Rochester City Council Overrides Sales Tax Veto

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A special election asking Rochester voters to decide whether or not to extend the city’s half-cent sales tax is back on. 

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City Councilmembers voted 6-1 earlier this month to hold the special election regarding the sales tax extension in November. Mayor Kim Norton vetoed the resolution to call the special election the day after it won council approval, arguing in part the items to be funded by the sales tax revenue should not be packaged together on the ballot and instead be broken up as individual questions. 

The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to override the Mayor’s veto. The resolution calls for extending the sales tax for up to 24 years or until it raises $205 million in revenue to fund street projects, flood control, water quality work, an economic vitality fund, and a new regional sports and recreation complex. 

A news release issued by city officials after the council vote says the city plans to launch a website featuring more information about the special election and items that would be funded by sales tax revenues if the extension were to win approval from the voters. The website is set to be launched in the coming months. 

It’s estimated non-Rochester residents would contribute $88 million of the $205 million in sales tax revenue needed to fund the four initiatives. That’s according to a University of Minnesota study, cited by city officials, that says 43% of Rochester’s sales tax revenue comes from out-of-town visitors.