Four fairs for St. Louis County

The state’s largest county wants to hold four different county fairs, and is asking for help from the Legislature to do so.

With more than 6,800 square miles, St. Louis County is as big as the states of Delaware and Connecticut combined.

But Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) said it’s unclear whether state law permits the county to appropriate money for multiple fairs, and also whether all four fairgrounds are exempt from property taxes. She sponsors HF917 that would clarify the law.

The House Government Operations and Elections Committee approved the bill March 16 and sent it to the House Taxes Committee. There is no Senate companion.

Melin said only one of the four fairgrounds is currently exempt from paying property taxes. County Intergovernmental Affairs Director John Ongaro said a law enacted two years ago requires all four to prove their tax-exempt status.

“The other three are basically real tiny fairs, and just to go through the paperwork … would be quite onerous on them,” he said.

Also, unlike in other counties, none of the fairs occur on county-owned property, which Ongaro said creates other complications. He said the Revenue Department never intended to start taxing county fairs, and supports the bill.