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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2009 Page 2 1 Mr. Morrison stated the purpose of the public hearing is to solicit input from residents on the 2 development of the City's 2010 budget. He presented the budget schedule, noting that the 3 Council will hold a work session on May 4rh to review the 2010 0erating budget and capital 4 equipment needs, followed by another work session on August 3T to continue review of the 5 budget, with the idea that the proposed 2010 budget and property tax levy will be presented to 6 the Council on September 8th. He stated the Truth -in -Taxation public hearing must be held 7 between November 30th and December 21St, and approval and final adoption of the 2010 8 operating budget and property tax levy is anticipated to be held on December 15th. He presented 9 a snapshot of the general fund, noting that revenues for 2009 are budgeted at $5,277,400 with 10 expenditures budgeted at $5,277,400, with the largest share coming out of public safety. He 11 outlined the sources of general fund revenues, noting that 56% of revenues come from the tax 12 levy. 13 14 Councilmember Gray noted the State budgeting shortfall will reduce the City's Market Value 15 Credit by $135,000 and the City does not currently receive any local government aid from the 16 State. He asked if staff anticipates the State cutting anything else. 17 18 Mr. Morrison replied that staff feels the risk is low, and added the City receives pension funds for 19 police and fire based on insurance premiums paid by homeowners; he stated he did not feel that 20 would change. 21 22 Mr. Ken Brown, 3422 Silver Lane NE, addressed the City Council and stated the Citizens 23 League puts out a report that analyzes 117 metro areas and the City's average market value 24 ranked 78th out of 117 and the City's effective tax rate ranked 15th out of 117. He stated the City 25 is the second highest of its surrounding communities, with Roseville being 45% less than St. 26 Anthony. He stated he also reviewed tax dollars of other communities surrounding Minneapolis 27 and found that only five are higher than St. Anthony, with 37 communities paying less in taxes 28 than St. Anthony. He indicated he reviewed the goals prepared by the thirteen person committee 29 and was discouraged to see there was no goal in place for efficiency in bringing the City's tax 30 rate more in line with its market value, resulting in a very high tax rate. He expressed concern 31 that the City does not appear to have a goal in place for finding efficiencies and asked the City 32 Council to consider publishing an article explaining to residents why the City has such a high tax 33 rate and to give this strong consideration when implementing the 2010 budget. 34 35 Mayor Faust stated the City Council and staff are very concerned about expenditures and the 36 City Council goes through the budget line by line. He respectfully disagreed with Mr. Brown that 37 the City Council does not look for efficiencies. 38 39 Mayor Faust closed the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. 40 41 V. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF. 42 43 None. 44 45 VI. GENERAL BUSINESS OF COUNCIL. 46