Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ The letter below has been sent to members of the Minnesota State Senate by Scenic Saint Paul. If you are interested in this issue, please feel free to use information from this letter to contact members of the House and Senate.
RE: SF2251: Authors Senators Scheid, Day, Wiger (North St. Paul), Vickerman, Tomassoni RE: HF2057 Authors Representatives Abrams, Buesgens, Adolphson, Klinzing, Sviggum, Blaine, Lesch (Saint Paul) Scenic Saint Paul writes in strong opposition to SF2251/HF2057 because of the destructive impact on Saint Paul�s long running efforts to reduce billboard blight in inner city neighborhoods. SF2251/HF2057 if passed would mean that if a billboard were so dilapidated that it actually fell down in a pile of rubble, Clear Channel could rebuilt it. Saint Paul is the billboard capitol of the state with over 600 billboards, almost twice as many as Minneapolis even though Minneapolis has nearly twice the land area. These billboards are nearly 80 years old, most are rusting or rotting, and all have been noncomforming uses for nearly 30 years. Recently three billboards simply toppled over and the buildings under two more burned down. It is hard to imagine that the legislature would intend that Saint Paul would be required to have these billboards rebuilt. But that is exactly what SF2251 appears to demand. Billboards make no contribution to Saint Paul�s tax base. Because they are considered �personal property�, they pay no taxes of any kind to the city. But they cost the city untold amounts because they reduce the value of surrounding property and vastly increase the cost to redevelop a site. There is a location on the East side right now which is blighted and dilapidated and the community council wants to redevelop the site. To do so they will need to buy out the billboard at a cost of well over $100,000. This is a deal breaker. It means the project is not economically viable. So the whole community suffers. Saint Paul gets NO tax revenues at all from Clear Channel and a property which could provide jobs, services and support to the community is shelved. If there are property tax paying businesses (auto dealers, service stations) that legislators are concerned about that this legislation would help, there must be some way to modify the language of the bill to protect "real property" not the "personal property" (advertising signs) that causes us so much harm and reduces our tax base. Most communities in Minnesota do not have billboards. Suburban communities never allowed them in the first place or 20 or 30 years ago eliminated them. It is primarily a problem for Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Please do not unnecessarily hinder our central cities from addressing this important economic development problem. -- Jeanne Weigum 651-646-3005 fax 651-646-0142 _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
