As St. Paul’s plan for a new MLS stadium for Minnesota United has moved forward (new renderings, kinda, here!), there has been a distinct lack of clarity about whether the city will seek to kick back tax revenues from the surrounding development to help pay for infrastructure on the site, a mechanism known as “tax increment financing” that has worked out startlingly badly for many other cities. So St. Paul councilmember Rebecca Noecker has decided to take matters into her own hands:
One St. Paul City Council member says she will introduce resolution taking a possible Tax Increment Finance District (TIF) off the table for a development planned next door to proposed soccer stadium…
“I have support on the council to take the TIF option off the table and it is really important to me that we make sure we are being good financial stewards,” Noecker said. “I have 40,000 people I represent who are counting on me to be making good use of their money.”
It’s not clear whether the anti-TIF bill will pass the council, or whether United is really counting on TIF money to help pay for its project — the financial plan hasn’t been spelled out at all beyond “don’t worry about it.” It’s way too soon to call this a roadblock to a United stadium, but there could still be some fireworks left to this debate, let’s just put it that way.
This stadium is getting built even if the development around the stadium doesn’t come with it the legacy of the ownership group will not let it happen. Moreover, Rebecca Noecker represents a poor area of east side St. Paul who pay the lowest property taxes in the city crime is also the highest in the city and the homes are downtrodden. They don’t have extra money to give out to developers like the majority of the rest of the city of St. Paul. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens here but after it’s all said and done Rebecca probably is hinting at asking for some kick backs to help her poor community.
If you click through, note that Jane Prince (also east side) is on board with Noecker’s proposal as well. If they’re genuinely looking for horse-trading, this could get pricey.
Noecker represents the most latino area in st. Paul a melting pot of all things latino. She probably wants some “free” soccer fields or something for her soccer loving community. Jane Prince’s area is also poor. Dan Bostrom’s area is a little bit nicer than the other two areas. The votes might come down to the wealthier west 4-3 in favor of the mayor. Unlike other parts of the country this mayor is a pro business independent DFLer who gets elected by Republicans and Democrats I bet he runs for Governor.
There is a very good chance he will run for governor.