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Mr. Hartley - Special assessments may be a consideration Council wants to look <br />at but it has drawbacks. Special assessments is typically defined by a smaller <br />territory and assessed on an area basis. A side benefit of taxing districts is <br />that if you itemize your income taxes, the storm sewer tax is deductible; <br />special assessments are not. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich - We can only assume storm sewers financed with taxing districts <br />is tax deductible; there is a possibility this is not true. <br /> <br />Mr. Raatikka - If these districts are established, how will projects be <br />initiated and will citizens have a say in whether or not the improvements are <br />made? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - As a citizen or resident, you would have a say in whether the <br />improvements were conducted or not. The procedure is that the City would <br />identify the problem; propose a solution (building storm drainage system); <br />Council conducts a public hearing to inform the public of the proposed <br />improvement and costs and receive comments. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich - What improvements are being planned for the two districts? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - We do have some feasibility studies completed but the topic we <br />are talking about tonight is the question of how we want to finance storm sewer <br />improvements. If these taxing districts are established, we will come to the <br />City Council and the public with recommended improvements to deal with <br />problems. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich - Are you planning to drain swamps? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - No; ponds and swamps are protected by DNR. They will be drained <br />to a normal level but not dry. <br /> <br />Mr. Raatikka - If Council adopts this ordinance establishing districts, do the <br />opposing citizens have any recourse? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - Any city ordinance is local law and there is recourse. Five <br />people can initiate a petition representing 10% of the registered voters at the <br />last city-wide election to require the ordinance be put to a vote of the entire <br />community. <br /> <br />Mr. Goodrich - Who will pay for maintenance on the improvement? <br /> <br />Mr. Hartley - Who will pay the maitenance costs has not been determined yet but <br />the law enabling the establishment of the taxing districts says you can <br />construct, reconstruct or maintain storm sewer systems using the taxing powers <br />of the district. <br /> <br />Dale Winch - Reside in Champlin but my father and I own property in Ramsey <br />between Hwy. 10 and the railroad tracks. My parcel has drainage problems but <br />not concerned with that right now because I have spent thousands adding fill to <br />the property. Don't see how anybody can make a judgement as to what type of <br />financing method they want with the information we have tonight. Building a <br />storm sewer system, project by project, could take 5-15 years. We could be <br /> April 15, 1986 <br /> <br />Page 4 of 12 <br /> <br /> <br />