02/11/1991 Council Minutes (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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�� � � �.� THE REAL QUESTION, P�WEVER, STILL REMAINS. HOW CAN WE REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES IN LINO LAKES? OUR VERY LOW COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL BASE DICTATrC THAT FOR CITY SERVICES FALL ON THE BACKS OF YOU, THE HOMEOWNER. WE NEED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO LOCATE IN LINO LAKES IF WE ARE TO EXPERIENCE SOME TAX RELIEF. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUSIM=SSES PAY ABOUT 3 TIMES MORE FOR THE VALUATION OF THEIR PROPERTY TH,:,N WE DO IN A RESIDENTIAL HOME. WE NEED THAT TAX BASE. THE CITY ZONED 1,200 ACRES ALONG THE 1358 CORRIDOR AS A BUSINESS RESERVE AREA FOR FUTL:RE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. COMMERCIAL SHOPPING :ENTERS CONTINUE TO ELUDE US. HOWEVER, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE AREA ARE RAPIDLY IMPROVING AND WE HOPE TO SEE SOME MOVEMENT IN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THIS YEAR. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING AND CONTINUES TO WORK TO ATTRACT ELSINESSES THAT PROVIDES THE CITY WITH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND A GOOD TAX BASE. NOW, WE COULD HAVE HAD A CONCRETE BLOCK FACTORY, AN ASPHALT MIXING PLANT, AN OLD CITY BUS SCRAP YARD BUSINESS, A CONTAMINATED SOILS CLEAN UP OPERATION, AND AN OUTDOOR STORA= FACILITY AS BUSINESSES THAT WANTED TO LOCATE WITHIN THE CITY. THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES TAKE UP LARGE AREAS BUT PAY LITTLE IN TAXES. I BELIEVE LINO LAKES IS BETTER THAN THAT. YET I HEA:7Z REMARKS, EVEN FROM A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, THAT WE ARE DRIVING EUSINESS AWAY FROM THE CITY. •IF YOU, THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY, WANT THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES LOCATED IN LINO LAKES, THEN CALL CITY HALL AND TELL US THAT. MY DESIRE IS THAT WE ATTRACT GOOD TAX-PAYING BUSINESSES TO OUR CITY. IN ORDER TO DO THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAXIMIZE OUR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IF WE ALL START PROMOTING OUR CITY I^/ A POSITIVE WAY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HEAR NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT LINO LAKES. LET'S TURN IT AROUND AND MAKE POSITIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT A GREAT CITY LINO LAKES REALLY IS. LETS'S START TALKING ABOUT OUR ASSETS. OUR INDUSTRIOUS, HARD-WORKING PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE AN ASSET; OUR TWO FREEWAY SYSTEMS ARE AN ASSET; OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARKS ARE AN ASSET; OUR EDUCATIOr/AL SYSTEMS ARE AN ASSET; OUR PROXIMITY TO BOTH DOWNTOWNS CENTEFS ARE IS ASSET. ONE OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, CAROLE KOHLER, HEARD A PERSON SAY HE WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO RELOCATE HIS COMPANY. CAROLE TOLD HIM ABOUT LINO LAKES. HE HAS SINCE PAID HIS FEES IS IN THE REVIEW PROCESS. THANK YOU CAROLE. AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO GIVE US INPUT ON ISSUES, TO THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES, TO THE MANY WHO SERVE ON OUR BOARDS, AND TO OUR CONSULTANTS. YOUR HELP IS VITAL TO THE COUNCIL IN ASSISTING IN FORMULATING POLICY AND MAKING DECISION. I ALSO WA-7 TO THANK A DEDICATED STAFF FOR WORKING UNDER VERY CROWDED DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. THIS COUNCIL MEETS MANY MORE TIMES THAN THE TWO SCHDULED MEETINGS PER MONTH. WE HAVE TO. MANY TIMES YOU THINK WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC PROBLEM -- YES WE DO' BUT FOR EVERY OPINION YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE HAS A DIFFERENT ONE. 9,000 PEOPLE -- 9,000 OPINIONS. THE COUNCIL