05/22/1991 Budget - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1545, Minutes May 22, 1991 Page 4 citv Hall Fire Ib:>rs and Heman Pool BuildineJ Inprovements. '!he City Manager said if the $20,000 is not needed for COmmunity Center air corrlitioning, the next two priorities are City Hall fire doors and Heman Pool building iIrprove- ments. Decisions on both may be delayed until fall, and the funis will not be used without consulting Council. Non-unifo:nned Pension Adiustment. Mr. Ollerrlorff said the recent iIrprovement in this pension fund meant there are four employees who will not receive as much un:ier the l1eW' pension fonnula as they would have un:ier the old, since their eanrlngs exceeded the social security wage base and they paid more into the fund than those whose earnings do not exceed the base. Discussions will be held with these employees to try to figure out a payment of some kin:i to c:::anpensate for their loss. When a solution is fourrl, he will ask Council to appropriate whatever is needed. '!he only other items for consideration are whether and when to ask the voters for increases in ambulance fees and occupancy inspection fees. He noted he put about six months' increased fees in the budget; if the proposals are put on the ballot in August and are approved, the City will receive more than the budgeted annmt; in November, it will be about what is budgeted; in April, it will be less. It was suggested the November election might be less expensive for the City; however, a large state tax increase will be on that ballot and voters might be less inclined to support local tax increases. It was noted the SChool District planned to put a property tax increase on the November ballot. After further discussion, it was decided to put the two issues on the August 6 ballot. '!here was also discussion about the monetary annmts, and it was decided to follow staff :recarcnteI1dations. Mr. Ollerrlorff said the annmts for inspections will still only be about half the cost of this proce- dure, but there is a public benefit involved (property upkeep) so it is prop- er that taxes pay part of the cost. Mr. Ollerrlorff said there has been sane discussion of a property tax rate in- crease, however, this is not included as part of the budget, and he saw no point in putting this on the ballot until it is detennined what the City's financial condition will be next year. Mr. MaIns proposed another fee increase that would apply to businesses that buy or sell blood products or body parts. It was felt such a business would require a great deal of monitoring by the police and other city departments, and therefore merited a gross receipts tax or a very large license fee, per- haps as nnlch as $50,000. After exterrled discussion, it was detennined that the charge on such a business would have to be either a head tax or a flat fee. Mayor Majerus will discuss this with the County Counselor, and a deci- sion on the type of fee will be made later. '!he City Manager said Council asked for two reports, one of which Sl1llU'llarized staff changes, am this will be released to the public when the budget is adopted. '!he second report is a list of items in the order in which he would reconnnenj restoring them in case money is available next year. '!here were a total of 16 items, and he said if the first two or three are accomplished, that will be about as successful as he expects, since there is not likely to be enough money for the others.