10/06/2008 Council Packet (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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What Will the Ballot Question Look Like? Just What Is On the Ballot? On September 8, the Lino Lakes city council voted to place a citizens'- initiated petition onto the ballot for consideration by the community on November 4, 2008. To help you make an educated decision, the ballot question is reprinted here with background on key parts of the question. Fast Facts According to an independent pavement management study, 11 miles of Lino Lakes streets have now deteriorated to the point of needing reconstruction. Did You Know Because of the poor condition of so many of Lino Lakes' streets, the city has sought legal advice on how to protect itself from liability in the case of an accident on a poorly main- tained street. Recommendations include having a pavement manage- ment plan, posting warning signs on streets, and to keeping referenda on the ballot to demonstrate a commit- ment to improving the streets. What It Means City Question Special Ballot Special Election City of Lino Lakes November 4, 2008 INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: To vote for a question, fill in the oval next to the word "YES" for that question. To vote against a question, fill in the oval next to the word "NO" for that question. CITY QUESTION NO.1: PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT INITIATED BY VOTER PETITION Should Chapter 8 of the City of Lino Lakes charter be amended to authorize the financing of public improvements with special assessments using the procedures of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429 instead of current City Charter procedures that include a city -wide referendum for most improvements? 0 YES ONO 1. "...Chapter 8 of the City of Lino Lakes charter..." The Lino Lakes Home Rule Charter offers guidance on governing the city. The ballot question pertains solely to Chapter 8 of the charter which, in the words of the charter commission, "...grants the right of affected homeowners to initiate a project or halt it. And if the project would call for any citywide taxpayer dollars, the Charter also requires that the public first vote on it in a referendum..." Under chapter 8, all public improvement projects involving a special assessment —such as reconstructing streets —must be put to a citywide vote first regardless of size, location, or urgency. 2. ".. be amended..." A YES vote on the ballot question will not eliminate the charter —Lino Lakes will continue to have a charter as well as a charter commission. The question proposes to replace the process of a city -wide referendum on every public improvement project involving a special assessment with the process outlined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429. (see 4) 4 3. "...authorize the financing of public improvements with special assessments..." Depending upon the extent of maintenance or reconstruction, the city may not be able to finance the project from general funds alone. It may need to assess part of the investment to the benefiting homeowners, and fund the remainder of the investment through a city -wide assessment. Today, all citizens must vote to approve this. Under 429, city leaders alone can make this decision. 4. "..Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429..." Chapter 429 gives elected officials the right to assess the cost of local road maintenance or reconstruction projects city -wide without a referendum. All city leaders in Minnesota except those in Lino Lakes have the authority to fund specially- assessed public improvements without a referendum. 5. "...city -wide referendum for most improvements..." Chapter 8 of the city charter requires all citizens to vote on every local -level public improvement involving a special assessment. In 12 years, the city has been able to fix streets with a special assessment just once.