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continue for another year. She stated that there may have been concern, in regard to lifting the <br />levy limits, that this might absorb the property tax relief, and that their intent was to indicate to <br />the people that they had a little bit of a break. <br />Representative Haake reported that the state currently had a 24 billion dollar budget, and of that, <br />approximately one third, 7.9 billion dollars, would be set aside for schools, which represents <br />approximately fifty percent of the property tax assessment. She remarked that the state does pay <br />a large amount for schools. She reported that they had recently passed an 80 million -dollar levy <br />on a bonding issue, for maintenance within the Mounds View School District. She stated that <br />this issue was not only a concern in Mounds View, and is still being discussed in the legislature <br />in regard to other school districts, which were not so fortunate. <br />Representative Haake stated that there was a 7.9 billion -dollar budget for education, with an <br />increase of 14 percent over the next two years. She stated that this translated into an additional <br />512 dollars per pupil aid, as compared to the current 370 dollars per child. She noted that both <br />Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives had desired to change the <br />educational profiles to revert to the previous more rigorous standards, however, no action was <br />taken by the Senate or Governor in this regard, and therefore the profiles would continue <br />unchanged. <br />Representative Haake reported that the state's 2.9 billion -dollar surplus had been consolidated <br />into a tax relief package, and that 1.3 billion would be given back to the taxpayers in a one time <br />sales tax rebate, which was scheduled for sometime in August or September, October at the <br />latest. She stated there would be an additional 1.6 billion in permanent income tax cuts, which is <br />the largest income tax cut in state history, and the largest tax rebate ever. She noted that the <br />average family would receive approximately 700 dollars in the sales tax rebate. She cited the <br />statistics of the rebate amounts from a table that she would be distributing within the community. <br />Representative Haake reported that the House of Representatives had provided an amortization <br />process, which would phase out undesirable businesses within two years. She stated that this <br />would apply to such businesses as adult bookstores, theaters, and similar adult -only types of <br />businesses, and that this would require no payment to the owner for their particular business, but <br />is approached as a property purchase. She stated that any other undesirable businesses would <br />require such measures as eminent domain, TIF District, Conditional Use or the Comprehensive <br />Plan as a means to eliminate them from the community. This, she noted, was in consideration of <br />the determination that the owner should be compensated for their business if they are asked to <br />leave the community. <br />Representative Haake stated that Tax Increment Funds, if put into place three years ago, would <br />have applied to the Mounds View Community Center, as they may not be utilized for community <br />centers or recreational activities anymore. She stated that, in regard to property tax reform, there <br />has been an increase in state aid to offset the reduction of commercial, industrial and personal <br />10 c:\admin\minutes\7-12-99.cc <br />