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MARCH 3, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
�SAY IT AIN�T SO, JOE !!� - Stunning Success Opens Petition Drive
Gathering signatures from precinct caucus location around the city Tuesday night, "SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE !!" (SIASJ) amassed opening night laurels for their petition drive to amend the city charter to require a referendum on any major expenditures for professional sports facilities in St. Paul. In just 2 hours more than 5% of the signatures required for the entire petition drive were raised.
"We scored in the first inning" quipped Phil Fuehrer one of the organizers of SIASJ who collected at Harding High School on the East Side.
By Minnesota Statute, in order to place a question to amend the St. Paul city charter on the November ballot this year, a petition would need to collect 5638 signatures of registered St. Paul voters. The amendment proposed by SIASJ in its petition would require that any expenditure of city resources totaling more than $10 million would need to be placed before St. Paul voters for their approval. It is patterned after a similar amendment to the Minneapolis City Charter approved by voters there in 1997.
"People rushed at us to get to sign on to this powerful tool for democracy" said an elated Pat Hill another SIASJ organizer who worked the crowds at Como Senior High School. "They were standing in line to sign. We actually had to halt collecting for a time to make sure we didn't cause them to be late for their caucus votes. When they came out later, they sought us out to sign. It was amazing"
"People are hungry to have their voices heard on this issue" stated Elizabeth Dickinson from the West Side. "It was stark evidence of just why stadium supported oppose giving people the chance to vote. These were all people who are highly likely to go to the polls in November. They are really determined that politicians will understand their opposition to a stadium once and for all."
Fuehrer continued "We are very pleased with the evening's results. This was only supposed to be a trial run so to have this kind of success on our first time out is very encouraging. We'll continue to recruit volunteers and start working up our schedule for future signature collections soon. We want to keep this momentum going.
Following is the text of the proposed 'SAT IT AIN'T SO, JOE !!" amendment.
Title and Purpose: Petition to Require a Ballot Question for Some Professional Sports Facilities in the City of St. Paul.
The Charter of the City of Paul shall be amended as follows.:
Section 11.01.1 BALLOT QUESTION REQUIRED TO FINANCE SOME PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FACILITIES.
The City of St. Paul, or by proxy, any City department, agency, commission, or board, shall use no City resources exceeding $10 million dollars for the financing of facilities to be used by professional sports organizations without approval of such expenditure by the City voters in the form of a ballot question at the next regularly scheduled general election, the approval of said ballot question to be achieved by a simple majority of ballots cast in the election.
Nor shall the City, or by proxy, any City department, agency, commission, or board, participate with any other unit of government including but not limited to a state, a county, a metropolitan council, a city, or any agencies of these entities in the financing , of any facilities to be used by professional sports organizations where the City�s obligation exceeds $10 million dollars, and without the approval of said participation by the City voters in the form of a ballot question, at the next regularly scheduled general election, the approval of said ballot question to be achieved by a simple majority of ballots cast within the City in the election.
City resources are defined for these purposes as: tax increment financing, bonds, loans, land purchase or procurement, land or site preparation, including necessary infrastructure such as roads, parking development, sewer and water, or other infrastructure development, general fund expenditures, sales tax or other taxes, deferred payments, interest free or below market interest rates loans, the donation or below market value sale of any City resources or holdings or any other free or below cost City services.
Any ballot question for the purposes stated in this section, shall not be placed before the City voters in a special election. If adopted, this amendment shall take effect November 15, 2004
CONTACTS: PATRICK HILL 651.293.4738 (day) 651.739.6229 (eves) ; Elizabeth Dickinson 651.312.0616 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dennis Hill West 7th Street St. Paul
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