Minutes - Council - 12/04/2006 - Truth in Taxation

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Mr. Holasek stated that the City found a loop in order to establish this special taxing district without having to show benefit. He questioned if the industrial park on the other side of the railroad track drains into the pipe and if so their properties should be included in the levy. Mayor Gamec replied that is an issue for another night. There was nothing that was going to be done about that at this meeting. Mr. Holasek stated that he wanted something done. Mayor Gamec replied that he did not see anything changing at this point. John Lichter, 15665 Juniper Ridge NW, Ramsey, stated that he has lived in Ramsey since 1977 and purchased his current house 1990. He went back and looked at his property tax statement from 1991 and discovered that he has seen a 429% increase in 16 years. He personally is still working and he can't afford the increase and he can't imagine the impact it is having on the retired people. He felt these amounts need to start being brought down closer to the cost of living. He stated that in one of the handouts it states that one of the goals is to maintain or increase the existing level of services. He felt that if the City is going to increase services they need to ask the people that are going to benefit from those services if they feel they are necessary since they are the ones having to pay for it. Gary Reimann, 18008 Waco Street NW, Ramsey, stated that he has been in the City for 39 years and realize there are some things they don't have control over, but they do have control over the budget and what they spend money on, which is why they were there. He felt that the City was living a little "too high off the hog." Everybody wants new things, but there are certain things he can afford and things he cannot afford. In the last three weeks there has been 20 pages of foreclosures in the Anoka Union. An additional $170 to someone with a fixed income could be enough to put them in that situation. He wouldn't wish that on anyone. The residents elect the City Council and he personally has faith in them, but he wants to see accountability. If there are things they don't have to spend their money on, then they need to get by with what they have. Kevin Harmon, 15591 Yakima Street NW, Ramsey, stated that he has been in the City for nine years. He attended this same meeting last year and at that time brought an article from the Star Tribune regarding a 1 % reduction in housing prices in the Anoka Ramsey area. At that time the Mayor mentioned that they were starting to see some leveling off of the housing prices. He stated that in the handouts presented the City was anticipating revenues of about $2 million. He questioned how feasible they thought that was. Finance Officer Lund replied that with the cuts they have made it should be feasible. Mr. Harmon inquired if they are going to continue to see that gap between revenues and expenditures or were they going to try and revise the budget down to what they feel the expenditures would be. Finance Officer Lund replied that is why the Council has already made cuts. City Council Truth in Taxation/December 4, 2006 Page 7 of9