan Transit Commission bus service is not included in the definition of transitways. The increased sales tax is expected to generate $8 million in Anoka County, according to Board Chairman Dennis Berg. That money will go into the joint powers board fund, which is expected to total nearly $100 million a year. “This is really the first time we’ve had the option to pay for it other than property taxes,” Berg said. “We keep saying we need to find a better way than property taxes, and this is a way to do it.” By its action, the county board also agreed to join a joint powers board of counties that have opted to levy the higher sales tax. Members of the joint powers board will determine which projects will be funded from the additional tax revenue. Money generated from the sales tax will go into a pool administered by the joint powers board. Counties that approve the joint powers agreement will have two board commissioners and will pay $50,000 for start-up administrative expenses, which will be reimbursed from sales tax revenue. Under the joint powers agreement, the number of votes each county gets on the board will be based 50 percent on population and 50 percent on sales tax receipts. Under the weighted system, Anoka County will receive 10 votes, Dakota County 13 votes, Hennepin County 47 votes, Ramsey County 18 votes and Washington County seven votes. The Metropolitan Council will have five votes, making 100 total votes. Out of the 100 total votes, the Metropolitan Council will have five, and it will take a super majority, or 63 percent, to approve projects, with more than two counties agreeing on a project to be funded. The goal of the joint powers agreement, according to Berg, is to ensure that each county gets back at least as much money as it puts in. “If we don’t pass this, then it’s only going to property owners,” Commissioner Scott LeDoux said, referring to transit funding. LeDoux added: “We need to get some funds back in from people who are using our facilities.” Commissioner Jim Kordiak recalled the board’s 20-year discussion about increasing transportation funding. “It just never seems to be the right time,” he said. “This is a unique situation that I think we should grasp.” Kordiak also cited the sales tax as a way to fund transit options without overburdening property owners. “I don’t know how I cannot support this,” he said. “If we don’t vote for this proposal, Anoka County residents will like see an increase in their property taxes,” said Commissioner Dan Erhart. Commissioner Dick Lang encouraged commissioners to think “beyond today” when considering the sales tax. “We can’t look small now,” he said. “We have to make sure there’s adequate transportation throughout the whole metropolitan area.” Because of a recently renewed focus on transit planning, Anoka County will likely benefit from the new sales tax increase early. Operating costs for Northstar Commuter rail will shift from property taxes to the new sales tax in 2009. The county will be eligible for funds for the proposed Northstar rail stations in Fridley, Ramsey and Foley Boulevard; the purchase of additional Northstar rolling stock and Anoka County’s share of proposed Northern Lights Express rail service from Minneapolis to Duluth. Before the vote on the joint powers agreement and sales tax increase, Sivarajah made a motion to table board action on the resolutions to allow time for a public hearing on the proposed sales tax increase. “We’re really trying to push this through,” she said. “This is a major issue and I think we should set the public hearing.” The motion failed on a 5-2 vote, with Sivarajah and West voting for the public hearing. Sivarajah then made a motion to allow public comment at the county board meeting. That motion also failed by a 4-3 roll call vote, with Lang, Sivarajah and West voting to hear public comment. During the meeting, Sivarajah continued to fight against the joint powers agreement and tax increase by questioning the weighted voting system outlined in the joint powers agreement. She said she was concerned Anoka County residents would be short changed if Hennepin and Ramsey counties, which have a larger number of votes, decide to only support projects that benefit their communities. “They can run Anoka County right over and eat our lunch,” Sivarajah said. “A vote should be a vote,” she said before making a motion to amend the joint powers agreement to make all votes equal. That motion also failed on a 5-2 vote, with Sivarajah and West voting for the amendment. Sivarajah then questioned the requirements for communities wanting to get out of the taxing district. “This agreement makes it nearly impossible for counties to withdraw from this tax,” she said, citing the three years notice requirement before a community can withdraw from the agreement. Sivarajah also pointed out cities and counties, including those in Anoka County, pay sales tax. “So when the sales tax goes up, our costs go up,” she said. Sivarajah made a final motion to have the commissioners commit to lowering the county’s rail authority budget dollar for dollar, matching the money received from the increased sales tax. That motion failed by a 5-2 vote, again with Sivarajah and West voting to lower the levy dollar for dollar. “There’s no true commitment to property tax relief if we enter into this agreement,” Sivarajah said. Kelly Johnson is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
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