Ramsey Co. stadium opponents revive efforts

Stadium opponents in Ramsey County are trying again to put a Vikings stadium deal before county voters.

The No Stadium Tax coalition lost an effort to put a county ordinance on the ballot. Now, they're planning to change the county constitution and add a ban on subsidizing professional sports.

That process doesn't require review by the county attorney, and requires fewer signatures. But it also would delay putting the matter to voters until a general election.

Spokeswoman Ady Wickstrom said the petition could have a quicker impact.

"We still want to get this done as quickly as possible. Ideally, we would get this done before the [legislative] session starts," WIckstrom said. "Will that happen? I don't know."

It's the fourth such effort. The county's Charter Commission decided twice last year not to intervene in the stadium debate. The county attorney this week turned down key sections of a proposed anti-stadium law proposed by stadium opponents.

Wickstrom said the new effort will need nearly 15,000 signatures.

"We've got volunteers that are ready to go," Wickstrom said. "They've got the petitions, and I've given them the word that they can go ahead and start collecting signatures right now. So they should be hitting the streets and hitting the neighborhoods."

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