1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to Cook county; authorizing the use of the 
  1.3             proceeds of the county sales tax for improvements to 
  1.4             the hospital and care center; amending Laws 1993, 
  1.5             chapter 375, article 9, section 45, subdivisions 2, 3, 
  1.6             4, and by adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Laws 1993, chapter 375, article 9, section 45, 
  1.9   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [USE OF REVENUES.] (a) Revenues received from 
  1.11  taxes authorized by subdivision 1 shall be used by Cook county 
  1.12  to pay the cost of collecting the tax and to pay all or a 
  1.13  portion of the costs of expanding and improving the health care 
  1.14  facility located in the county and known as North Shore hospital.
  1.15  Authorized costs include, but are not limited to, securing or 
  1.16  paying debt service on bonds or other obligations issued to 
  1.17  finance the expansion and improvement of North Shore hospital.  
  1.18  The total capital expenditures payable from bond proceeds, 
  1.19  excluding investment earnings on bond proceeds and tax revenues, 
  1.20  shall not exceed $4,000,000. 
  1.21     (b) Additional revenues received from taxes authorized by 
  1.22  subdivision 1 may be used by Cook county to pay all or a portion 
  1.23  of the costs of remodeling North Shore care center and providing 
  1.24  additional improvements to North Shore hospital.  Authorized 
  1.25  costs include, but are not limited to, securing or paying debt 
  1.26  service on bonds or other obligations issued to finance the 
  2.1   remodeling of North Shore care center and additional 
  2.2   improvements to North Shore hospital.  The total capital 
  2.3   expenditures payable from bond proceeds, excluding investment 
  2.4   earnings on bond proceeds and tax revenues, shall not exceed 
  2.5   $2,200,000. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  Laws 1993, chapter 375, article 9, section 45, 
  2.7   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.8      Subd. 3.  [EXPIRATION OF TAXING AUTHORITY AND EXPENDITURE 
  2.9   LIMITATION.] The authority granted by subdivision 1 to Cook 
  2.10  county to impose a sales tax shall expire when the principal and 
  2.11  interest on any bonds or obligations issued under subdivision 4, 
  2.12  paragraph (a), to finance the expansion and improvement of North 
  2.13  Shore hospital described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), have 
  2.14  been paid, or at an earlier time as the county shall, by 
  2.15  resolution, determine.  Any funds remaining after completion of 
  2.16  the improvements and retirement or redemption of the bonds may 
  2.17  be placed in the general fund of the county. 
  2.18     Sec. 3.  Laws 1993, chapter 375, article 9, section 45, 
  2.19  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.20     Subd. 4.  [BONDS.] (a) Cook county may issue general 
  2.21  obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000 for the 
  2.22  expansion and improvement of North Shore hospital~~,~~. 
  2.23     (b) Additionally, Cook county may issue general obligation 
  2.24  bonds in an amount not to exceed $2,200,000 for the remodeling 
  2.25  of North Shore care center and additional improvements to North 
  2.26  Shore hospital.  
  2.27     (c) The bonds may be issued without election under 
  2.28  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475, on the question of issuance of 
  2.29  the bonds or a property tax to pay them.  The debt represented 
  2.30  by the bonds ~~issued for the expansion and improvement of North~~ 
  2.31  ~~Shore hospital~~ shall not be included in computing any debt 
  2.32  limitations applicable to Cook county, and the levy of taxes 
  2.33  required by Minnesota Statutes, section 475.61, to pay principal 
  2.34  of and interest on the bonds shall not be subject to any levy 
  2.35  limitation or be included in computing or applying any levy 
  2.36  limitation applicable to the county. 
  3.1      Sec. 4.  Laws 1993, chapter 375, article 9, section 45, is 
  3.2   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  3.3      Subd. 5a.  [REFERENDUM.] If the governing body of Cook 
  3.4   county intends to use the sales tax proceeds as authorized by 
  3.5   subdivision 2, paragraph (b), it shall conduct a referendum on 
  3.6   the issue.  The question of so using the tax proceeds must be 
  3.7   submitted to the voters at a special or general election.  The 
  3.8   tax proceeds may not be used as provided in subdivision 2, 
  3.9   paragraph (b), unless a majority of votes cast on the question 
  3.10  are in the affirmative.  The commissioner of revenue shall 
  3.11  prepare a suggested form of question to be presented at the 
  3.12  election.  The referendum must be held at a special or general 
  3.13  election before December 1, 1997. 
  3.14     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.15     This section is effective the day after compliance by the 
  3.16  governing body of Cook county with Minnesota Statutes, section 
  3.17  645.021, subdivision 3.