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City Council minutes <br />-8- January 26, 1976 <br />Mayor Johnson asked: Are your clients unwilling to pay any <br />additional cost increases in terms of increasing the license fees? <br />Mr. Bell said they are willing to pay their fair share. It is <br />their feeling that they are paying an adequate share. <br />Mayor Johnson: Are they willing to pay an increased amount? <br />Mr. Bell: It depends on where the increase is. The position <br />they are taking is that they are paying adequately now. It is <br />fair to say that they feel they are paying their fair share. <br />Administrator Achen stated he presented some alternatives last <br />Tuesday and Mr. Bell replied that it still reads a substantial <br />increase. <br />Mayor Johnson: How much real estate property taxes do they pay? <br />Let me tell you what it is. $3050 which includes fire, police, <br />etc. The point is that you are paying for the services through <br />the license fee not through real estate taxes. The police <br />department have told us that many of the most difficult law <br />enforcement problems have arisen from the hospitality industry <br />in the city. Some way we have to recognize that facet. Maybe <br />we are overbuilt. People are coming in from other suburbs which <br />is not always desirable. Our police department has to deal <br />initially with these people. You have to begin putting this into <br />perspective. <br />Councilman Baumgartner: You keep referring to policemen. <br />Recently a number of assault cases have wound up in court and <br />we have to pay a retainer to our lawyer. <br />Mr. Bell: In a city of 16,000 there is going to be crime. <br />One of the functions of the Council is to provide police and <br />court facilities. Mayor Johnson asked the Council for other <br />comments. <br />Councilman Shelquist: We wouldn't need a third patrolman for <br />four hours around the closing hour of the liquor establishments. <br />We could probably go to just two full time men. <br />Mr. Bell: You wouldn't want to provide less even if you didn't <br />have the liquor establishments. 16,000 people need the services <br />of 11 officers. Less than that would be unfair to the citizens. <br />Councilman Shelquist: I disagree that we would not reduce the <br />size of the police force if it wasn't for the liquor establishments. <br />Councilman Baumgartner: The shopping centers, etc. is another <br />area that will be considered, but one step at a time. <br />Mayor Johnson: The licenses are going to go up. We will listen. <br />But we have got to assess for the increased costs. How do you <br />do it? Some will go to property owners, some to your clients by <br />increased license fees. What is the best way to do it? Do you <br />feel that each one of your clients pay an equal license fee? <br />