12-06-2004 Council Special Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL DECEMT3ER 6, 2004 The Administrator reviewed 2002 per capital spending for all basic services as provided by the 2002 State Auditor's Summary. (This is the most recent data available.) Of the Ramsey County cities, Little Canada has the lowest per capita spending at $225. Per capita spending in Ramsey County ranges from the low of $225 to a high of $529. The median per capita spending level is $348. The City Administrator noted that the City's total budget proposed for 2005 is $9,374,609. Of that amount, Capital Improvement Funds account for $3,915,441 and are the biggest variable. Capital improvements eau result in dramatic swings in the total budget depending on what projects are planned ie a given year. The Administrator noted that the total budget amount for 2004 was $5,735,205. Next reviewed was the allocation of City taxes on an $185,700 home (mediae value). The City's share of property taxes on this median value home are proposed at $390.07. The Administrator next reviewed City tax levels on various valued residential properties with 0% valuation increases. I3e noted that with no valuation increases the City's share of taxes would decrease anywhere from 9% to 10%. However, it is unlikely that there are homes in the City that have had no valuation increases. The same comparisons were made based on ] 5% valuation increases and 20% increases. For 15% valuation increases, City taxes increased in a range of 5% to 7%. For 20% valuation increases, City taxes increased 9% to 13%. The Administrator noted that similar to residential properties with no valuation increases, the City's share of property taxes for commercial properties would decrease by 9% to 10%. The Administrator pointed out that the taxing jurisdictions in Little Canada include the City, School District (623 or 624), Ramsey County, and Special 'faxing Jurisdictions made up of the Metropolitan Council, Metropolitan Mosquito Control, Regional Transit Board, and Ramsey/Washington Watershed District. Before property tax reform, the City accounted for 15% of the total properly tax bill F-Iowever, after reform, the City's share was 25% in 2002 and 22% for 2003 and 2004. The City's share is proposed at 21% for 2005. The Adminish'ator presented comparisons to total property taxes for residential properties with 0% and 15% valuation increases. He noted a 7% to 9% decrease in property taxes for properties with no valuation increases and a 7% to 9% increase for residential properties with 15% 3