When St. Paul voters head to the polls next week, they will decide not only on who will be the capital city’s next mayor, but also two ballot measures.

If approved by voters, the first ballot measure would amend the city’s charter and allow the St. Paul City Council to give out fines for ordinance violations.

This means if a resident, landlord, or business owner was found in violation of a city ordinance, they could be subject to a monetary fine.

Currently, the city is only allowed to pursue criminal charges if a city ordinance is violated or isn’t followed. Allowing the city to issue fines would provide a lower-level tool to ensure rules are being followed without having to meet the threshold for criminal charges.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter has voiced his support of the measure, as

See Full Page