What do you think about Scott County adopting a 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation and transit projects?

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Minnesota needs more transportation options and better transit alternatives… and that's why we want to hear from you about a proposed local option sales tax of up to ½ cent to improve transportation and transit. For more detailed information on the proposal, click on the image on the right.

Scott County doesn’t have a lot of options on its own. A few years ago, the County Board decided not to join the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB), because there was no guarantee that one single cent raised by the local sales tax would actually go into a local project. Now, another option is on the table. 

A provision in recent legislation allows non-CTIB counties to levy a sales tax of up to 1⁄2 percent – and the funds can be used for local transit or transportation projects. In Scott County, that could generate about $6 million every year...all to be spent on County transportation and transit priorities. (Please note that the current list of potential projects is not comprehensive, just illustrative.)  

This would be a tax increase, to be certain – but one that would be paid, in part, by the over six million visitors that pass through and recreate in Scott County every year. (Similarly, if you’re shopping in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, or Washington Counties, you’re already paying the CTIB tax.)  Click here for a list of the frequently asked questions on the local option sales tax.

Obviously, this is not an easy decision. The Scott County Board of Commissioners is inviting members of the public to weigh in on this tough issue. On April 1, they will be holding a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. to gather testimony from anyone who appears; in addition, they will consider all of the information and opinions provided here, in person, in writing, or via telephone as part of the public record – and will make a final decision after a deliberative and thoughtful analysis of the facts and public input. (In other words, they will be taking their time to make a decision.)  

The public hearing will be held during the regular Scott County Board meeting in the Boardroom (second floor, Government Center, 200 West Fourth Avenue, Shakopee, MN, 55379).

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