Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />NOVB+IBER 30, 1994 <br />ranked first in property taxes. <br />The Administrator pointed out that the reference is to <br />the Citizens League and Minnesota Taxpayers' <br />Association Study. That study compares property taxes <br />based on a hypothetical $90,000 house. Little Canada <br />did rank #1 in property taxes for the past few years <br />based upon this study. In 1994, we dropped to #5. <br />However, the Administrator questioned the validity of <br />the study pointinq out that the study uses the $90,000 <br />value and then applies the particular city's sales <br />ratio to determine property taxes. Sales ratios vary <br />between cities. The sales ratios in Ramsey County <br />range from 95% to 97%, while those in other counties <br />can be under the 90% figure. A high sales ratio keeps <br />the value of the property up, and that is why tax rates <br />in Little Canada are high. The Administrator reported <br />that Little Canada's taxes are right in the middle of <br />the 90 jurisdictions that make up the Metro area. <br />Also, the City is responsible for less than 14% of the <br />tax bill. <br />A resident pointed out that Little Canada is almost <br />completely developed, therefore, does not have the <br />expense of new infrastructure that developing <br />communities do. <br />The Administrator reported that new developments <br />generate revenue for cities. Older communities are <br />faced with the repair and replacement of <br />infrastructure. Infrastructure that is part of new <br />developments is paid for by developers. <br />The Administrator felt that the City has done the best <br />job possible in holding the line on property taxes in <br />the City. <br />Scalze pointed out that Little Canada shares the same <br />County and School District with the City of Roseville. <br />Yet taxes in Roseville are lower than Little Canada for <br />several reasons. First, Little Canada does not have <br />Rosedale Shopping Center which carries a heavy tax <br />burden. Secondly, Little Canada's water and sewer <br />systems are young compared to Roseville's, and Little <br />Canada is carrying heavy debt to pay for those systems. <br />The Administrator pointed out that in the year 2000 the <br />City's debt drops off dramatically and goes away in the <br />6 <br />