Rochester City Council Overrides Sports Complex Vetoes, Upholds Salvation Army Veto

Rochester City Council Overrides Mayor's Sports Complex Vetoes, Fails to Override Salvation Army Veteo

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester City Council has successfully voted to override a pair of vetoes issued by Mayor Kim Norton regarding the Rochester Regional Sports Complex. 

Read More: Rochester City Council Set to Vote on Mayor Norton's Vetoes 

In 2023, Rochester voters approved the use of $65 million in city sales tax revenues to help fund construction of a regional sports and recreation complex. 

On December 8, the council approved a funding measure and an item that named an operator for the facility. 

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The funding item awarded a nearly $28 million contract to Knutson Construction of Rochester to build the new sports facility, approved a budget of more than $24 million for the purchase of tax-exempt materials needed for the project and using $1.7 million from sales tax–supported economic vitality dollars to prevent cutting amenities included in the complex’s design. 

In issuing the sports complex vetoes, Mayor Norton argued the city misled voters by never saying the $65 million in sales tax dollars would only cover the outdoor portion of the complex. 

Read More: Rochester Mayor Kim Norton Vetoes Actions Taken on Rochester Sports Complex 

The Mayor also raised concerns about the complex’s location, which is to the east of Lowes in southeast Rochester, pointing out the city will need to add water and sewer infrastructure in the area to support the complex. 

Mayor Norton called on the project to pause to allow for more planning and raising revenue for the complex from the city’s sales tax. 

The council voted 5-2 to override the vetoes. Council members Nick Miller and Dan Doering voted against the override measure. 

On Friday,  DFL lawmakers representing Rochester in the state legislature said they intend to introduce bills that would revoke the use of Rochester's local sales tax for the Regional Sports Complex project.  

Read More: Rochester Lawmaker Threaten to Pull funding for Sports Complex 

The announcement was made by State Representatives Kim Hicks, Tina Liebling, and Andy Smith, along with State Senator Liz Bolden. 

Rochester City Council Upholds Mayor Norton's Salvation Army Funding Veto

City council members failed to override Mayor Norton’s veto of a Council-Initiated-Action that dedicated $20,000 from 2025 contingency funds to support the Rochester Salvation Army. 

The money would be used for the Salvation Army rental assistance program and to provide security for volunteers and staff at the Salvation Army dental and medical programs. 

Mayor Norton stressed that her decision was based on several technical factors and “not a reflection of the policies, practices, or needs of the Salvation Army of Rochester.” 

Mayor Norton contends the appropriation was an improper use of the Council-Initiated Action process and exceeds the legal limits on the use of taxpayer funds by the city. 

In explaining her veto, the mayor argues that using city funds to bolster security at the Salvation Army mainly benefits a private interest rather than a public purpose. 

The vote to override failed 4-3. Councilmembers Randy Schubring, Patrick Keane and Miller voted to uphold the veto.