Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 12/13/1990

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Beverly Swmason asked if it is the present City Council that has to approve the budget or can the nmv councilmembers have input as well. Mr. Hartley replied that it is the responsibility of the present City Council to approve the budget before their terms are expired. Councilmember Cich inquired if City Council would be able to vote on only the lex,,,' a: this meeting, or would City Council be required to vote on both the Proposed 199I Budget and the levy. Miss Ashley stated that City Council must adopt a budget in order to justify a levy. Mr. Hanley read a letter to the City Council (attached as a part of these minutes) fi.om Wayne and Peggy Chapman of 16200 Azurite Street who were unable to attend the meeting. David Cameron - 4950 177th Avenue - Mr. Cameron told the City Council that his property value increased approximately 16.4°k and asked where it would end. Mr. Cameron feels that the,`' cannot afford any more and would be driven out of his house. Mr. Hartley stated that if City Council did not want to levy taxes, some sen, ices could be eliminated. Resident - 15401/lackel Street - Requested that City Council not accept the budget as written and proposed that it be re-examined in order to make further cuts and "trim the fat". Councilmember Peterson, also a member of the Budget Committee, stated that the Budget Committee did just that and closely scrutinized the budget, cutting close to one million dollars fi.om the budget requests and feels that the Proposed 1991 Budget is at bare bones already. A peat deal of time was spent agonizing over what to cut. Councilmember DeLuca commented that all lmown waste has already been cut from the budget. Beverly Swanson remarked that she understands that City Council can only ask the taxpayers for just so much, but that the City Budget is only a small portion of the tax increase. The County and School District shares are increasing as well and the children in the city would benefit ~eatly from expenditures for our park system. Fred Ritchie commented that Andover became a city around the same time as Ramsey, but thek tax base is lower. Ma,,,or Reimann replied that part of the reason is that the,,' contract with Anoka County for police protection, the municipal utilities were installed before ours at a lesser cost and that the quantity of commercial properties in Andover helps to reduce the residential tax base. Fred Ritchie remarked that the proposed budget seems to be cut and dried at this point and the ~ublic he. aring is merely a formaiitv. Councilmember Peterson stated that the Budget Committee meetin~s~ beaan~ in August. had 'D,.,.n announced in the Ramse,,' Resident newsletter and that input from the public had been welcomed. *LT. Harrier informed the counciimembers that they may or ma,,' no: ap¢rove, tine .rroDosed. ' although if it was not passed, adeouate notices of another r~ubiic ' ,. ' 5 be o:'dsr to adoo: a .ma: budget and have ir fo:'a'arded to" '~ ia,-- ';- ...... · "' '" ' ~. Novemmr20. !990 ~i¢' Count5 Public H,.arm~ /