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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />DECEMBER 3~ 1996 <br />The City Administrator noted that the Cities of <br />Roseville and Maplewood pay more per capita for police <br />services than Little Canada does. The City has <br />evaluated policing services in the past, and has found <br />that the Sheriff's Department provides the best value. <br />Schwalbach asked if Little Canada taxpayers were paying <br />double through taxes paid to Ramsey County, and taxes <br />paid to the City to cover the cost of the Ramsey County <br />Sheriff's Department. <br />The City Administrator replied that this is not the <br />case and reported that a separate division of the <br />5heriff's Department has been set up to deal with the <br />contracting cities. This issue has been raised by the <br />cities not contracting with the Sheriff's Department in <br />that they felt they were subsidizing police protection <br />costs for the contractinq cities. <br />Carson pointed out that the County is responsible for <br />patrolling County roads. Carson suggested that the <br />City rely on that service for its police protection. <br />LaValle indicated that State Statute charges the <br />Sheriff's Department with the responsibility of <br />investigating crime, not with patrol duties. White <br />Bear Township did just what Carson is suggesting, and <br />had two constables on duty as well. This situation did <br />not work for them, and they are now one of the <br />contracting cities. <br />Morelan reported that residential dwellings are the <br />losers in the property tax gain. It is commercial <br />property which brings in the property tax dollars. The <br />average home pays $265 in property taxes to the City. <br />Morelan pointed out that it costs more than $265 to <br />provide City services to a home over the course of a <br />year. It is the commercial property which subsidizes <br />these costs. <br />Carson expressed concern that City employees received <br />many paid holidays and indicated that adjacent states <br />do not offer the same amount of holidays. Carson <br />pointed this out as a cost to the City. <br />The City Administrator reported that the holidays <br />granted to City employees are a common benefit in the <br />State of Minnesota. <br />Carson stated that he feels the property taxes he pays <br />to the City is the best value for his tax dollar. <br />7 <br />