Minutes - Council - 09/27/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Prcscntation ('ity l:,ngineer Jankowski indicated the 2005 Street Maintenance Program consists of eight individual projects addressing the maintenance needs of 20.6 miles of streets. Eight projects involve crackfill/scalcoat projects covering 13.6 miles of roadway. Three projects involve a 1-½ inch bituminous overlay covering 7.0 miles. Individual projects have combined subdivisions with similar pavement areas per unit into single projects to reduce administration costs. He advised all projects have been substantially completed and the final costs have been determined. li is (',ity policy to assess 50% of the project cost to the benefited property owners, while the rtmmining half is financed through City general funds. He indicated one written comment was received today that he would like to address after the citizen input. Citizen Input Matt l,ook, 5635 - 142'~ Avenue NW, questioned how property owners can be assessed if there is not an increase in the value to their property. (lily Attorney Goodrich replied the City is not able to specially assess any property unless it bcnolSts Iht property by the amount of the assessment. I,ook stated this project is a maintenance issue, and he would question why the assessment is 50% with tho City paying for 50% of the project. Mayor Gamcc replied in the past the City charged the full assessment for the project. The Council ~hcn decided to amend the policy to a 50/50 basis. Any change to the policy would be difficult due to the residents that have been paying assessments in the past. Mr. l,ook stated this assessment is a ten percent tax increase. His concern as a citizen is that ~oday thc assessment will be for the overlay, and tomorrow the assessment will be for whatever thc (~ouncil deems it wants to charge the citizens. As citizens in a charter community it is their responsibility to ensm'e this type of taxation does not occur on a regular basis. Councilmcmbcr Elvig explained the road has to be repaired and someone has to pay for it. The only alternative would be to tax the rest of the residents in the City for these roads, The question gets to be what is fair at this time, as other residents have already paid assessments for their roads in the past. Mr. I,ook stated there could be a charter introduced at the next election that requires any increase in taxation or foes to go before the people in the general election. Mayor (iamec indicated the responsibility for these assessments is designated to the City Council through tiao State. Mr. [,ook stated his concern is that the City of Ramsey does not tax less than any other city. They do not have these problems in a neighboring city where he owns property, and the maintenance issues are dealt with in that city. City Council / September 27, 2005 Page 6 of 25