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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes <br /> September 8, 1998 <br /> Page 9 <br /> 1 D. Resolution 98-070. re: Set City's proposed 1999 tax levy and budget. <br /> 2 Mr. Mornson presented the City's proposed 1999 tax levy and budget. He stated the proposed <br /> 3 levy must be identified by September.15, 1998 for fiscal year 1999. He added the City sets the <br /> 4 levy and holds a'budget work session on October 6, Truth in Taxation hearings on December 7 <br /> 5 and 16, and then arrives at a final resolution. <br /> 6 Cavanaugh asked whether the levy could be changed. Mayor Ranallo confirmed the levy <br /> 7 amount could be decreased. Cavanaugh stated in his opinion the budget format is confusing <br /> 8 and needs to b enhanced. He added for a new Councilmember, the budgeting process has been <br /> 9 difficult for him to understand. He stated the October 6 meeting might be a good opportunity <br /> 10 to address this problem. <br /> 11 Thuesen stated he also had a difficult time understanding the budget process. He added the <br /> 12 budget draft appears to be comprised of numbers, and stressed the need for table of contents, <br /> 13. mission and goal statement, fiscal policies, benchmarks, goals and objectives, department <br /> 14 summaries, and glossary. He stated the City and its residents would benefit from a budget on <br /> 15 paper that includes these items. He added residents should be able to go to the library and <br /> 16 review, understand and discuss the document which in its current form is impossible. <br /> 17 Mayor Ranallo stated the City held a recent work session at which all Department Heads, <br /> 18 supervisors and the Finance Director were in attendance, and'that would have been the ideal <br /> 19 format for such a discussion. He added that the full Council had been present at this work <br /> 20 session but these issues were not raised. <br /> 21 Thuesen stated as a new Councilmember he is still learning and studying these processes; <br /> 22 however, in order for them to be understandable and meaningful, changes needed to be made. <br /> 23 Mayor Ranallo stated these are the very reasons that two work sessions were held. He added <br /> 24 while a learning curve is acceptable, it should not be at the expense of the taxpayer. Thuesen <br /> 25 stated he had no intention of learning at the expense of the taxpayer. <br /> 26 Faust questioned the intent of Thuesen and Cavanaugh, asking if they meant to imply <br /> 27 skullduggery. <br /> 28 Cavanaugh stated he felt left out of the process as a Councilmember, attending the Council <br /> 29 meeting with a book that has no narrative. He invited the audience to attend the October 6 <br /> 30 budget work session. Thuesen stated there was no skulduggery on his part; however, he <br /> 31 believes the City needs to work on the budget format. <br /> 32 Cavanaugh stated he requested an investment sheet from the City offices, detailing the City's <br /> 33 $9 million in investments. After a lengthy wait, he received a large, confusing packet of <br /> 34 information. He added he requested the same document from another community, and <br /> 35 immediately received a succinct summary printed on 9" X 11" paper. He stated since the <br />