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Leese of Minnesota Gives <br />145 University Avenue West, St Paul, MN 55103 -2044 <br />(651) 7k1 -1200 • (800) 925 -1122 <br />Fax (651) 281 -1299 • TDD: (651) 281 -1290 <br />www.imnc.org <br />NIay 10, 2007 <br />Citizen Task Force <br />City of Lino Lakes <br />600 Town Center Pkwy <br />Lino Lakes, MN 55014 -1182 <br />Re: Uniqueness of the special assessments referendum in Lino Lakes' charter <br />Dear Citizen Task Force; <br />Following my visit to Lino Lakes to present information on charters, i received a question from a <br />member of the Citizen Task Force, as well as the administrator, Gordon Heitke. The question was, do <br />any other charter cities in Minnesota have a siminar provision requiring a referendum on special <br />assessments as found in the Lino I ekes Chaster. <br />The answer is that no other charter city in Minnesota has a charter provision requiring a referendum <br />on special assessments. <br />Section 8.04, subdivision 2 of the Lino T fkcts charter reads, in part <br />[Vjhen less than ow hundred (100%) pest of the estimated cost of the proposed <br />improvement is to be paid for by special assessments, connection charges, or any outside <br />funding source other than the City general fund, the Council shaIl within one hundred twenty <br />(120) days after the conclusion of the public heating submit the proposed local improvement <br />and its assessment formula to the voters of the city.... If a majority of those voting on said <br />improvement and associated assessment formula are opposed, the Council sh1l not proceed <br />with the local improvement as proposed. <br />(emphasis added.) <br />Comparing this charter provision with the corresponding special assessment and local improvement <br />provisions of other charter cities, 1 have found no other city which has a similar .mandatory <br />referendum in its charter. The closest charter to Lino Lakes in this respect is found in Mounds View. <br />In Mounds View, the charter outlines a similar procedure for couticd to follow, yet its analogous <br />subdivision 2 reads, in <br />[Willem less than 100 percent of the estimated cost of a proposed local improvement is to be <br />paid for by special ass, within the sixty day period after a public hearing has been held <br />on the proposed improvement, a pin may be flied with Council, signed by a majority of <br />the number of electors who voted for Mayor in the iRst regular election, protesting against <br />AFi EQUAL OPPORTU€i1TY /AFF{RREATIVE ACTi9M EMPIGY -ER <br />