12-05-01 Council Special Minutes

Home Browse Search

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 5, 2001 information is the latest available and was obtained from the 1999 State Auditor's summary. The Administrator reviewed the proposed 2002 Budget broken out by funds. The total budget amount is $9,355,663. He noted that capital improvement spending accounts for a big percentage of this amount due to anticipated redevelopment activity- Translating the impact of this budget into the allocation of City taxes on a $148,400 (median value) home, the 2002 amount would be $440.32. The Administrator presented a slide showing the allocation of that dollar amount between the various services provided by the City. The Administrator then presented slides showing the impact of the increase in the City's tax capacity rate on various valued residential properties and commercial/industrial properties ranging from 0% valuation increases to 10% increases. 1"he Administrator repotted that the City is only one of the taxing jurisdictions impacting property taxes in Little Canada. Others include the School District (either G23 or 624), Ramsey County, and special taxing jurisdictions which include the Metropolitan Council, Metropolitan Mosquito Control, Regional Transit Board, and Ramsey/Washington Watershed District. The Administrator reviewed additional slides showing the distribution of tax dollars based on a median value home with 0% valuation increases and 10% increases, and on commercial/industrial properties with 0% valuation increases. These slides demonstrated that the State's property tax reform hit its target of 10% to 20% reductions in taxes. He also cautioned those present that the State is now facing a huge deficit and more change could be forthcoming that will impact local government. "i'he Administrator reminded the general public that the City's levy (budget) adoption hearing will be held on Wednesday, December 19, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. at the Little Canada City Center. He thanked the viewing audience for their attention. Scalze pointed out that the City Council and staff have worked on the proposed 2002 Budget over the course of three budget workshop meetings, all of which were advertised and televised on the City's cable TV channel. The City Administrator pointed out that the Truth In "I"axation notices which were put out by the County did not contain a compa~~ison of budget numbers for all the taxing jurisdictions. Given the sweeping property tax reform, the State felt that it would be confusing to compare these nwnbers, and that it would be better to look at total impact. The Administrator also pointed out that the only fair comparison to the City's 2002 Budget and 2001 Budget would be to assume that HACA was still in place.