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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />DECEMBER 20, 2017 <br />PUBLIC <br />Keis opened the public hearing for the Truth in Taxation and to consider <br />HEARING - <br />adoption of the City's 2018 Budget. <br />TRUTH IN <br />TAXATION AND <br />Finance Director Provos gave a presentation and reviewed the taxing <br />ADOPTION OF <br />jurisdictions that make up property taxes in Little Canada. These include <br />2018 BUDGET <br />the City, School District (623 or 624), Ramsey County, and Special <br />Taxing Jurisdictions, which include the Metropolitan Council, <br />Metropolitan Mosquito Control Regional Rail Authority, and <br />Ramsey/Washington Metro Watershed District. <br />The Finance Director then reviewed the key budget objectives focused on <br />by the City Council and staff in setting the City's budget. These are: <br />Balance the General Fund; <br />Eliminate General Fund reliance on Local Government Aid; <br />Maintain sound fiscal health; <br />Maintain quality City services and programs; <br />Fund infrastructure repairs/replacement; <br />Maintain facilities and equipment; <br />Preserve parks and open spaces; <br />Position the City to address future challenges and opportunities; <br />Stabilize the tax rate. <br />The Finance Director explained that 76% of the City's General Fund <br />revenues come from property taxes. She reported that the City's 2018 tax <br />rate will decrease from 29.903 to 26.651, a 7.79% decrease. She stated <br />that Little Canada's 2018 Tax Rate will be the 6th lowest out of 19 <br />municipal jurisdictions in Ramsey County. <br />The Finance Director explained the 2018 proposed tax levy is 6.95%. She <br />reported that when the 2018 Budget process was started, a 6.95% gross <br />levy increase was proposed for the Preliminary Levy, and the City Council <br />has agreed to hold the same increase. <br />The City Administrator explained that this was a unique fiscal year due to <br />the decertification of TIF District 3-2. This decertification was able to <br />offset the levy amount by 5.17%. As a result, the 6.95% increase has <br />effectively been reduced to 1.78% which is the lowest municipal increase <br />in Ramsey County. It was also noted that our effective2018 levy increase, <br />the City's average annual levy increase over the last 15 years is under <br />3.0%. <br />There was no one from the general public present wishing to comment on <br />this matter. <br />5 <br />