Want to Pay a Tax on Twins and Wild Jerseys to Pay for Vikings Stadium?

Minnesota legislators are debating a new sales tax on licensed clothing, sports memorabilia and luxury suites to cover the state's share of Vikings stadium construction costs.

Do you want to pay sales tax on Twins, Wild and Timberwolves sports memorabilia and licensed clothing to help the state raise money to build the new Vikings stadium? E-pulltab revenues to fund the new Minnesota Vikings stadium have fallen short, so the Minnesota House of Representatives Taxes Committee is considering a new tax on sales of sports-related items to help fill the gap. State Rep. Leon Lillie, a DFLer who represents parts of Oakdale, sits on the committee. Watch the House committee debate the issue at its Wednesday meeting starting at 12:30 p.m. or at TheUpTake.org. The bill (see PDF) by Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) would tax sports memorabilia—items available for sale to the public that are sold under a license granted…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (7)
• Documents (1)

UPDATED: Oakdale’s Legislators Vote ‘Yes’ on Vikings Stadium

The bill didn’t include funding for early childhood education that local legislators had hoped to get.

Oakdale’s representatives at the Minnesota State Capitol both voted in support of a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings. The stadium bill passed through the House and Senate Thursday, and was awaiting the governor’s signature Thursday afternoon. Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL-Maplewood) said the No. 1 reason she supported the bill was that it will create jobs. “I think that it is going to bring a tremendous amount of construction jobs and we have a lot of people that are on our union benches not working,” she said. Another reason for her support, she said, is that the Vikings add to the state’s quality of life. “Having the Vikings is part of Minnesota’s culture,” she said. “I grew up where there were no major sports teams, and it makes a …

• Photos (1)

Beyond Football: Legislators Want Vikings Stadium to Benefit Kids

Oakdale’s legislators are introducing a bill that would devote excess revenues from any Vikings stadium legislation to an early childhood program.

Football fans, construction workers and restaurateurs have been named among those who would benefit from a new Vikings stadium. Oakdale's representatives at the state Capitol want to add one more group to the list—low-income, preschool age children. Sen. Chuck Wiger and Rep. Nora Slawik, both Maplewood DFLers, said they planned to introduce companion bills Monday that would devote any excess money raised for the facility—through mechanisms like gambling—to go toward early childhood education. “If we can find the money for a Vikings stadium, we can fund early childhood education,” Slawik said. ”We have 7,000 kids on the waiting lists for childcare and these scholarships would make a significant difference.” The money would go toward an …

• Photos (1)

Oakdale's State Legislators Said They See Value in Keeping Vikings in Town

Lots of details must still be worked out, legislators said. Gov. Mark Dayton said he hopes to call a special session to vote on a Vikings stadium bill by Thanksgiving.

Oakdale’s state legislators said they support working on a stadium agreement to keep the Vikings in Minnesota, however, they’re concerned about overburdening taxpayers to do it. “The things that are important to me are to look at the public versus private share of money being spent,” said Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood. “I don’t think it’s fair to put a significant burden on the taxpayers.” Gov. Mark Dayton has been meeting with Vikings leadership and various stakeholders this week, and he said he intends to prepare his own stadium proposal by Nov. 7, the Star Tribune reports. Dayton said he’d like to call a special session to vote on a stadium bill by Thanksgiving, according to the report. An NFL official said Tuesday if the state can't …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Oakdale’s Legislators Differ on Potential Arden Hills Vikings Stadium

Rep. Nora Slawik and Sen. Chuck Wiger both say they have concerns with the Arden Hills Vikings stadium proposal, but for different reasons.

Oakdale’s representatives in the Minnesota Legislature both said they had concerns with a proposal to construct a new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills, but for different reasons. Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-Maplewood) said he doesn’t agree with paying for part of the stadium through a general sales tax on all of Ramsey County, while Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL-Maplewood) said she’s concerned about the proposed state contribution. Imposing a general countywide sales tax increase is what the legislature approved to help fund the Twins stadium in Hennepin County, Slawik said, and so she is willing to consider a similar proposal for the Vikings stadium. But at a time when legislators are charged with cutting about $5 billion from the state’s budget, she …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Patty Busse

5:06 pm on Friday, May 20, 2011

Chuck ... thanks for your comments. We do publish all of the news columns the local legislators send, but now every local resident has the same opportunity to post what's on their mind in our "Local Voices" section on the front page of our site. I'd love to set you up as a blogger ... this would give you the option to write whenever you want on the topics of your choice. Just email me if you're …   more ›

Vikings Stadium, Voter ID Bills Hit Legislature

Rep. Nora Slawik said her priority is the budget.

A Vikings stadium proposal and Voter ID bills were hot topics in the Minnesota Legislature last week, but Rep. Nora Slawik said reaching a budget agreement with Gov. Mark Dayton should be the Legislature’s highest priority right now. Companion Vikings stadium bills were introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate Monday, April 11, that call for the Vikings to pay for one-third of the project’s cost, and call for state and local governments to pay for the rest through a variety of mechanisms including increases on sales tax, hotel tax and taxes on players’ salaries. Slawik called the stadium proposal complex with “a lot of moving parts” and said it needs careful examination. “I really think we need to finish our budget bills before we can …

• Photos (1)

Legislators Talk Education, Voter ID and Vikings Stadium at Town Hall Meeting

Federal and state legislators met with constituents Saturday, Feb. 5, at Maplewood City Hall.

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum and state legislators spoke to a standing-room-only crowd in Maplewood City Hall Saturday morning at a town hall meeting. McCollum, a Democrat, Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL-District 55B), of Maplewood, Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-District 55), of Maplewood, all of whom represent Oakdale, and Rep. Leon Lillie (DFL-District 55A), of North St. Paul, answered questions from the audience. Here are some highlights from what the legislators said:

• Photos (1)

CAPITOL REVIEW

Local Legislators Talk Vikings Stadium, Budget Deficit

Minnesota state legislators returned to the Capitol last Tuesday for the start of the legislative session.

Editor's Note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they're voting, the bills they're writing and the issues they're getting behind. Come back to Oakdale Patch every Monday for a new Capitol Review. Minnesota State Legislators returned to the Capitol last week with a $6 billion projected budget deficit looming. If there's one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on, it's that balancing the budget will be the Legislature's biggest task this session. Here’s a little information about Oakdale’s representatives in the Minnesota Legislature: Rep. Nora Slawik  Sen. Chuck Wiger Here’s what the legislators said about a few of the key issues facing the body this session:  The …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)