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Ed Hamilton, 6615 Highway #10 NW, Ramsey, stated that he has lived in the City for almost 50 <br />years. He questioned how retired people are going to pay for the additional taxes. The Council <br />has a case before them to hire an additional planner when they are supposedly making cuts. He <br />questioned how many planners the City needed. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec explained that the City currently has a Community Development Director and <br />three planners. <br /> <br />Mr. Hamilton inquired if the City really needed that many planners. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec replied yes. <br /> <br />Mr. Hamilton stated that he thought that the City was "sticking it to the senior citizens." All the <br />City wants to do is spend money and they are going to tax the senior citizens right out of the City. <br /> <br />Ron Wolfe, 17214 Potassium Street NW, Ramsey, stated that he came up with 16 taxes on his <br />utility bill and the City of Ramsey takes four of them. He stated that he talked to the CenterPoint <br />Energy representative and they are anticipating gas prices to increase 20 to 30 percent over the <br />winter. When you start adding up all the increases a property owner is going to be facing on a <br />fixed income they are going to get to a point where they are going to lose their house or have to <br />stop paying for their health insurance. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook stated that the 56 people that work for the City need to keep their jobs as <br />well as the fact that City expenses keep increasing as well. <br /> <br />Mr. Wolfe replied that City employees currently have a job, but what about those that don't. The <br />City is spending a lot of money on studies for the Town Center and then adding additional fees to <br />the Citizens. He questioned when the additional fees are going to end. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook replied that for years the City has done with what they had and it was not <br />the City that reduced the funding it was the State. <br /> <br />Mr. Uecker inquired if the Town Center will be in a TIF District. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec replied that the intention of the City Council is that TIF will not be used for the <br />Town Center development. The Council is looking for the Town Center to generate additional <br />tax revenue for the City. As far as he was concerned, the Town Center will sustain on its own <br />and pay their taxes. <br /> <br />Mr. Uecker inquired as to how long it would be before they know that that will be the case. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec replied that the Town Center should be completely built within six years. <br /> <br />City Council/June 24, 2003 <br />Page 13 of 37 <br /> <br /> <br />