Sponsor: Public Works
Title
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Public Hearing: Use of County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Funds
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Recommendation
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Hold a Public Hearing to afford the public an opportunity to comment on revisions to the list of projects eligible for County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Funding and approve a list of eligible projects for Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax funding.
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Background and Rationale
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To provide a safe and efficient multi-modal transportation system the Ramsey County Board approved the imposition of a one-half percent sales tax and $20 excise tax on new vehicles in Ramsey County, Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax (Sales and Use Tax), for specific transportation projects consistent with the requirements of Minnesota Statute 297A.993 on June 13, 2017, by Resolution B2017-143. Multiple projects were identified as eligible for the funding generated from the Sales and Use Tax through the Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Program, including the Riverview Corridor. In September 2024, Ramsey County announced the end of its work on the Riverview Corridor providing an opportunity to utilize the Sales and Use Tax to implement other transportation projects in Ramsey County. State statute allows new projects to utilize Sales and Use Tax funding following a public hearing and a resolution passed by the county board.
On November 19, 2024, the county board discussed on how to reallocate Sales and Use Tax funding to advance its efforts to provide a safe and efficient multi-modal transportation system leading to the county board acting on December 17, 2024, to direct staff to develop a transit and transportation investment plan to utilize the Sales and Use Tax funding for countywide improvements consistent with the Ramsey County All-Abilities Transportation Policy. On April 8, 2024, a workshop was held to discuss the Draft Transit and Transportation Plan’s investment categories and illustrative projects. Staff was directed to bring the Final Transit and Transportation Plan before the board for approval and to complete the necessary tasks to make projects that would fall into these categories eligible for Sales and Use Tax funding.
To make projects eligible, MN Statute 297A.993 states that proceeds from the Sales and Use Tax must be dedicated to a transportation or transit improvement project designed by the county board and that the dedication must be done by resolution following a public hearing. Specific projects are defined in state statue as:
1. Capital cost of a specific transportation project or improvement.
2. Capital and operating costs of a specific transit project or improvement.
3. Capital costs of a safe routes to school program.
4. Payment of transit operating costs.
5. Capital cost of constructing building and other facilities for maintaining transportation and transit projects or improvements.
The Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Plan was first adopted in 2017. Since that time, multiple changes have taken place that need to be reflected in the plan. These changes include:
• Metro Transit paying 100% of METRO Green Line operating costs.
• Metro Transit paying 100% of METRO Gold Line operating costs.
• Ramsey County ending work on the Riverview Corridor.
• Completion of the 2017-2021 Transportation Improvement Program.
• Rush Line is now METRO Purple Line.
Additionally, the Transit and Transportation Investment Plan, All-Abilities 2050 Transportation Plan, 2024-2028 Transportation Improvement Program, and other plans have identified projects, including transportation facilities, transit improvements, county highways, regional trails, and railroad improvements for completion. To make projects from these plans eligible, they must be part of a public hearing and then adopted by resolution of the county board. An updated Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Plan with projects identified by funding category from the Transit and Transportation Investment Plan is included for this public hearing. This plan is not inclusive of every project discussed in the Ramsey County Transit and Transportation Investment Plan or by the board at its workshops, but identifies eligible projects based on county board discussion and project readiness. The Ramsey County Transportation and Sales Tax Capital Improvement Plan is a living document, and new projects can be added as eligible for Sales and Use Tax funding at the discretion of the county board following a public hearing and adoption of a resolution on their eligibility, consistent with Minnesota Statute 297A.993.
Following the public hearing the board, at a subsequent meeting, will consider public comment and the proposed changes to the plan. Following this consideration, the board will be asked to pass a resolution to allow Sales and Use Tax proceeds to be used on the eligible projects identified in the Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Plan.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Transportation provides access to jobs, workforce training opportunities, education, healthcare, recreation, shopping, and other key destinations regionally and nationally. Improving Ramsey County’s transportation system to prioritize people who walk, bike, and ride transit over automobiles and freight will ensure that the needs of all residents are met while improving resident safety and prosperity. As the most diverse county in Minnesota, Ramsey County is pursuing the implementation of transportation investments that provide reliable, low-cost, and high amenity transportation to reduce and eliminate transportation barriers for transit-dependent households, areas of racially concentrated poverty, and areas of low income. Reducing these barriers by elevating pedestrian, bicycle, and transit investments over automobile focused investments will reduce the financial and environmental cost on these groups by improving access to fast, frequent, and reliable transit, improving pedestrian infrastructure including safer street crossings and providing bicycle focused infrastructure, will provide residents with convenient alternatives to driving, allowing them to choose the best transportation for them.
Community Participation Level and Impact
A public hearing is being held to provide the opportunity for the public to provide direct input on the projects identified for Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax use. Additionally, the selection of these projects was informed by the All-Abilities 2050 Transportation Plan which included engaging with more than 1,500 residents, city, county, and township officials throughout its development.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Revision and approval of the list of projects that are eligible for use of Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax will allow for the allocation of existing and future sales use tax proceeds to newly identified projects. This includes re-allocation of funds that were previously committed to projects that have been completed or are no longer being pursued.
Last Previous Action
On May 13, 2025, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners set the public hearing date of June 3, 2025 at 9 a.m. or as soon as possible thereafter, in the Council Chambers, third floor of the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN 55102 to afford the public an opportunity to comment on revisions to the list of projects eligible for County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Funding, and approve a list of eligible projects for County Transportation Sales and Use Tax funding (Resolution B2025-092).
On June 13, 2017, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners authorized the imposition of a one-half percent sales and use tax and an excise tax of $20 per motor vehicle as provided for in Minnesota Statutes Section 297A.993, for the purposes of funding transit and transportation improvements as designated in the Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Plan (Resolution B2017-143).
Attachments
1. Affidavit of Publication
2. Proposed Ramsey County Transportation Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Plan