Cannon River Civic Center Referendum Results 2018

NORTHFIELD, MN – The property tax aimed at raising funds for the Cannon River Civic Center is projected to fail.

According to Northfield News reporter Philip Weyhe, The city of Dundas voted against the referendum, 51 percent to 49 percent.

Regardless of how Northfield votes, the project will not move ahead, according to Weyhe.

With 1 of 8 precincts reporting, "Yes" votes are trailing "No" votes, 340 to 412.

Voters in Northfield Tuesday will be asked to decide on a property tax increase that will raise funds to build the Cannon River Civic Center, as well as maintain parks and recreation in the area.

If approved in Northfield, property taxes will generate approximately $8.8 million over a 20-year period. For a home valued at $200,000, the expected impact is approximately $90 per year, officials estimate.

The Cannon River Civic Center will be a 78,000-square-foot multi-purpose space that includes two sheets of ice for hockey players and figure skaters.

The space could also be used for trade shows, conventions, corporate meetings, concerts, community events, wedding receptions and charity galas, according to Northfield city officials.

The new civic center would be built on seven acres of donated land, located near the Dundas Dome.

About $2 million in funding for the center is expected to be generated from a Mighty Ducks Grant, naming rights, advertising, and the sale of the existing ice arena, officials said.

Another $3.4 million will be privately raised. If the fundraising goal is not met, Northfield officials say they will build one rink arena instead of two.

Find all of Patch's Minnesota election coverage here.

Read the entire ballot question below:

Shall the City of Northfield be authorized to (a) impose a sales and use tax of one-half of one percent (0.50%) and a motor vehicle excise tax of up to $20 per motor vehicle for approximately 20 years or until approximately $17,800,000 plus an amount equal to interest and the costs of the issuance of any bonds is raised, and (b) issue its general obligation bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $17,800,000, plus the cost of issuing the bonds, to finance any or all of the following: the acquisition, construction and betterment of parks, trails and recreational facilities and the acquisition, construction and betterment of a new multipurpose combination civic center and ice arena?

BY VOTING “YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A
PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.

Voters weight in

Patch readers disagree on whether the civic center was a good use of taxpayer money.

Reader CJ Betcher says it is. "It’s either a vote yes or putting almost as much money into our abhorrent dumpster fire of an arena we have now," he writes. "I’d rather have good infrastructure we can actually be proud of."

Shawn Matson disagrees, writing that "20 years ago they spent a bunch of money on the Riverside Park skateboard park that lasted a few years and never put the ice rink in again after that (skateboard park)was put in. This is for nothing more than the school district hockey association, not the community."

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