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Mounds View City Council <br />~egular Meeting <br />Page Ten <br />_ October 13, 1992 <br />Mayor Linke stated that it is an option and that staff was asked to <br />prepare the ordinance to include the entire package. <br />McCarty stated to not adopt Ordinance 519 with the franchise fee <br />agreements would be a moot point. McCarty stated that he has not <br />had a flood of phone calls relating to the gas and electric franchise <br />agreements. McCarty stated that the franchise agreements and <br />implementation of the franchise fee should have been a part of the <br />budget process and discussed at the hearing. McCarty suggested <br />that the Council table this item and make it a part of the budget <br />process in the future. <br />Charlie Hall, Mermaid, stated that the business community feels <br />that the 4$ fee should not be added and it should be deleted from <br />the agreement. <br />Richard Oman, stated that he does not object to the franchise, but <br />is in opposition to the fee because it is an inefficient way to <br />collect revenues and it adds on a new layer of administration costs. <br />Mr.~Oman stated that the residents should not pay NSP to administer <br />paperwork. <br />Mayor Linke explained that NSP cannot charge the City any <br />administrative costs for collecting the fee. State law doesn't <br />allow for that. <br />Richard Oman stated that the residents will also pay 6.5~ sales <br />tax on a revenue source for the City. If taxes are raised it <br />increases the property taxes but adds nothing new to the bill. <br />Steve Lauterbach, 8285 Knollwood Drive, stated that he is opposed to <br />the franchise fee. Property taxes should be increased. Residents <br />will pay less with the franchise fee but businesses will pay <br />more as well as the churches and schools. The franchise fee <br />should be removed from the agreement. <br />Russ Young, 3032 County Road I, stated that NSP when they were <br />to cut trees on his land asked but the City demanded the trees <br />be cut or the City would cut them down. <br />Mayor Linke stated that he did not understand the problem <br />with the trees. Orduno stated that Mr. Young should contact the <br />City tomorrow and she would be ,glad to research the problem <br />surrounding the cutting of the trees. <br />Mayor Linke stated that NSP doesn't have to inform the City <br />when they are working in the City. <br />Ruth White, 2917 County Road I, stated that in her opinion the <br />franchise .fee is a sneaky way to raise taxes. This franchise <br />