Minnesota Supreme Court decision keeps right to repair question on St. Paul ballot
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The Minnesota Supreme Court has denied the city of St. Paul’s request to stop a right to repair ballot initiative from being put on the November ballot.
The “Tenants Right to Repair In Residential Rental Property” measure would allow St. Paul renters to make fixes to their homes that are up to $500 or half their rent, whichever is greater, and then deduct that cost from rent or get a reimbursement. Tenants would have to give landlords a 14-day notice, giving the landlord an opportunity to make the repair themselves.
Safe Homes St. Paul, the organization behind the initiative, had gathered enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot. But last week, the St. Paul City Council voted 5-2 against putting it on the ballot. The council cited concerns that parts of the measure may violate state law.
Safe Homes St. Paul sued the city, and on Monday, a Ramsey County judge ruled the city must add the measure to the ballot, saying the city’s concerns were not enough to remove it from the ballot.
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The judge ruled the city must put the measure on the ballot by Tuesday, which is the mandatory deadline. State statute requires municipal ballot measures to be finalized 84 days before an election, which is Aug. 11.
Immediately after the judge ruled in favor of the ballot measure, the city filed an appeal with the Minnesota Supreme Court asking the court to prohibit Ramsey County from enforcing this order.
The court denied that order, meaning the city will be required to put the measure on the ballot.
The city will comply but officials continue to explore “all appellate options available,” Irene Kao, the St. Paul city attorney, said in a statement to MPR News.
“I'm excited to get back to the business of getting out the vote and connecting with people and encouraging them to support the ballot measure,” said Cole Hanson, organizer with safe Homes St. Paul.
