Grand Forks Voters Pass Sales Tax Extension

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR) – People in Grand Forks did not show up in droves to vote on a .75% sales tax extension during a special city election.

Officials say they had around 3,000 people show up at Alerus Center to vote by 6 p.m.

The polls closed at 7 and the effort easily passed after around 3,500 votes were cast.

2,358 people voted for the sales tax extension while 1190 voted against it.

The vote needed to break the 50% mark to pass.

The city had printed some 13,000 paper ballots to decide the issue.

During the last special city election in 2017 more than 5,000 votes were cast.

The extra funds would go towards a maintaining the center but also towards what will be named the Altru Sports Complex.

The plan is to add indoor turf, aquatics and a court facility. After Altru Health System after a very generous $10 million commitment

The complex would be supported through private funding and the sales tax extension. It will be located south of the Alerus Center.

Clerk for the City of Grand Forks, Sherie Lundmark said. “The existing language says for the Alerus center construction, infrastructure, and capital maintenance and we would be adding to that support of a health wellness multi use facility.”

The people of Fargo have a chance to vote on their own expansion of the Fargodome on December 5th.