Sales Tax Extension Request a Legislative Priorty for 2011 Rochester on Tour at the Capitol

The people of Rochester ask the legislature to authorize the citizens to vote by referendum to CONTINUE THE CURRENT 0.5% City sales and use tax to raise $160 million in principal for improvements that will benefit the City, County, and State. This sales tax has been in effect since 1983. The proposed improvements include:

$26.5 million to State Higher Education Institutions (UMR, RCTC, WSU)

• $47 million for transportation improvements for highways (City and County) and the
  Rochester International Airport


• $38 million for economic development


• $8 million for a regional public safety facility


• $40.5 million for youthand elder regional and community facilities

Request rationale:
The City, Olmsted County, the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, the Higher Education institutions, Mayo Clinic, and many other organizations in the community believe that this extension will make Rochester a better, safer, and economically stronger regional center for this area and the State of Minnesota.

• REFERENDUMS: Rochester is the largest Minnesota local government to hold a referendum for a local sales tax. If authorized, this will be our 5th sales tax referendum. The last sales tax referendum in 2005 passed with a 72% positive vote. The Legislature is only requested to authorize the referendum vote.


• COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES OF THE FIRST CLASS: Rochester will be a City of the First Class in the 2010 census. All of the other cities of the first class have local sales taxes that either do not terminate or will be in place for a long time.

Interested in attending Rochester on Tour at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd? There's still time to register. Click here or call 507-288-1122 no later than Monday, Jan. 31st.