City of Hibbing unveils website on planned regional public safety center

HIBBING — A new website seeks to educate Hibbing voters on an upcoming referendum that will seek approval for a sales tax hike to help pay for a new regional public safety facility.

Created and paid for by the city, YourSafetyOurPriority.org includes information about the plan, the cost and the tax impact, frequently asked questions and more.

The plan would invest $26 million into a building to bring firefighters, police officers and emergency medical services personnel under one roof. In a news release, the city stated that it maintains multiple facilities that are disconnected, deteriorating or inadequate to meet needs.

The new building would include larger bays for fire trucks and tactical gear, more room for equipment and evidence storage and indoor parking for police vehicles.

The city will ask voters to consider a half-percent local sales tax this November that would finance up to $19.6 million of the plan’s cost. The remaining funding for the plan would come from $10 million in bonding funds provided by the 2023 Minnesota Legislature.

The city said it will also pursue grant funding to reduce the overall burden on taxpayers.

Because a sales tax would also be paid by non-residents, Hibbing residents would be responsible for less than a third of the total project cost if the proposal gains voter approval, according to the release.