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Session 1840 <br />May 13, 2002 <br /> <br />reserves were simply unspent funds that were not spent as allocated in the budget year. <br />Ms. Welsch wondered if Mr. Wagner's plan of being disciplined to only spend within our <br />budget might not be a good idea. Mr. Wagner responded that he thinks it would be a <br />good habit, yet Mr. Ollendorff has not quite agreed with it altogether. Mayor Adams <br />noted that we really need to look at other revenue sources, such as the taxes for cell <br />phones to help solve some of our budget questions. Mr. Ollendorff feels like the biggest <br />negative is the effect of the Internet on sales taxes. Generally speaking, the economy is <br />cyclical and sooner or later, it will get going again and our revenues will increase. <br />Sooner or later, the telephone tax issue will be settled. He is optimistic that the Census <br />figures will be corrected any day now, which will help. He also feels that the outlook is <br />modestly bright in continuing property development. We have been enjoying good <br />economic development over the last five or six years and he doesn't see any reason <br />why this would not continue. Mr. Ollendorff stated that other than ambulance service <br />revenues, which are down, the rest of the revenue predictions should be met. <br /> <br />Mr. Ollendorff directed Council's attention to the top of B-9 and said that the City was <br />not collecting any of the property tax for which the citizens voted in favor. We could, but <br />we are not. If revenue ever became a problem, then he supposed that this could be <br />activated at some juncture, but he hopes that does not happen. Mr. Ollendorff said that <br />there are two other sales tax possibilities that we could take advantage of, which other <br />cities have adopted and we have not. For Parks, the state authorizes ~ of one percent <br />sales tax, but we asked the voters to approve only 1,4 of one percent sales tax. At any <br />time we could go back to the voters and say we need that other additional 1,4 of one <br />percent. There is an additional 1,4 of one percent sales tax that has been available for <br />years which has never been presented to the voters. This would be the real fallback <br />position. Mr. Lieberman asked what we received in sales tax per capita. Mr. Ollendorff <br />said that the pool has more population so he is figuring $239.50 per capita. He has not <br />budgeted anymore money for the census revision, since it isn't in writing yet. Ms. <br />Welsch asked if sales tax money could be reimbursed retroactively based on any higher <br />Census count. Mr. Ollendorff said he did not believe that it would be, because the state <br />would have to go back eight or nine months and ask all those cities to give them money <br />back. <br /> <br />Mr. Wagner asked why we did not budget any money for the Memorial Day Run. Mr. <br />Ollendorff said that what Mr. Wagner is seeing under 680.11 was the event's <br />contribution for police services. The City has never taken in any of this event's money. <br />The event has incorporated and they self fund the run. It isn't on the library's books any <br />more, either. Ms. Szymula said that the Library is getting out of funding the run. The <br />Committee actually has $10,000 coming in from two big sponsors. <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br /> <br />