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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes August 28, 2001 • Page 16 Councilmember Sparks stated that a negative aspect of getting the referendum on the November ballot 2 is that it does not give the Council much time to educate the public on the issue. 3 Mr. Prosser stated they would need a minimum of ninety days to prepare for a referendum. 4 The Council agreed that a Special Election may be necessary. 5 Mr. Morrison stated that they will work with Ehlers and Associates to market the entire parcel of the 6 Stonehouse property, the off-sale property and the Firehouse. He indicated they would return in sixty 7 days with the type of suitors interested in the property. 8 X. GENERAL POLICY BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL. 9 A. Resolution 01-075, re: Adopt a 2002 levy. 10 Mr. Morrison referred to the updated copy of Resolution 01-075 and stated that the difference is that 11 they received their certified levy limits from the Department of Revenue, which were reduced by 12 $2,300. He stated that the proposed tax levy was $2,635,366. 13 Councilmember Thuesen referred to the elimination of HACA aid and stated that they needed to Weducate residents on the ramifications of the tax levy. 15 Councilmember Hodson stated that he agreed with Councilmember Thuesen, and they need to hear 16 from the residents what services they want. He recommended that they go forward with this 17 Resolution. 18 Councilmember Horst stated that property taxes would be lowered regardless of whether the City 19 adopts this levy, or any other levy. He added that the City portion has to go back up in order to make 20 for the money that the legislature took away. 21 Councilmember Thuesen stated that he was cautious to assume that property taxes will be decreasing, 22 as he has seen what the legislation has done to residents this year. 23 Councilmember Sparks stated she felt residents would complain about their property taxes in a few 24 years because they are confused and uninformed. She added that she was in favor of supporting the 25 tax levy at this time, but indicated that she thought it would come back to them needing to be 26 reassessed. 27 Mayor Cavanaugh stated he felt that the new tax legislation was the most mean-spirited thing that the 28 legislature could have done. He added that a community the size of St. Anthony was really up against 49 the levy because they do not have the tax capacity. 30 Mayor Cavanaugh concluded that he thought Councilmember Sparks was correct, and that, in a couple 31 of years, the Council Chambers would be filled with unhappy and misled residents.