03-20-1995 CC - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Samantha and I met with Casserly last week regarding updating the schedule of tax increment funds. Casserly also suggested that they can include several speculative runs using the excess funds for projects such as business loan program, housing programs, and the school program. Casserly should complete the analysis by the end of March, beginning of April. TIF Legislative Hearings: • The first of several TIF Hearings was last Wednesday at the Capital. Samantha and I attended the hearing were Representative Ozment gave an overview of his amendment to the original bill which would have almost eliminated future use of TIF. His new amendment, still restrictive, provides that a community must disclose in detail, by July 1995, what they intent to use the excess increment for. The amendment also requires extensive new financial reporting and disclosure and includes payment of .1 percent of the tax increment to the state auditors office for review and enforcement of the information. In essence, the City must spend more time reporting plus pay the State for the review of this additional documentation. The legislation also requires school district approval for housing districts that would create more than 10 units. • Although testimony was only taken by those communities who traveled from outstate, we did hand out our TIF flyer to all the members of the committee. I will be attending the continued hearing this Wednesday in Samantha's absence. Youth Apprenticeship Program: • Jan Quick and I met with the North East Metro Technical College representative, Connie Bohns, regarding the Youth Apprenticeship Program. Studets work in local businesses to learn on-the-job skills in addition to the required classroom instruction, all geared toward certification from the technical college plus earn money and valuable experience in a particular field. The concept provides for integrated learning between a skilled position and high school classes. This job preparedness\educational program has proven extremely successful in European countries and is just being integrated in the U.S. • To introduce this concept, we have sent a letter to approximately 15 Mounds View businesses for participation and will be contacting them by phone later next week. Our hopes are to become one of the first communities actively involved in this program with North East Metro Technical College and at the same time assist the future employees and current employers in the community. Cathy