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HomeMy WebLinkAboutgr00090_000039_pg032City Council minutes -7- January 26, 1976 Councilman Shelquist said that Mr. Bell cited license fees for surrounding communities. Roseville charges $10,000 for a liquor license. Do you feel that Roseville is using licensing power to raise what should be tax revenue? Mr. Bell: I can't say that $10,000 is too high if the city costs are that high to regulate the liquor industry in Roseville. White Bear Lake has $1500 on -sale liquor fee. Vadnais Heights the same, with $150 restaurant. Little Canada $1500 with $150 cabaret, Shoreview $2500 liquor, $200 Sunday liquor license. Maplewood $2,000 with no cabaret, Arden Hills $2500 minimum, $5500 maximum, based on size of the establishment. New Brighton similar to Arden Hills. Fridley $4500 but not cabaret tax. St. Paul $1750 with $150 cabaret. Have different situations with different population size. Shoreview has no police department. Since Mounds View will have to be competing the costs cannot be so far out of line with the competitors. Councilman Shelquist asked what criteria these municipalities that have been named used in setting their license fees? Mr. Bell said he did not know. Councilman Shelquist stated that Mr. Bell's statements that we are in error is directed only to Mounds View. Further, he said, a fair percentage of the 240 employees are from Mounds View, what percentage of them are city residents? The representative from the Launching Pad stated about 80o are from Mounds View. The Anchor Inn representative stated he would have to check his payroll records. Donatelle's representative felt a considerable percentage were. Mr. Hall from the Mermaid stated that many of of our present employees purchase from here even if they don't live here. They are potential people moving in also. Councilman Baumgartner stated that the figures of liquor licenses in other communities is really superfluous. They have a reason their fee was reached and we have a reason for charging our fee. To compare us has nothing to do with the decision I will make. Mr. Bell replied that he just wanted to show the relative position in comparison to the competition. Mayor Johnson stated that the staff has estimated that without the entertainment establishments in our city we would be able to reduce the police department by at least 1 -1/2 to 2 -1/2 people. The 1976 budget for the police department has increased $73,000. Most of that can be passed onto the taxpayer but when you couple the increase together with the extra demand on their services that these establishments require, they have to have some special treatment in sharing the costs. Mr. Bell stated that he had made other suggestions as to where the police are called. Our position is that we should pay a license fee but it should not be increased. Especially in the cabaret tax. I do not agree that you would operate with a smaller police department. Right now they are reduced to one patrolman at some times. I don't see how you could cut down.