The Ramsey County Charter Commission might choose to let voters decide for themselves whether to raise their taxes to help pay for a Vikings stadium. Charter leaders are holding the second of two public hearings Tuesday.

The county's charter commission is holding the first of two public hearings on whether voters should get to approve a sales tax for the stadium.

Arden Hills in Ramsey County is the Vikings' preferred site for a new stadium, but finding ways to fund their portion of the $1.1 billion plan is no longer on their shoulders. Ramsey County Commissioner Tony Bennett says "We've jumped every friggin' hoop there is in town."

The Senate Tax Committee is discussing the nearly $1 billion Vikings stadium proposal Friday afternoon. The panel needs to approve the legislation before it reaches the full Senate for a vote. The House adjourned Friday afternoon without taking up the bill.

Ramsey County leaders hope to collect 15,000 signatures to force a referendum vote in November on whether to publicly fund a proposed Arden Hills stadium. The ad hoc group says the effort is in response to elected officials ignoring their constituents and kowtowing to Vikings ownership.

Ramsey County Charter Commissioner Peter Hendricks says state law requires voters approve local sales taxes, even though he voted against changing local law to require a referendum. He says if legislators make an exception to that rule it will likely lead to a court battle.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf says he won't pay as much money for a stadium built in Minneapolis. He has his eyes set on a stadium in Arden Hills. Wilf will contribute more than $400 million to a stadium in Arden Hills, but says a stadium at any other site won't warrant 'that level of commitment.'

Governor Mark Dayton met with GOP lawmakers Friday trying to finalize a Vikings' stadium plan. They couldn't agree on one of the three Minneapolis sites or the site in Arden Hills. Dayton plans on scheduling more talks next week in hopes of wrapping up a deal by Thanksgiving.