by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph residents will have a chance to choose a mayor, two council members and three school-board members in the upcoming election. Voters will also have a chance to mark yes or no to a request for extension of the half-cent sales tax.
The following is what City of St. Joseph voters will see on the Nov. 4 Election Day ballots. The candidates, in the following order, were taken directly from a sample ballot from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
The ballots for voters in St. Joseph Township will closely resemble the ballots for St. Joseph city voters, except there will be no candidates for mayor or city council, and there will not be the referendum question about the regional half-cent sales tax.
FEDERAL OFFICES
U.S. Senator (vote for 1)
Steve Carlson, Independence
Mike McFadden, Republican
Al Franken, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Heather Johnson, Libertarian
Write-in, if any
U.S. Representative District 6 (vote for 1)
John Denney, Independence
Tom Emmer, Republican
Joe Perske, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Write-in, if any
STATE OFFICES
State Representative District 13A (vote for 1)
Jeff Howe, Republican
Emily Jensen, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Write-in, if any.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor (vote for 1 team)
Hannah Nicollet and Tim Gieseke, Independence
Jeff Johnson and Bill Kuisle, Republican
Mark Dayton and Tina Smith, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Chris Holbrook and Chris Dock, Libertarian
Chris Wright and David Daniels, Grassroots, Legalize Cannabis
Write-in, if any
Secretary of State (vote for 1)
Bob Helland, Independence
Dan Severson, Republican
Steve Simon, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bob Odden, Libertarian
Write-in, if any
State Auditor (vote for 1)
Patrick Dean, Independence
Randy Gilbert, Republican
Rebecca Otto, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Keegan Iverson, Libertarian
Judith Schwartzbacker, Grassroots, Legalize Cannabis
Write-in, if any
Attorney General (vote for 1)
Brandon Borgos, Independence
Scott Newman, Republican
Lori Swanson, Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Andy Dawkins, Green Party
Mary O’Connor, Libertarian
Dan R. Vacek, Legalize Marijuana Now
Write-in, if any
COUNTY OFFICES
County Auditor-Treasurer (vote for 1)
Randy Schreifels
Write-in, if any
County Recorder (vote for 1)
John Beuning
Diane Grundhoefer
Write-in, if any
County Sheriff (vote for 1)
John L. Sanner
Mark J. Bromenschenkel
Write-in, if any
County Attorney (vote for 1)
Mark Hansen
Janelle Kendall
Write-in, if any
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor District 1 (vote for 1)
Charles Uphoff
Write-in, if any
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor District 5 (vote for 1)
Thomas Gregory
Write-in, if any
CITY OFFICES
Mayor City of St. Joseph (vote for 1)
Bob Loso
Rick Schultz
Write-in, if any
Council Member of St. Joseph (Vote for up to 2)
Matt Killam
Steve Olson
Stephen Frank
Dale Wick
Write-in, if any
CITY QUESTION:
EXTENSION OF ONE-HALF PERCENT SALES TAX.
Explanation: The residents of St. Joseph, Sartell, St. Augusta, St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park currently collect a ½-percent sales-and-use tax which will expire on Dec. 31, 2018. The State Legislature has authorized the extension of the existing ½-percent sales-and-use tax for the aforementioned cities through 2038, subject to voter approval in each city.
If St. Joseph voters approve an extension, the first $900,000 collected annually will be used to fund the jointly funded regional projects identified below with the remaining annual sales-tax funds distributed in the area cities pursuant to a Joint Powers Agreement. Based on the Joint Powers Agreement, St. Joseph will receive approximately $1.42 for every dollar collected in St. Joseph.
JOINTLY FUNDED REGIONAL PROJECTS:
Regional trails – Interconnection of trail system, not to exceed $500,000 annually; Regional community/aquatics center, not to exceed $200,000 annually; Regional Airport, not to exceed $200,000 annually.
ST. JOSEPH REGIONAL PROJECTS: The development, acquisition, and improvement of:
Regional Transportation Improvements and related infrastructure in an amount not to exceed $10 million of the tax revenue received by the City of St. Joseph. Examples can include, but are not limited to: streets, roads, related infrastructure and mass-transit projects.
Regional Community Facilities in an amount not to exceed $8 million of the tax revenue received by the City of St. Joseph. Examples can include, but are not limited to: community center, senior center, historical center and branch library.
Regional Parks, Trails, Open Space and related facilities in an amount not to exceed $4 million of the tax revenue received by the City of St. Joseph. Examples can include, but are not limited to: adding bathroom facilities, water amenities, expanding shelters and development of Sauk River Park.
Shall the City of St. Joseph be authorized to continue the collection of a ½-percent sales-and-use tax through the year 2038 to pay for all or part of the above-listed regional projects.
SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICES
School Board Member Independent School District No. 742 (St. Cloud Area)
(vote for up to 3)
Michael Conway
Hassan Abdullahi Yussuf
Peter Hamerlinck
Bruce Hentges
Bruce A. Mohs
Jerry Von Korff
Write-in, if any
(Note: the rest of the back of the ballot contains the names of more than 30 candidates for judges in various courts.)