St. Paul voters will get to weigh in this election on a charter amendment that would allow the City Council to issue fines for ordinance violations.

The ballot measure — question 1 — follows the council’s unanimous approval of the charter change in January. A petition to halt the process gained enough signatures to put the question in front of voters.

Supporters of the ballot measure, including St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, say the ability to issue fines is a necessary middle ground, as the charter presently only allows for criminal penalties when people don’t follow the rules. That’s unusual for major Minnesota cities, including Minneapolis, where administrative fines are a tool for enforcement.

“We end up having the choices of either do nothing or file a criminal penalty. That limits

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