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League of Minnesota cores 145 University Avenue West, St Paul, MN 55303-2044 (651) 283-1200 • (800) 925-1122 Fax (651) 281-1299 • TDD: (651) 281-1290 www.imnc.org May 10, 2007 Citizen Task Force City of Lino Lakes 600 Town Center Pkwy Lino Lakes, MN 55014-1182 Re: Uniqueness ofthe special assessments referendum in Lino Lakes' charter Dear Citizen Task Foy Following my visit to Lino Lakes to present information on charters, 1 received a question from a member of the Citizen Task Force, as well as the administrator, Gordon Heitke. The question was, do any other charter cities in eta have a similar provision requiring a referendum on special assessments as found in the Lino Lakes Charter. The answer is that no other charter city in Minnesota has a charter provision requiring a referendum On special as. Section 8.04, subdivision 2 of tate Lino Lakes charter reads, in part: [Willis less than one hundred (100%) pe cent of the estimated cost of the proposed improvement is to be paid for by special assessments, .connection charges, or any outside funding source other than the City general fund, the Council shall within one hundred twenty (120) days atter the conclusion of the public hearing submit the proposed local improvement and its assent formula to the voters of the city.... If a majority of those voting on said improves and associated assessment formula are opposed, the Council shall not proceed with the local improvement as proposed. (emphasis added.) Comparing this charter provision with the corresponding special assessment and local improvement provisions of other charter cities, 1 have found no other city which has a similar mandatory referendum in its charter. The closest charter to Lino Lakes in this respect is found in Mounds View. In Mounds View, the charber outlines a similar procedure for council to follow, yet its analogous subdivision 2 reads, in part Millen less than K0 percent of the estimated cost of a proposed local improvement is to be paid for by special assessment, within the sixty day period after a public hearing has been held on the pry improvement, a petition may be filed with Cecil, signed by a majority of the number of electors who voted for Marx in the last regular election, protesting against Mi EQUAL OPPQRRUNITY(AFf1RMATiVE •ACii9R EMPLOYER